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Mediaite’s Colby Hall: ‘The Nation Raised Their Eyebrows’ At Rep. Weiner When He Could Not Identify Lewd Photo

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A week into the great Twitter scandal known as “Weinergate,” the media have not gotten any closer to figuring out exactly how a lewd photo found its way onto Rep. Anthony Weiner‘s yFrog account, but certainly theories have been eliminated. Mediaite managing editor Colby Hall joined MSNBC’s Alex Witt this morning for a recap of how this story became the top headline this week, how it broke down and where Rep. Weiner and the Democrats may find themselves once the story blows over.

Most of the media– at the time, the handful of bloggers that had caught wind of the story– was left to “speculate reasonably” with little leads, and, during the time frame in which Rep. Weiner himself had not commented, he was given most of the benefit of the doubt. And then he started talking to the media. As Hall explains, it was mostly downhill from there, as “the nation raised their eyebrows” collectively at Rep. Weiner’s claim that he could not “with certitude” say the photo in question was not of his bottom half.

The mystery doesn’t quite end there, however, as Rep. Weiner’s other suspect Twitter followers, some who are underaged girls, seem to not be fully explained. “It’s not clear why he has all these young women– or even if he does have them,” he notes, though this evidence, once again, is still circumstantial. Ultimately, though, Hall concluded, “I can’t honestly imagine that this takes Weiner down,” as he is the sort of “firebrand [who] won’t take this lying down.”

The segment via MSNBC below:

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  • Barack Must Go

    There isn’t one going after the truth here….NOT ONE.

    The ” holy grail ” to this whole sordid affair, the immediate hiring of high profile attorney, refual to bring in police..FBI, can’t say “with certitude” it’s me. ( then say so without certitude…and who the hell, besides mediadoubt, even uses the word certitude today ), giving 15 different ( purposely conflicting, trick learned from Obama regime, so no one can tie you down to an answer ), etc, etc, lies in someone locating and interviewing his soon to be ex-wife and her attorney, friends and family.

    I believe the wife somehow got access to his account, he probably left it up when he went to drain that giant lizard of his.

    She, upon learning what he was really doing in the basement into the wee hours of the morning snapped and sent the photo.

    Find the wife, Weiner’s history in the U.S. House of Representatives, simple as that, but no left winger in the MSM will do it.

  • OxyCon

    Colby, doesn’t MessNBC get upset with you for appearing on a rival network?

  • Glackin

    Colby, no one has explained why the picture is deemed “lewd”.
    It is a picture of “occupied” undershorts.
    By that measure, every picture of a woman in a bikini is “lewd”
    We know what’s under those triangles, after all.
    And women in tight jeans? The dreaded “camel-toe” lurks.
    Has Puritanism returned to America?

  • Jaurez

    Glackin seems a little sympathetic in weiners pickle he’s gotten himself into. Wonder why that would be…

  • Gorgegirl

    Glackin said:
    Colby, no one has explained why the picture is deemed “lewd”.It is a picture of “occupied” undershorts.By that measure, every picture of a woman in a bikini is “lewd”We know what’s under those triangles, after all.And women in tight jeans? The dreaded “camel-toe” lurks.Has Puritanism returned to America?

    I’ve seen ads for “Jockey” that were worse. Nothing here. Like the Rep says – there are more important issues to be resolved than his Twitter.

  • http://cbcf.groupsite.com Miss Capri

    Puritanism has returned, but not in the way you think. It’s in the form of liberalism.

  • Glackin

    Jaurez said:
    Glackin seems a little sympathetic in weiners pickle he’s gotten himself into. Wonder why that would be…

    Adding to the discourse with your usual charm. You never cease to underwhelm me with your wit.

  • Glackin

    Miss Capri said:
    Puritanism has returned, but not in the way you think. It’s in the form of liberalism.

    And red is blue, and black is white, and up is down, and you make sense.

  • Jaurez

    Glackin said:
    And red is blue, and black is white, and up is down, and you make sense.

    Wit?

  • Jaurez

    Gorgegirl said:
    I’ve seen ads for “Jockey” that were worse.

    Any of those models happen to be politicians?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Catherine-Coy/1207016798 Catherine Coy

    This whole incident is just another bizarre example of media gone amok. That anyone in media would think this “lewd” photo (which it’s not) is “news” is indicative of the exploitive nature of media.

    Hacking a Twitter account isn’t illegal; therefore, Anthony Weiner has nothing to complain about legally. Hacking a free file sharing site such as YouTube isn’t illegal. Hacking a Facebook account isn’t illegal, either. Disruption of any of these sites causes only inconvenience–which is why Anthony Weiner didn’t call the cops or the FBI, as has been suggested by many ignorant observers of this “news” story.

