On Wednesday's Erin Burnett OutFront, lefty radio host Stephanie Miller tried to be funny while downplaying Anthony Weiner's Twitter scandal as just an eighth-grade stunt and a "guy thing."
"Which middle school did you go to, Stephanie?" conservative CNN contributor Reihan Salam shot her down. And host Erin Burnett wouldn't have Miller's hackery, either: "I got to say, Stephanie, I beg to differ with you. This is pretty bizarre." [Video below the break. Audio here.]
When asked by Burnett if she believed Weiner's apology for sending lewd photos of himself over Twitter to a woman not his wife and then lying to cover it all up, Miller had brushed it off:
"I guess so. You know, Erin, it seems to me he wasn't really – he didn't really do anything in terms of actual infidelity. He was sort of convicted of being in eighth grade. I don't know. It just seems to me like it's more of a guy thing than a partisan thing."
Miller laughably tried to continue diminishing Weiner's scandal. "I just think it's a guy thing and people are like, well, all right, if his wife forgives him, I guess I do."
Below is a transcript of the segment, which aired on Erin Burnett OutFront on May 22 at 7:47 p.m. EDT:
ERIN BURNETT: Stephanie, do you buy that apology? Second chance for Mr. Weiner?
REIHAN SALAM, CNN contributor: Which middle school did you go to, Stephanie?
MILLER: I somehow can't picture like Hillary Clinton sitting at the State Department going who wants to see a picture of my foggy bottom? You know, I just think it's a guy thing and people are like, well, all right, if his wife forgives him, I guess I do.
DEAN OBEIDALLAH, comedian: As a comedian, I'm ecstatic. I think most comedians are very happy about this.
BURNETT: This is going to be the gift that keeps giving. Headlines have just written themselves for a year, thank you Mr. Weiner.
OBEIDALLAH: But he stumbled right out of the gate. He should not have done a YouTube video. He should have tweeted his announcement, showing a picture of himself wearing pants, going, look, I've learned. I can wear pants now and I've learned how to tweet. Because that's what his downfall was, Twitter. Show people you can use it. And I think people are forgiving, frankly. But you know, the poll numbers are mixed. He's got $4 million in the bank. But half of New Yorkers don't want him to be mayor.
BURNETT: You know, Reihan, this is a case for men changing their name. He should have changed his name from Weiner to Abedin and maybe this wouldn't be as big of a story. I just want to play some of his denials with these lewd photos. I got to say, Stephanie, I beg to differ with you. This is pretty bizarre. But you know what? Forgiveness can happen.
