In a story that could easily be a skit for Saturday Night Live, the leading public relations firm MWW has hired former Congressman Anthony Weiner to give advice to the firm which specializes on “crisis communications.” Presumably MWW clients will identify with someone who created his own crises and then managed them. The only problem is that Weiner managed his self-inflicted crises not just badly but disastrously . . . over and over again.
On a purely resume review, Weiner would seem a particularly bad choice for a consultant on how to manage a crisis. He is positively radioactive in politics and the butt of continuing jokes among comics. He is viewed as a self-made public clown. First he sent creepy texts with bizarre naked pictures, including images of his genitalia to unwilling females. He then lied about the images and texts. He then was forced to admit the truth but fought to retain his seat. He then was forced to out of Congress. He then created a second scandal after adopting the named “Carlos Danger” and resuming his creepy texting. He again managed that crisis by stonewalling and making the scandal worse. He then ran a perfectly horrible campaign for New York mayor that produces 1000 jokes to every vote that he garnered. He managed that crisis by making an obscene gesture at the press as a farewell to the media. (Presumably this will not be one of the options he suggests for MWW clients facing media scrutiny).
The preposterous notion that Weiner would be an asset in shaping public relation messages for companies or individuals in crisis has led to a serious question. The allegations center around Michael Kempner, who heads MWW. Kempner is also a New Jersey Democrat with close ties to the Clintons. Kempner was a National Finance co-chair for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 Presidential run, Deputy Finance Director of the Obama campaign, a member of Obama for President National Finance Committee, and is a member of the DNC National Finance Council. He was also listed as one of Clinton’s “Hillblazers’’ — having raised more than $100,000 for her campaign since April.
The Clintons have been accused of using a network of connections, including their controversial charity, to guarantee positions for political operatives like Sidney Blumenthal.
While many view Weiner as irretrievably damaged goods, his wife is not. Huma Abedin is the closest aide to Clinton and is expected to be a major player in the Clinton Administration if Hillary is successful. Ironically, she has also been accused of being given overlapping lucrative public and private positions.
Critics have charged that Kempner is employing Weiner as a favor to Abedin and Clinton. The suggestion that Weiner will attract clients seems curious given the torrent criticism and mocking of the firm. Indeed, the coverage was so bad that MWW had to re-spin the story.
In fairness to MWW, the response was not all bad. The trade publication O’Dwyer’s insisted that MWW has made “a shrewd and gutsy move” and calling Weiner, “a straight-talking, no BS, street-smart guy, a personality type found lacking in most large PR firms.”
At first, MWW issued a statement that heralded Weiner as a “brilliant strategist [with] expertise on many issues” and that it was “pleased to welcome” Weiner to its “board of advisers.” The firm said that Weiner would be “a great asset to our firm” and available to help clients on “the workings of Congress and the City of New York.” When various articles immediately surfaced mocking the very notion of Weiner being an asset to a public relations firm, the firm issued a new statement that Weiner will not be involved in crisis communications with clients but rather “policy”: “Anthony Weiner is an expert on public policy and will not be expected to service clients directly. As a member of our Board of Advisors, he will be a part time consultant to the agency, primarily focused on policy matters and new business development.”
So MWW has hired one of the most self-destructive figures in politics to work in the public relations area but now says that he will not be allowed to work directly with clients and would only offer advice on “policy.” That actually makes the position sound more like a political favor by Kempner. If it were a favor, it was a poorly managed one. Kempner has succeeded in rekindling questions of the networks of friends supporting an array of Clinton allies. It has also guaranteed a sure-fire way to prolong the absurdity in the Weiner story and give it new life. If Weiner had been given a job as a stock broker or investment adviser, it might not have even made the papers. However, a public relations firm? It was a guaranteed way to put Weiner and the Clinton connection back in the major media. Not exactly what the firm promises by saying that is “newsworthy, buzzworthy, and trending.”
Haha like you being called a “public interest” professor…. Traveling the world and staying in posh hotels while telling us all how wonderful our founding masters are…
Remember the New York newspapers! The head lines were great. “It’s not my Weiner”! “Weiner decides to stick it out”! Why do you think Michael Savage decided to change his last name.
Penelope, Flagrant pun penalty. 15 yards and loss of down.
Here you have someone who can, with all honesty, say “Don’t do that. I tried it and it didn’t work.”