    Don’t worry, there’s “breaking news!” about another hapless high profile person just waiting for the snarling jackals of media to pounce on–for nothing more than clicks, page views and selling newspapers. It’s soooo boring.

  • Big Eddie

    Weiner’s problem is that since he gave no reasonable explanation for not having the FBI or Capitol Police investigate …he did it . The simple answer is what he can’t avoid . Many on here and elsewhere constructed elaborate explanations to clear him , and then he says , well , it could be me . It’s a foolish , embarrassing thing he must admit if he won’t let the FBI look at it . His future opponents in any election have the picture to use as a billboard , so he may be cooked in elective office . But , who cares ?

  • Glackin

    Jaurez said:
    Any of those models happen to be politicians?

    Just how familiar are you with politicians’ crotches? Can you tell a liberal crotch from a conservative one?
    And, please, DON’T tell us where you got your education.

  • Jaurez

    Glackin said:
    Just how familiar are you with politicians’ crotches? Can you tell a liberal crotch from a conservative one?
    And, please, DON’T tell us where you got your education.

    As usual, you missed the point or you’re just diverting.

  • Glackin

    Jaurez said:
    As usual, you missed the point or you’re just diverting.

    What IS your point? IS IT a picture of a politician’s crotch? How can you tell?

  • http://twitter.com/SailRabbits Magister

    Catherine Coy said:
    Hacking a Twitter account isn’t illegal; therefore, Anthony Weiner has nothing to complain about legally. Hacking a free file sharing site such as YouTube isn’t illegal. Hacking a Facebook account isn’t illegal, either. Disruption of any of these sites causes only inconvenience–which is why Anthony Weiner didn’t call the cops or the FBI, as has been suggested by many ignorant observers of this “news” story.

    Technically, it’s actually an “unauthorized use of a computer” which is a misdemeanor with a one year maximum sentence. Though as I’ve said repeatedly, no one has ever been arrested for “hacking into” a Twitter account, including the time people “hacked” into Twitter employees and it happens fairly often, especially with high-profile accounts.

    Also, again as I’ve said, circumstantial evidence suggests that Twitter doesn’t retain IP info and I’m not certain they even have access for those who access through a third party.

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    What IS your point? IS IT a picture of a politician’s crotch? How can you tell?

    Jaurez said:
    As usual, you missed the point or you’re just diverting.

    well who knows, could be tony keeps pictures of other mens penises, does have a point jaurez

  • http://twitter.com/SailRabbits Magister

    Oh, and I forgot to say…

    Colby – Good analysis. If I were to have any qualms, it’d be that you failed to mention that the image could’ve been cropped and that’s why the Congressman may not have recognized it. In addition to it being a real possibility, it’s also my take from the New Republic analysis (via Gawker), but other than omitting that one possibility, perhaps due to time limitations, everything else seems spot-on.

  • Glackin

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    well who knows, could be tony keeps pictures of other mens penises, does have a point jaurez

    Cute. But, as they say in every court room drama on the tube, the identity of the subject has not been established.
    Are we going to go all “Porkie’s”, and line up all the schlongs in DC for comparison?

  • Jaurez

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    well who knows, could be tony keeps pictures of other mens penises, does have a point jaurez

    True, I didn’t think about that.

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    Cute. But, as they say in every court room drama on the tube, the identity of the subject has not been established.Are we going to go all “Porkie’s”, and line up all the schlongs in DC for comparison?

    glad we agree, tony could have pictures of other mens penises, since we dont know the identity of the penis in question

  • cjd ohio 1

    Jaurez said:
    True, I didn’t think about that.

    exactly lol

  • Montecore

    Glackin said:
    Colby, no one has explained why the picture is deemed “lewd”.It is a picture of “occupied” undershorts.

    Thank you Glackin! You can see pictures like that in catalogs all over America from stores like Sears or Pennys! I have never seen so many people so obsessed over a photo of a guy in underwear, especially when there are things going on like natural tragedies, unemployment rising, the middle class disappearing, trillions of dollars going to fund wars that should be ended and people lose their homes everyday. But what does every so called ‘newscaster’ start their show with? The latest gossip about a picture of a guy in his underwear!

  • OxyCon

    Glackin said:
    Colby, no one has explained why the picture is deemed “lewd”.
    It is a picture of “occupied” undershorts.
    By that measure, every picture of a woman in a bikini is “lewd”
    We know what’s under those triangles, after all.
    And women in tight jeans? The dreaded “camel-toe” lurks.
    Has Puritanism returned to America?

    So you’re cool with every man walking around with boners protruding from their underwear?

  • Dsiscokid

    Is it just me or does Colby resemble a better groomed Brietbart?

  • Jaurez

    Montecore said:
    You can see pictures like that in catalogs all over America from stores like Sears or Pennys!

