Democrat Congressman Anthony Weiner To Take Leave of Absence Amid Calls to Resign

CNN.com:

U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, who has been under fire after admitting to inappropriate communications with women online, has decided to seek treatment "to focus on becoming a better husband and healthier person," his spokeswoman said Saturday.


While the New York congressman seeks treatment at an undisclosed location, he will take a "short leave of absence" from Congress, Risa Heller said in a statement.


A Democratic source, familiar with conversations among Weiner and Democratic leadership about his fate, did not know what specific type of treatment Weiner would undergo.


House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and the chairmen of the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called for Weiner to step down in separate statements earlier Saturday.


The congressman has resisted calls to resign.


"Congressman Weiner has the love of his family, the confidence of his constituents and the recognition that he needs help. I urge Congressman Weiner to seek that help without the pressures of being a member of Congress," Pelosi said.


DCCC Chair Steve Israel also wished Weiner well in his personal life, but said that the scandal has "become an insurmountable distraction" to the House.


"The behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and Representative Weiner's continued service in Congress is untenable," DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said, also calling it a distraction.


According to the Democratic source, leaders decided it was time to tell Weiner to resign because they "don't want to go into a third week with a story that brings disgrace on the House and not talk about our agenda."


This same source said Weiner responded that he doesn't want to make a decision until his wife, Huma Abedin, returns from a trip. Abedin, a senior aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is traveling with her in Africa and is scheduled to return early Thursday.


"Congressman Weiner takes the views of his colleagues very seriously and has determined that he needs this time to get healthy and make the best decision possible for himself, his family and his constituents," Heller said.


The statements come as Delaware authorities are investigating contact between a local teen and Weiner.


"Detectives were made aware of alleged contact between Congressman Anthony Weiner and an area teen," New Castle County Police said in a statement. "Detectives have conducted an interview with the teen and she has made no disclosure of criminal activity nor inappropriate contact by the congressman."


Weiner's spokeswoman said the interaction with the Delaware teen was not inappropriate.


"According to Congressman Weiner, his communications with this person were neither explicit nor indecent," Heller said.

Honestly, I don't blame Weiner for not resigning esp. when you got David Vitter still out there, Weiner (so far) hasn't broken any laws and at the end of the day it should be left up his constituents to decide his fate. Bill Clinton got impeached, and rightfully so, because he lied under oath, not because he was morally corrupt. Anthony Weiner is a far-Left loon, so no one should be surprised by this drama because liberals don't have values to begin. But considering how much being a politician means to Weiner, no surprise here that he decides to lay low and hope this scandal either plays itself out or gets put to the background once the next scandal arrives. Then too, the only reason Pelosi and Co. are coming out talking for Weiner to resign is because they know how much this whole sex scandal hurts a party most Americans just don't have that much faith in anymore.

Herman Cain To CBS News: Homosexuality Is ‘A Sin’ And ‘A Choice’

Don't necessarily agree with everything that comes out of this guy's mouth, but much props for speaking the truth on homosexuality here:

In an interview Wednesday with CBS News, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain described homosexuality as “a sin” and “a choice.” Appearing on the CBS News web program Washington Unplugged, Cain told CBSNews.com senior political reporter Brian Montopoli “I believe homosexuality is a sin because I’m a Bible-believing Christian, I believe it’s a sin,” he said. “But I know that some people make that choice. That’s their choice.”


Montopoli followed up, asking Cain if he thought gays and lesbians were making “a choice” to be homosexual:


Cain was asked: “So you believe it’s a choice?”


“I believe it is a choice,” he responded.

New DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz Is A Repeated Liar, Enjoys Playing Race Card

There's no shame to the lengths this woman will go to smear Republicans, none. In fact, she's basically a male version of Alan Grayson:

Democrats knew they were getting an outspoken partisan when Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz took over the reins of the Democratic National Committee a month ago.


But they might not have known just how outspoken.


In the four weeks since she succeeded Tim Kaine, Wasserman Schultz has been called out by four nonpartisan fact-checkers for mischaracterizing the GOP’s Medicare plan.


She’s accused Republicans of wanting to reinstate segregation and of waging a “war on women.” She has asserted, somewhat nonsensically, that the GOP wants to make illegal immigration — by definition against the law — “a crime.” She’s also been mocked for driving a foreign car after pounding Republicans for not supporting the American auto industry.


A rank-and-file member of Congress typically wouldn’t get noticed for inflammatory language and rhetorical slip-ups. But Wasserman Schultz has a higher profile now — and was hired precisely because of her skills as a communicator.


No one seems ready to declare her the Democratic version of Michael Steele, the gaffe-prone former Republican National Committee chairman whose rhetorical and administrative missteps led numerous party leaders to publicly insist he had to go. But some Democrats are already privately fretting about the media-loving Wasserman Schultz’s tendency to put her foot in her mouth — after all, her ability to be the party’s frontwoman and messenger was a major reason President Barack Obama selected her as chairwoman.


One Democratic consultant with DNC ties said Wasserman Schultz is accustomed to operating on her own and will have to learn to tone it down now that she is the spokeswoman for her party and president.


