Anthony Weiner NYC Mayor Run: Can He Shake Off the Scandals?

The Anthony Weiner saga started and ended with, unfortunately for him, his own last name. It's more than ironic that he was involved in a 2011 scandal where he was caught sending lewd photographs of himself to a woman via Twitter. He further proved to the world that even prominent politicians get confused when learning the ends and outs of "sexting" etiquette.

He was the butt of countless jokes for months and even now, it is hard to forget his rapid fall from grace. He resigned as a Democratic Representative from New York soon after the scandal broke. Now he is mounting a comeback as a potential NYC mayoral candidate. Is it too soon? In the world of politics, it's not too soon to try to get back in the game. But he shouldn't expect the public to forget about the ordeal.

What's the extent of forgiveness for a politician? Truth be told, politicians commit grievous sins with exceptional punctuality. The public is somewhat willing to overlook, or rather ignore their misdeeds. They happen so often that we can't help but develop a high tolerance for absurd scandals. As of right now, Weiner he is one of five  potential candidates for the mayoral position. This does not mean that he has a shot at winning. But there's nothing to prevent him from running.

What Weiner did was idiotic, but compared to some of the recent and past scandals of politicians, he's in good company. Politicians and sex scandals go together like pizza and beer. In 2008, former NY Governor Elliot Spitzer was linked to a high end escort service. Currently, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is embroiled in an international prostitution scandal.

On the conservative front, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford admitted to having an extra martial affair in 2009. He finished his term, and  recently won the GOP nomination for an open congressional seat in South Carolina. He is proof that a politician can survive a scandal, but they might not come out of it the same. These incidents are game changers for everyone involved.

The above mentioned indiscretions are just the tip of DC's kinky iceberg. Anthony Weiner is but one in continuous revolving door of politicians and sex scandals. Forgiveness for Weiner does not rest with the public. His wife has apparently forgiven him. If he can prove that he is fit to serve in office and the public chooses to vote for him, then that should end the debate. But the public has a lengthy, sharp memory.

Anthony Weiner might want to avoid using smart phones and social media. Hopefully he has learned his lesson. But when contemplating the Anthony Weiner scandal, it's hard not to think of Bill Clinton and his sex scandal while he was president. Imagine how Bill Clinton might have butchered the fine art of "sexting." Maybe there is hope for Weiner after all. But his road to a comeback is going to be bumpy and loaded with roadblocks.