“Weiner” is a fantastic documentary and a model for how future campaign documentaries should be made. Of course, even if such documentaries are as well-made, they likely won’t cover a story as hilarious and fascinating as Anthony Weiner’s sexting scandals.
Republicans will enjoy the film as one last chance to laugh at the former hard-charging congressman. Democrats will enjoy it as a behind-the-scenes look at the scandals that brought down a man who was once seen as an up and coming leader of their party. Both groups will be intrigued by the personal attention given to Weiner’s marriage to Huma Abedin, an aide so close to Hillary Clinton that Clinton once said, “If I had a second daughter, it would be Huma.”
The access given to the documentary crew is incredible, matched in my recollection only by the access given to the crew that made “Mitt” about Romney’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns. Even so, Weiner had to know his campaign would be tumultuous and that new developments in his sexting scandal would likely come to light, but gave near-full access anyway.
Weiner, you may recall, spent more than 12 years representing Brooklyn in Congress before he was caught tweeting a sexually explicit photo of himself that he intended to send to a female college student in Seattle in 2011. Weiner resigned shortly after when more sexually explicit photos sent to other women were revealed. Despite the scandal, Weiner attempted to run for mayor of New York City in 2013 but ultimately came up short after more women revealed that Weiner had sexted with them after he resigned from Congress.
Documentary cameras had access to the Weiner home and campaign office, so we see moments like Weiner and Abedin trying to decide how to respond to the latest scandal news as a room packed with media anxiously awaits Weiner’s statement. Although we don’t see Abedin’s initial reaction when she finds out there’s more to her husband’s scandals, we do see her within hours of finding out, still trying to process what the news means for her marriage, let alone her husband’s campaign.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump makes a brief appearance, in a video Trump posted online calling Weiner a pervert, during a montage of notable figures reacting to Weiner’s first scandal. But I spent much of the film thinking about Trump and Weiner’s similarities.
Both crave attention and take every media opportunity they can get to promote themselves. Perhaps that’s why Weiner gave the film crew access despite the looming danger of scandal. Both love to talk about winning. Even after the new scandal unfolded, Weiner told a reporter, “I don’t plan on losing.” Footage from multiple parades shows Weiner feeding off the crowd’s energy, running around the street waving flags. Had Trump run for local office in his 40s instead of his 60s, one might have expected similar antics.
For a large portion of the movie, I was wondering if it’s possible Weiner might attempt yet another comeback. Was the documentary, made by former Weiner staffer Josh Kriegman, meant to show Weiner in a sympathetic light and provide a spark that may restart his political career? The film quotes one article from the New Yorker, which came even after the second scandal unfolded, downplaying the scandals: “He and his partners in sin have never even been in the same room at the same time.”
Most New Yorkers seemed to forgive Weiner within two years of the first scandal. He actually led several mayoral polls in June and July 2013 before the new scandal developments came out. During the documentary, before the new scandal developments, one stereotypical New York woman yelled out while the press was hounding Weiner on the street, “We don’t care about that personal garbage.” During mayoral debates, the audience boos Weiner’s opponents when they bring up his baggage.
If we live in a political world where something as seemingly unlikely as Trump winning the GOP presidential nomination can happen, who’s to say Weiner couldn’t attempt another comeback and succeed? After all, Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., was able to win election to his seat after weathering an exposed affair in 2009, when Sanford was governor, that did not result in resignation.
Then, as the film starts to come to a close, the documentary reminds you just how absurd the whole scandal was. Weiner’s cybermistress, Sydney Leathers, had already capitalized on her publicity by starting a porn career. On Election Night, she stands outside the front door of Weiner’s campaign party, hoping to meet her former sexting partner for the first time. The situation could have been shown in a sympathetic light for Weiner: His disgrace complete, having earned only 5 percent of the vote, the woman who brought him down just wants to get 15 more minutes of fame by embarrassing him on what must be one of the worst nights of his life.
Instead, a farce unfolds in full view of the documentary cameras. An elaborate plan is hatched for Weiner to sprint through the neighboring McDonald’s and enter the party venue from the back to avoid Leathers. She figures out what is going on and chases after, close enough for her to catch glimpses of Weiner but nothing more.
Moments later, the credits start to roll with whimsical banjo music playing, interrupted briefly with clips of late night TV jokes at Weiner’s expense. The audience leaves the theater chuckling, and in all likelihood not wondering what they’d do if Weiner’s name showed up on a future ballot.
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
