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Anthony Weiner resigned from Congress Thursday afternoon, and the chaos in the crowd at the press conference managed to create a little sympathy for the Democrat, who's been subject of much derision for the past three weeks. Benjy Bonk of the Howard Stern show shouted at Weiner, "Are you bigger than seven inches?" before he was escorted away by police. The mob that gleefully destroyed him now maybe feels a teeny bit bad for him.
White House press secretary Jay Carney alluded to the press corps salivating for more Weinergate, ending his own Q&A by saying, "I know you guys got somewhere to go at 2," according to Jennifer Bendery of The Huffington Post. But it was more than most journalists were expecting. The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza tweeted, "Holy cow. This is a TOTAL circus." Benjy Sarlin called it "embarrassing." Politico's Ben Smith mused, "Radio shouter successfully upstaged Weiner, which probably built more sympathy for him in room than anything he could have said." At Talking Points Memo, Sarlin and Eric Lach described the scene:
The last few weeks were an embarrassing circus for the Congressman as more and more salacious details about his personal life emerged, from purported naked photos to alleged racy chat logs, and the lawmaker was besieged by reporters. His final press conference was no different, featuring a mix of boos and cheers as he announced his decision and a prankster from the Howard Stern show screaming questions about his sexual prowess throughout.
According to ABC News' Michael Falcone, Ginger Lee says of her former pen pal, "Hope that the treatment that he is receiving will help him to control his impulses."