    Bs.

  • OxyCon

    Gorgegirl said:
    I’ve seen ads for “Jockey” that were worse.

    Something tells me the Jockey ads you’ve seen arewithin this list of magazines.

  • Glackin

    OxyCon said:
    So you’re cool with every man walking around with boners protruding from their underwear?

    Totally off topic! You must have had a weird puberty.

  • Glackin

    OxyCon said:
    Something tells me the Jockey ads you’ve seen arewithin this list of magazines.

    You needn’t have supplied your mailing list.

  • OxyCon

    Glackin said:
    Totally off topic! You must have had a weird puberty.

    You’re the one who quite clearly said that he didn’t find a photograph of an obviously erect penis to be lewd.

  • Glackin

    OxyCon said:
    You’re the one who quite clearly said that he didn’t find a photograph of an obviously erect penis to be lewd.

    Obvious to you? Mine always looks like that. It stands out when erect.

  • Glackin

    OxyCon said:
    You’re the one who quite clearly said that he didn’t find a photograph of an obviously erect penis to be lewd.

    THERE IS NO PENIS IN THE PICTURE! IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND!
    By your rules, Pam Anderson can’t walk onto a set or have her picture taken, because you KNOW WHAT’S UNDER THERE!

  • MadCharles

    For God’s sakes. The guy took his own crotch and mailed it. Lucky for him he it didn’t end up sent to another guy.
    The hacking of Palin and Obamas account were verified by the FBI because they asked for help. Weiner doesn’t want the FBI near because they’d find out Weiner wasn’t hacked and his computer is full of all kinds of porn. Weiner is just another pervert in Washington DC. The town’s full of every kind of pervert known to man.

  • gar

    Magister said:
    Oh, and I forgot to say… Colby – Good analysis. If I were to have any qualms, it’d be that you failed to mention that the image could’ve been cropped and that’s why the Congressman may not have recognized it. In addition to it being a real possibility, it’s also my take from the New Republic analysis (via Gawker), but other than omitting that one possibility, perhaps due to time limitations, everything else seems spot-on.

    Whatever spin you want to portray is irrelevent. Weiner is neutralized, kind of like the PeeWee Herman of politicians.
    BTW his handling of the press will end up making it difficult for him to get spots to parrot his talking points.

  • Glackin

    MadCharles said:
    For God’s sakes. The guy took his own crotch and mailed it. Lucky for him he it didn’t end up sent to another guy.
    The hacking of Palin and Obamas account were verified by the FBI because they asked for help. Weiner doesn’t want the FBI near because they’d find out Weiner wasn’t hacked and his computer is full of all kinds of porn. Weiner is just another pervert in Washington DC. The town’s full of every kind of pervert known to man.

    And you can prove this, right, loudmouth?
    Put up, or shut up.

  • cjd ohio 1

    a picture of a man in underwear, with the outline of a erection, sent from tony’s twitter account ,

  • MadCharles

    Glackin, Don’t u need mom’s permission to be on an adult website ?

  • http://twitter.com/esahc Esahc

    “Rep. Weiner’s other suspect Twitter followers, some who are underaged girls, seem to not be fully explained.”

    1. On Twitter you really don’t have a whole lot of control who follows you (unless you mark your account as private). 2. TwitterBots often use images of young women to entice being ‘followed back’.
    3. On Twitter you’re age isn’t listed, so how do people know the age of these girls?

  • Glackin

    MadCharles said:
    Glackin, Don’t u need mom’s permission to be on an adult website ?

    Meaning, you have no proof of what you said.
    Deflection alert! Chucklehead is LYING, AGAIN!

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    Meaning, you have no proof of what you said.Deflection alert! Chucklehead is LYING, AGAIN!

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    a picture of a man in underwear, with the outline of a erection, sent from tony’s twitter account ,

  • Member of Congress

    Perhaps I will have to rise to my own defense.

  • Jaurez

    Lackin, weiner has all the “proof” you’re asking for but he won’t let loose of it. Weird, huh?

  • MadCharles

    Glackin said:
    Meaning, you have no proof of what you said.
    Deflection alert! Chucklehead is LYING, AGAIN!

    Your so naive. so sad

  • Glackin

    MadCharles said:
    Your so naive. so sad

    You made claims. If I accept them without proof, THAT’S NAIVE. If you said them without proof, THAT’S SAD. If you expect me to believe you, THAT’S PATHETIC!
    Got it?

  • Glackin

    Jaurez said:
    Lackin, weiner has all the “proof” you’re asking for but he won’t let loose of it. Weird, huh?

    Your chuckleheaded friend says Weiner has a computer “full of porn” and is a pervert in a town full of perverts. You got proof of that? Because, he don’t. If he did, he’d be talking to Breitbart or F#X, not us.
    AS I said, he should put up or shut up.

