Pundit: Promise Of A Job Might Expedite Rep. Weiner's Resignation
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The official hint that Congressman Anthony Weiner may quit came on Tuesday.
And there were suggestions that there's more President Barack Obama can do to help ease him out, reports CBS 2's Marcia Kramer.
"It's been what two weeks. It's been a very long two weeks," Rep. Carolyn McCarthy said.
To some, the steady trickle of Rep. Weiner's steamy, sexually self-absorbed self portraits has seemed never ending, as has his inability to decide exactly what to do. But now there appears to be light at the end of this dark tunnel for the Democrats.
"Hopefully we are hearing he might resign in a couple of days," McCarthy said.
No one wants the congressman to disappear more than President Obama.
"I can tell you that if it was me, I would resign," Obama said on Monday.
However, pundits think there might be just a little bit more the president can do to make it happen.
"Maybe the White House helps him get a job, with no fingerprints, so he can go on making a living, which is what he needs to do as well," political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said.
A job to help support pregnant wife Huma Abedin would certainly help with the decision to resign, something many of his house colleagues are anxiously awaiting.
"I think we should send a strong message to him that he should resign," Michigan Rep. Sandy Levin said.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has said members should support his ouster due to, "our higher responsibility to our country to uphold a high ethical standard in the Congress of the United States."
House Speaker John Boehner has also agreed that Rep. Weiner should step down.
But Weiner's mentor, Sen. Charles Schumer, continued to duck the resignation question on Tuesday.
"It's clear he needs professional help. That's what he's sought and that's all I'm going to say about this subject," Schumer said.
Ducking was contagious among New York lawmakers. Queens Congressman Joseph Crowley waved off questions claiming he was late for a meeting. Manhattan Rep. Jerrold Nadler just walked away. Brooklyn Rep. Nydia Velasquez said the "economy" and "other issues" were her topics of the day.
The process may speed up now that Weiner's wife is due back early Wednesday morning from a State Department trip with her boss, Hillary Clinton. Interestingly, press coverage of the plane landing has been barred.
So there will be no questions to Clinton about the advice she offered on whether her aide should stay married to the randy congressman.
"The game now is really waiting for Huma, the wife of Anthony Weiner, to determine what's going to happen," Sheinkopf said.
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