CNN is covering Anthony Weiners live press conference just after around 4:19 pm. It was supposed to start at 4:00 pm, but in a bizarre development, Andrew Breitbart showed up in the ballroon, Weiner had reserved and set up for the press conference and reporter encouraged him to take questions which he did. He said he was in the area so he wanted to stop by for vindication.
Weiner says he did send the pictures, and is apologizing to his wife. Over the last years he has had about six innappropriate relationships with woman over the twitter. He never met these women in person.
Choking back tears hie apologize to his wife and family, and says he is deeply ashamed, and takes fully responsible for what he does.
He is not resigning. People who draw conclusions about me, are free to do so.
Can not say that Andrew Breitbart's claim of having a pornographic photo of him is not real.
Is not splitting up with his wife, but press is demanding to know where his wife is.
The Press is asking if he will apologizing to Brietbart, and he says he apologizes to his wife and family.
I'll continue to report more in comments.
1:46 PM PT: It's 4:43, and he is calming down and gaining his composure, and talking in a calm voice. He's almost broken into tears a few times. One reporter asked about the age of these women, and said one was 21. Weiner's says they were all adults, but to protect their privacy, he doesn't want to go into it. One reporter presses back hard, about how does he know they weren't younger. He says he can only go by what they posted.
He says his wife is not happy about this. She knew he has previous texting affairs but did not know about this one.
He repeats he will not resign.
1:48 PM PT: Another reporter is asking how he knows these women are not underage. He says he has to rely on their representations.
He did not violate any rules of the House, nor did he violate his oath of office, so he says others can draw their own judgement. But he will not resign.
A woman is saying "they are young enough to be your daughters."
He has never met any of these women in person, nor has he had any desire to.
He regrets that this one woman got hurt.
1:52 PM PT: A report asks if Congressmen should give up using social media to avoid situation like this. Weiner says no.
And, 'at no time did his staff try to cover up any aspect of this.
His staff only heard the full story late this afternoon.
He regrets putting his staff in this position.
Reporter: Is there anything predatory about his behavior.
Weiner: I don;t know their ages.
"I lied because I was embarrassed."
"Did I violate the constitution?' he doesn't think so.
He regrets how he used twitter but does not intend to give it up. But, he certainly doesn't intend to use it like this again.
1:53 PM PT: Weinder: "These twitters were inappropriate"
at 4:43 the press conference is over.
CNN, is now summarizing.
2:00 PM PT: Wolfe Blitzer is saying how sad this is for his wife, whom he know, and is a wonderful woman. She didn't know even until this morning.
Blitzer busts Weiners chops a bit for coming down hard on the interviewers yesterday, I think he said Dana Bash.
CNN reporters note he broke up crying several times. I don't want to quibble, but as I man I would say he almost cried, and choked up, but didn't actually cry, certainly not for any protrocted time. Chocked down tears, but not really crying the way they imply, IMO.
Now a reported is listing all the ways this might get to a Congressional Ethic committee.
Did he use federal resources?
Did he exchange pornographic images, that might have been illegal? etc.
Now cutting to Wolf Blitzer at 500pm. Says, Weiner admits to lying, and engaging in inappropriate behavior. But, lots of other headlines.
2:12 PM PT: Wolf Blitzer asks David Gergen if Weiner can survive. Gergen says he doesn't know. Maybe not. If he had admitted it immediately he could have. But, the fact that he lied to Blitzer, to the public, etc.
Paul Begala agrees lying was a terrible blunder and problematic. But, doesn't want to say he can't survive it, which is apparenlty what he heard David suggest.
Blitzer is now asking is there anything criminal or was this just a "stupid dumbass" mistake. Gergen ask Begala if he agrees Weinders ambition to be Mayor of New York are over. Begala seems to agree, but, then gives a counter example.
2:18 PM PT: Blitzer asks what does he have to do to survive.
Begala says the House Ethics committee will have to investigate this. House members are not supposed to engage in activities that bring the House into disrepute.
Gergen says "go into therapy immediately, be totally candid with everyone." He has to find a way to distinquish the double standard, of why Republicans have had to resign for this kind of thing, so why shouldn't he.
Given that we have a Republican House, I imagine these House Ethics Committee investigations could get so nasy that Weiner decides to resign to prevent having to put his wife and family through such a grueling and humilating experience.
After saying in the comments that I hope he doesn't have to resign, After hearing these last 10 minutes of Blitzer, Begala, and Gergen and remembering the GOP controls the House, I am not as optimistic as I was that he can get through this. I hope he does. Because he seems like one of our better politicians, although, he has committed a serious and tragic blunder here. I'm going to check out what commenters are saying.