  • Jaurez

    You might think it’s normal behavior to post weiner pics on the internet but I don’t.

  • Glackin

    Jaurez said:
    You might think it’s normal behavior to post weiner pics on the internet but I don’t.

    I don’t know, and you don’t know WHO posted the picture of bulging undershorts. It’s crude, but not obscene.
    But to extrapolate that to a computer full of porn and a sex pervert is several bridges too far.
    I don’t mind sparring and needling, but that’s just flat lying.

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    I don’t know, and you don’t know WHO posted the picture of bulging undershorts. It’s crude, but not obscene.But to extrapolate that to a computer full of porn and a sex pervert is several bridges too far.I don’t mind sparring and needling, but that’s just flat lying.

    his phone, his twitter account

  • Glackin

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    his phone, his twitter account

    Not proof he posted it. And the rest of “MadCharles” screed is BMG wackiness.
    Besides, IT’S NOT PORN!

  • Glackin

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    his phone, his twitter account

    Still not proof he sent it. He claimed he was hacked. The rest of “MadCharles” screed is just nuts.
    Besides, IT’S NOT PORN!

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    Not proof he posted it. And the rest of “MadCharles” screed is BMG wackiness.Besides, IT’S NOT PORN!

    lol, then who? the so called hacker? he has to prove it was a hacker, with the evidence of his phone, his twitter account, not the other way around

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    Still not proof he sent it. He claimed he was hacked. The rest of “MadCharles” screed is just nuts.Besides, IT’S NOT PORN!

    claimed to who? the media lol

  • Glackin

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    lol, then who? the so called hacker? he has to prove it was a hacker, with the evidence of his phone, his twitter account, not the other way around

  • Glackin

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    lol, then who? the so called hacker? he has to prove it was a hacker, with the evidence of his phone, his twitter account, not the other way around

    So, this is your new, “real” America? Guilty until you prove yourself innocent? Might makes right? The ends justify the means?
    I want no part of that country. My family has fought for this country since 1798, but they would fight the one you espouse.

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    So, this is your new, “real” America? Guilty until you prove yourself innocent? Might makes right? The ends justify the means?I want no part of that country. My family has fought for this country since 1798, but they would fight the one you espouse.

    nice spin, but the evidence right now points to him, he commited no crime, without further investigation that how it is, the court is public opinion

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    So, this is your new, “real” America? Guilty until you prove yourself innocent? Might makes right? The ends justify the means?I want no part of that country. My family has fought for this country since 1798, but they would fight the one you espouse.

    and i do love how you use other people words against me, its funny

  • Glackin

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    and i do love how you use other people words against me, its funny

    “He has to prove it was a hacker, not the other way around.” Those are your words.
    I do love your Newt-onian denials.

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    “He has to prove it was a hacker, not the other way around.” Those are your words.I do love your Newt-onian denials.

    duh, your car is invovled in a hit and run, you damn well have to prove you weren’t driving

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    “He has to prove it was a hacker, not the other way around.” Those are your words.I do love your Newt-onian denials.

    well not in you world right

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    duh, your car is invovled in a hit and run, you damn well have to prove you weren’t driving

    real america lol, yeah i said that, nice try

  • cjd ohio 1

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    duh, your car is invovled in a hit and run, you damn well have to prove you weren’t driving

    no, the cops just take you word for it lol

  • Glackin

    cjd ohio 1 said:
    no, the cops just take you word for it lol

    Three denials? Thou doth protest too much.
    And, not an analogous situation. Your scenario is about physical objects, not electronic transfers that may be triggered from ANYWHERE.

  • cjd ohio 1

    Glackin said:
    Three denials? Thou doth protest too much.And, not an analogous situation. Your scenario is about physical objects, not electronic transfers that may be triggered from ANYWHERE.

    if i ever get in trouble i hope you have jury duty, i didnt do it seems to trump all evidence for you

  • cjd ohio 1

    so far the only hard evidence is his phone and his twitter account, hey if it proves he was hacked i will admit i was wrong

  • Jaurez

    Glackin said:
    Three denials? Thou doth protest too much.
    And, not an analogous situation. Your scenario is about physical objects, not electronic transfers that may be triggered from ANYWHERE.

    You’re back must be killing you after being bent over backwards for 8 days straight…..

  • bumsrush

    “A week into the great Twitter scandal known as ‘Weinergate,’ the media have not gotten any closer to figuring out exactly how a lewd photo found its way onto Rep. Anthony Weiner’s yFrog account, but certainly theories have been eliminated.”

    Of all the turd-brained reporting I’ve seen on this so-called issue, this is possibly the turdiest sentence I’ve read. The media needs to get a life; there’s no bulge in their brains.

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