Senator Weiner….
Brother what a train wreck. I am a train wreck rubber-necker, so admittedly I do get fascinated with the Pop Culture of it all (@akabruno and @lruettimann ‘s Spring 2011 #HRevolution session. From the texts to the pics to the lying (which is the biggest snafu to me) the whole thing is Shakespearean. OK not really, it’s more One-Live-To-Live-ean. In my defense, the coverage is almost pornographic; not really in the content but in how intrusive it is. I am a complete captive on the gym treadmill where I have no choice but to look at the TV coverage in front of me.
At some point it’s just a distraction. Our President Obama agreed too. And when the Prez felt the pinch of the distraction, the pink slip was waved in front of the Senator. Or forced resignation.
Although Weiner was deluded about his future, I was interested in how long he would hold out. I still don’t give a crap about Politician’s sex-lives, nor do I think a sex-life hinders one’s ability to do a job. Now the lying and egotistically bad judgement– that’s a deal-breaker for me. But the national distraction of it all was even too much for Obama to ignore.
There are distraction lessons to be learned from the Senator:
- If you are distracting folks from getting their jobs done: You’ll be Weinered
- If you are distracting customers (aka sales) with poor service or any other bad behaviors: You’ll be Weinered
- If your poor leadership encourages other Weiners to behave badly: You’ll be Weinered
- If your CEO, Boss, President, Executive Team or Board gets distracted by your shenanigans: You’ll be Weinered
- If your ego distracts your sense of humility or judgement: you’ll be Weinered
- If you are simply a weiner: You’ll be Weinered.
Get a check on your judgement and avoid being Weinered.
So, how does the Weiner affair rank compared to:
Larry Craig (who solicited men in a Minneapolis Airport bathroom)
David Vitter (who solicited prostitutes) and is still in office
Eliot Spitzer (solicited prostitutes)
Chris Lee (who sent shirtless pics of himself and lied about who he is)
Arnold Schwarzengger (who fathered a child with another woman while married to Maria)
Newt Gingrich (who left his two wives when they were sick)
John Sanford (who abandoned his office to have a rendez-vous with his lover)
John Edwards (too many to mention)
Bill Clinton (Sex with intern in oval office)
Frankly, Weiner is mild, mild stuff compared to the above.
yup…Weiner is mild…. but still a distraction. I have to admit- I’m suprised no one has made Arnold resign…..