Yes, isaac, why everyone knows that top-tier PR firms go out of their way to hire washed up, unemployable, lying, disgraced pervs, just so they can learn from them and study their failures. Yes, by George, that’s it! This wheeling and dealing elite PR firm is conducting a social experiment! It merely wishes to hire the downtrodden and the helpless. My, what business acumen you have! What insight! To be called lame, by such a great thinker, as you, just made my day. I thank you.
Oh the headline possibilities…
“Weiner inserted into open slot at MWW.”
This makes my Friday.
Nick
I see you possess a sense of Huma.
Weiner needs to be taken care of since he is Huma’s beard. And, Huma will be spending most nights in the White House w/ her lover Hillary, if she wins. That’s the story behind this story. Hell, EVERYONE in politics knows Huma is Hillary’s lover. EVERYONE! How can a lesbian run for President and remain in the closet?
I landed on Planet Earth about the time that the Weener guy was going off stage. What did he do? Inquiring minds want to know.
People spend far too much time with their successes and not enough time with their failures. One learns far more and it sticks much better by studying failure as opposed to studying success. Thousands of cliches over thousands of years can’t be wrong. It is, however, much easier to spend time with success. Reminiscing about past glories fits a lazy sunny afternoon on the porch. Scrutinizing past failures hurts.
As a glass half full kind of guy, I am going to give this PR firm the benefit of the doubt and suggest that this is what they are doing, taking a look at an idiot so as not to act like and idiot. Wiener is primarily a failure and it might be beneficial to study him. If this means you hire him then why not?
A “Weiner” is someone who hails from Wein which is Deutsch for Vienna. The reason that European cites got redubbed with English names is attributable to the Brits. Cologne is where smelly people live but the real name is Koln. Milan is Milano. Rome is Roma.
A couple hundred years ago many people in Europe did not have last names. Many adopted last names when they hit Ellis Island and America required a last name. So some adopted the name of their home city or a derivation thereof. Thus we get names like Weiner. This does not mean that he has a weeny. It may very well be that he has had an operation like the Jenner gal. Or has Bruce really become a Caitlyn in deed as well as name? Oh, I ramble here but it is dog food hour at the marina and I am awaiting breakfast.
It certainly comes as no surprise that the Clintons are involved here–patronage, money, corruption, scandal, sleeze, drama, and damage control.
If, by deeming Weiner to be an EXPERT IN POLICY, they really mean that he has a DIRECT PIPELINE TO THE WHITE HOUSE, WITH AN ABILITY TO CALL IN POLITICAL FAVORS, USING HUMA, THE HUMILIATED AND EMBARRASSED MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD-LINKED WIFE, then, yes, he is an expert on POLICY and will serve this PR firm well.
OH, I did a song once for him!
I’m Too Sexty – A. Weiner Parody Song
by Squeeky Fromm
To the Tune of Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy“
I’m too sexty for my wife,
Too sexty for my wife,
Wife’s going to leave me.
I’m too sexty for my shirt,
A flirty extrovert.
(Pssst! Keep this covert!)
And I’m too sexty for this phone
Did I just hear you moan???
Erogenous zone???
Oh, I’m too sexty for my party.
Too sexty for my party,
No way that I’m resigning!
I’m A. Weiner, you know what I mean
And I sext-message chicks on my BlackBerry
Yeah BlackBerry, yeah on my BlackBerry
I am very fast on my BlackBerry
I’m too sexty for my job
Sooo sexty that I throb.
I’m my own Flash Mob!
And I’m too sexty for my Twitter
Such a sexty critter,
And smarter than Vitter!
I’m A. Weiner, you know what I mean
But I’m starting to fret about a perp walk,
Oh yes a perp walk, please not a perp walk,
‘Cos underage chicks can mean a perp walk
I’m too sexty for my
Too sexty for my,
too sexty for my
I’m A. Weiner, you know what I mean,
And it might be my turn to do a perp walk,
Oh yes a perp walk, a lousy perp walk
They’ll lock up my tush after a perp walk
I’m too sexty for my cats
Too sexty for my cats
Poor pussy poor pussy cats
I’m too sexty for my wife,
Too sexty for my wife.
Wife’s going to leave me.
Am I too sexty for Craig’s List???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
THIS is news? Weiner is a sad guy, why make him ever sadder? Of cpurse MWW is sufferng frm some form of croportate dementia. I’d guess somebody is getting paid. Otherise, What the Flip?