“This is a growing pain that she and Team Obama are going to need to figure out, and it’s a good thing for both sides that she’s making the gaffes now — so that they can address this,” the consultant said.

Ann Coulter On "The View"

Sonia Sotomayor And Elena Kagan Vote The Same All The Time

I get the fact that the Anthony Weiner stuff is dominating current landscape, but the fact that Sotomayor and Kagan vote more alike than Scalia and Thomas (two justices liberals have told us for years are one and the same) do is something the conservative media needs to be concerned about:

They're in a New York state of mind.


The newest members of the nation's highest court -- local Obama appointees Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan -- have agreed with each other in all 23 cases they've voted on, which is a supreme rarity, observers said.


Liberal critics who deride the Supreme Court's rightward shift over the past 10 years have cited conservative alliances like "Scalito," Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito.


But Scalia and Alito have agreed with each other in only 84 percent of cases in the current term, which winds up this month.


egal scholars find the Sotomayor-Kagan mind meld a bit unusual but hardly shocking.


"The pattern of agreement is typically based on ideology or a view of the law," said professor Barry Friedman of NYU Law School. "It's not that surprising that Barack Obama's two appointees showed agreement."


But the New York twins don't just agree in general terms. Justices can agree fully or partially in a case, depending on whether they write a separate concurring or dissenting opinion. Often two justices will come to the same general conclusion for very different reasons.


Sotomayor, who joined the court two years ago, and Kagan, who began serving last October, agreed fully 91 percent of the time.


Scalia and Alito were in full agreement only 59 percent of the time, according to statistics compiled by the Web site SCOTUSblog.


Only three other pairs of justices fully agreed more than 79 percent of the time.

Rep. Anthony Weiner Admits In Press Conference He Lied All Along But Vows ‘I Am Not Resigning’

Proof once again that liberals don't have values to begin with. Of course, the irony here is how cocky, arrogant and self-righteous this lying loon was with conservatives, Now all he can do nothing is cry and hang his head in shame. And yes, let Andrew Breitbart's victory march begin:

Today another unpredictable chapter was added to the expanding Weinergate story, as just a few hours ago conservative journalist Andrew Breitbart and his website Big Government unveiled brand new, shirtless photos of Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner that were allegedly sent by Weiner to an unidentified female. Weiner wasted no time responding to these new photos by announcing a press conference, but oddly Breitbart himself appeared in the room and took the podium first.


Breitbart stole the spotlight at first, answering questions from members of the press and said “I’d like an apology from [Weiner]” and “I want to hear the truth.” Then Breitbart joked that “I’ve seen a lot of this Congressman’s body” and that “he’s in very good shape.” And finally, Breitbart suggested he is holding back one explicit photo in order to protect Weiner’s family.


Nearly twenty minutes later Weiner finally appeared and addressed all of the questions. Weiner shockingly admitted “I have made terrible mistakes” and that he lied about his Twitter account being hacked. Weiner confirmed that the pictures were in fact of him, and that he has exchanged pictures of himself with six women over the past few years. However, he stressed that he never had physical relationships with these women and that he never even met them. Some of the exchanges continued to take place after his marriage. Weiner emphasized that “I’m so sorry” and “I haven’t told the truth and I’ve done things I deeply regret.” Before taking many questions from reporters, Weiner reiterated that he apologized to his wife, that he is “deeply ashamed of my terrible judgment and actions” and finally that “I am not resigning.”


Prior to the press conference, questions were swirling whether Weiner could survive this controversy and for how long, or whether Weiner might even announce his resignation. Many believed Weiner hurt himself last week with his decision to conduct a round of interviews that breathed new life into the controversy as he was unable to definitely declare whether or not the man in the Twitter underwear picture was actually him. How today’s decision to come clean about everything will impact his public image remains to be seen.

RELATED: Nancy Pelosi Calls For Ethics Committee To Investigate Rep. Weiner

Hollywood Actress Reese Witherspoon: "It's Cool" To Be A "Good Girl".

Finally a Hollywood actress who isn't ashamed to have some values, much less some dignity and class:

Reese Witherspoon has insisted "it's cool" to be a "good girl".


The 35-year-old actress was honoured at the annual MTV Movie Awards last night for her consistent film success, picking up the coveted Generation Award.


The beautiful star, who is best known for her roles in Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama, revealed she feels proud to be considered one of Hollywood's "good" girls in her acceptance speech.


Reese insists that hitting headlines for drama isn't always "cool".


"I get it, girls, that it's cool to be a bad girl. But it is possible to make it in Hollywood without doing a reality show. When I came up in this business, if you made a sex tape, you were embarrassed and you hid it under your bed. And if you took naked pictures of yourself on your cell phone, you hide your face, people!" she said in her acceptance speech. "So, for all the girls out there, it's totally possible to be a good girl. I'm going to try to make it cool."


Reese's Water for Elephants co-star Robert Pattinson presented her with the prestigious award. The British star, who picked up five gongs for his vampire franchise film Twilight, joked that he dabbled in secret liaisons with his gorgeous co-star.


"I did f*ck you," he joked.


