Weiner: 'Quit' Isn't The Way We Roll In New York City

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A day after Anthony Weiner's poll numbers plunged to fourth place among Democrats in the race for New York City mayor, the candidate released a video reiterating his stance that he will not be withdrawing any time soon.

Weiner released a new campaign video saying once again that he won't quit the race. The one-minute video was posted on his campaign's website Tuesday evening.

Speaking directly into the camera, the former congressman addressed politicians and newspaper editors who have said he should quit.

"Sometimes people say to me, 'You know, this campaign is pretty rough. You may want to quit.' I know that there are newspaper editors and other politicians that say, 'Boy, I wish that guy Weiner would quit,'" he said in the clip. "They don't know New York. They certainly don't know me. 'Quit' isn't the way we roll in New York City. We fight through tough things. We're a tough city."

He reiterated that the campaign should not be about him.

"This is about helping New Yorkers, because they understand this is about them, and this campaign has reminded me of that again and again, in all kinds of ways," Weiner said. "You know, if someone wants to come out with something embarrassing about you in your private life, you've got to talk about that for a while. But it's also reminded me that citizens, when they come up to you, and they want to talk about a situation on their block, or at their child's school, or something going on at their job site, that that's what this campaign is all about – and I'll never forget that."

It was not clear when the video was taped, but 1010 WINS reported that television equipment was seen coming and going from his Park Avenue South apartment on Sunday.

Earlier Tuesday, Weiner kept up his campaign schedule, speaking on a panel of mayoral candidates about issues facing small business owners.

Eight candidates for mayor at the forum agreed that small business is fined, taxed and abused.

"There are a lot of people who are saying a lot of things about this campaign and that's great, but I'm most concerned about the residents of the five boroughs," Weiner told reporters afterwards.

In a Quinnipiac University poll released Monday, Weiner's support fell from 26 percent last week to 16 percent. Last week's survey was taken largely before Weiner's latest sexting scandal was revealed.

With 53 percent of Democrats in the new Quinnipiac poll saying Weiner should quit, the former congressman said he sees room for choice when it comes to talking about New York City's next mayor.

"I always find it entertaining when the media asks about the media circus. Look, all I can do is keep doing the best I can," said Weiner. "I knew that when I got into this race that these things behind me might be a problem for voters, I understand that. I've got a lot to prove to everyone in this city, everyone who's watching this race."

Weiner offered admiration for the Clintons when asked about their reported Weiner quit wish, WCBS 880's Paul Murnane reported.

After the forum, fellow Democratic mayoral hopeful Bill Thompson said it would be "nice" to focus on the issues.

"We should be talking about education and job creation and affordable housing, that's what they want to talk about. They don't want to talk about one person," said Thompson. "The race for mayor is about ideas and about vision and about what is good for New York City in the future."

Weiner said "polls don't stop the election" and told reporters Tuesday "I'm going to keep moving forward."

"There have been a lot of polls in this race and every time one has come out, whether I'm at the top or not, I've said the same thing, it doesn't change my life one bit," Weiner said.

Forty percent of voters in the latest poll said his behavior disqualified him from consideration as a candidate, up from 23 percent last week.

"He's in a free-fall,'' said poll director Maurice Carroll. "He can't win. He simply can't win.''

The poll of 446 likely Democratic voters shows Weiner trailing City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (27 percent), Public Advocate Bill de Blasio (21 percent) and ex-city comptroller Bill Thompson (20 percent). The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.

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