Inside Weiner’s Surprising Rebound

“Written off by election experts and shunned by the political establishment,” Anthony Weiner (D) “has once again upended popular conceptions about him, vaulting to the front of the race for mayor,” the New York Times reports.

“Many political insiders are puzzled by Mr. Weiner’s strength in recent polls… But interviews with more than two dozen New York City voters over the past several days reveal a range of reasons for the attraction to Mr. Weiner.”

“One is a fascination with the celebrity he has become: an encounter with Mr. Weiner on the street is an event that other candidates cannot replicate, given his fame and outsize personality. Another factor is his aggressive manner — those who have watched him say he seems ready to fight for their needs. But other voters say it is Mr. Weiner’s flaws, and his attempts to make peace with the past, that are making them take notice.”

Michelle Cottle: “The American electorate is, if not abandoning its hard-core sex-police phase, at least loosening up on the terms of punishment.”