Reese's honest and heartfelt speech touched fellow actress Julianne Hough. The blonde star took to her personal Twitter page after the event on Sunday evening to congratulate Reese on being a great role model.


"LOVE Reese Witherspoon!!!!!" she gushed. "Good Girls do exist and CAN make it in "Hollywood"! :) Thx for being a great idol! And one of mine! :) (sic)."

Politiks As Usual: In The News 6/6/11

Florida Governor Rick Scott Defends Measure Requiring Drug Tests For Welfare

First Man 'Functionally Cured' Of HIV

The Problems Of Mitt Romney, Reaffirms Stance That Global Warming Is Real

Young Americans Face A Brutal Summer

CNN: No Children? No Problem!

China Has Divested 97 Percent Of Its Holdings In U.S. Treasury Bills

Obama Declares June "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Pride Month"

Roger Ailes: If MSM Did Fair And Balanced News, We'd Be Out Of Business

Howard Dean: Palin Could Beat Obama In 2012

GOP Has Leverage In Debt Ceiling Dispute

Bob Schieffer Scolds Pelosi For Congress Doing ‘Basically Nothing’ On Economy

Mediaite.com:

House Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sat down with Bob Schieffer this morning and her non-answers on Congressional action to tackle the problems with the nation’s economy left Schieffer in a sour mood. As Pelosi suggested President Obama has done everything to save this economy and now the focus is on jobs, Schieffer wondered “the President has been there two and a half years, I mean, why hasn’t he done that yet, what’s happened?”


Pelosi tried to stress Obama’s economic achievements:


“He pulled us from the brink of the financial crisis, from an economic crisis, and now we have to dig out of a deep debt, and we have to also make it clear that we’re not getting into this situation again.”


Yet Schieffer wasn’t impressed, particularly with how little he saw from Congress, concluding “Congress has been in session since January and has done basically nothing.” Pelosi responded, “well you can talk to Mr. Boehner about that.” Schieffer didn’t seem to like Pelosi’s insistence on blaming Republicans without offering any ideas to get something done “now.” Pelosi finally relented somewhat with her defense:


“We’re not in the majority in the House. And so you’re saying to me why haven’t we brought something to the floor to create jobs? I think that’s a better question asked to the Republicans because they control the agenda.”


Pelosi seemed somewhat surprised by Schieffer’s agitation, yet finger-pointing without any attempt at a compromise or suggesting a solution, admirably doesn’t get far with Schieffer these days.

Anytime liberals go back to blaming the GOP for everything, just remember that they just had two years of running everything. And yet, despite the mess this country is on, while they were in charge their single goal was getting ObamaCare passed. Thankfully, even some in the lamestream press are growing tired of their BS.

John Edwards Pleads Not Guilty to Conspiracy, Campaign Law Volations

Talk about a fall from grace, any liberal who ever supported this con artist should be hanging their head in total shame now:

Former Democratic vice presidential nominee and two-time presidential candidate John Edwards pleaded not guilty Friday to conspiracy and campaign law violations, acknowledging that he had "done wrong," but denying that he broke the law.


His plea came hours after a federal grand jury indicted him on six counts, including conspiracy, issuing false statements and violating campaign contribution laws.


"There's no question that I've done wrong," Edwards told reporters outside federal court in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. "But I did not break the law and I never, ever thought I was breaking the law."


He was released on his own recognizance, but was ordered to surrender his passport and remain within the lower 48 states.


If convicted on all counts, Edwards would face up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1.5 million.

Ailing US Housing Market 'Beats Great Depression Slide'

TheIndependent.com:

The ailing US housing market passed a grim milestone in the first quarter of this year, posting a further deterioration that means the fall in house prices is now greater than that suffered during the Great Depression.


The brief recovery in prices in 2009, spurred by government aid to first-time buyers, has now been entirely snuffed out, and the average American home now costs 33 per cent less than it did at the peak of the housing bubble in 2007. The peak-to-trough fall in house prices in the 1930s Depression was 31 per cent – and prices took 19 years to recover after that downturn.


The latest Case-Shiller house price index was just one of a slew of disappointing economic data from the US yesterday, which suggested ebbing confidence in the recovery of the world's largest economy. The Chicago PMI manufacturing index showed a sharp slowdown in the pace of expansion in May, missing Wall Street forecasts and sending the index to its lowest since November 2009.


And in the latest Conference Board consumer confidence survey more people expressed uncertainty over their future economic prospects. The confidence index fell unexpectedly to 60.8 from a revised 66.0, when economists had expected it to rise to 67.0. Falling house prices and negative equity combined with high petrol and food prices and a still-weak jobs market to raise consumers' fears for the future.


Thomas Di Galoma, the managing director of government securities at Oppenheimer & Co, said: "Based on the weakness in housing prices, Chicago PMI and consumer confidence, it appears as though the economy could be headed for a double dip, especially as federal and state spending slows rapidly over the next six months."


Economists warned not to expect any immediate relief to the gloom from the housing market. Banks continue to demand high deposits from potential buyers and are pressing on with foreclosures against those who have fallen behind on mortgages, adding to the glut of unsold homes on the market.