The fall-out after Weinergate

The United States has been abuzz with the news ever since it broke.

US Congressman Anthony Weiner, a rising star of the Democrats and New York mayor hopeful, has admitted sending lewd pictures of himself on Twitter and also to having around six “inappropriate online relationships”.

Worse, he only admitted his indiscretions after fierce media scrutiny, and after initial denials.

But different outlets have tackled his fall from grace differently – and also have different opinions on whether his political career can survive.

Too much airtime?

While some of the US networks – including NBC – led with the story, others had it further down their running order.

Many Twitter users also felt that focusing on the story when the US has other major problems to deal with was a huge mistake.

One user, Greytdog, summed up the opinion of many users, tweeting: “Dear Media: Yes, it was pic of Weiner’s weiner. Now can we move on to something of importance – like the GOP holding debt ceiling hostage?”

Grovesprof tweeted: “OK. Weiner ‘fessed up. Can we focus on the debt ceiling, the economy, the wars in Afghanistan/Iraq, and the future of our country now?”

Is he finished?

The major US papers and other media outlets have also taken different angles on the story.

The New York Times called Mr Weiner’s confession “elemental drama” in a setting “excruciating, tawdry and sad” – suggesting that he could still have a political future because of the occasionally relaxed American attitude to sex scandals.

In the paper, Michael Powell wrote: “Watching this still-young politician try to repair the shattered vase of his reputation, I am reminded that Americans, for all our reflexive moralizing, can be more than a touch Parisian about our politicians.

“Americans, if they had had the choice, just might have re-elected President Bill Clinton even after he acknowledged having sex with an intern in the White House.”

Being creepy is not a crime. Michelle Goldberg, writing in the Daily Beast

Writers in the Daily Beast agreed. Michelle Goldberg wrote: “Being creepy is not a crime.”

But Jason Horowitz in the Washington Post suggested that Mr Weiner was already being written off before the scandal – and it could be the nail in his coffin.

He wrote of people overhearing an NY1 anchor discussing the “the enormous amount of oxygen” the scandal has had, adding: “No longer is Weiner the liberal blogosphere’s and cable television’s favourite champion of liberal causes. Instead he is yet another straying congressman, who publicly lied about sending private inappropriate messages to at least a half-dozen women across the country.

“That change is a devastating blow to Weiner’s mayoral ambitions in New York, which seemed highly realistic only a few days ago, and throws into serious question his ability to stay in office, which he has vowed to do.”

But perhaps the only institution more excited about the scandal than the media was a New York sausage eatery.

According to the New York Daily News, Der Kommisar in Brooklyn created a new dish called “Anthony’s Weiners” at the weekend – and had its best Sunday trading ever.