Rep. Anthony Weiner Teaches Imus About Gym Ettiquette

Though he insisted appearing with Imus is “always a treat,” Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York didn’t sound terribly enthused today. Then again, he’s planning a wedding, so any number of things could be causing him to act out.

Speaking of his nuptials, Imus asked his guest about a Page Six item saying that top Democrats are stressing over whether they’ll be invited to Weiner’s wedding and to that of Chelsea Clinton.

“I don’t have any say about who I invite to my wedding,” said Weiner. “I was taught early on in these negotiations that I am authorized to say absolutely nothing about this subject.”

Having been down this road, Imus warned Weiner that he’ll soon find himself eating soy balls and cauliflower and wondering what the hell happened.

Then again, Weiner is a bit of a health nut, telling Imus he was fresh off a visit to the House gym this morning. He said he’s never seen Rahm Emanuel sauntering around naked threatening people, as former Congressman Eric Massa has claimed.

“I have very few hard and fast rules,” said Weiner. “One of them is not to have sword fights in the morning with Rahm Emanuel.”

Back to Massa, who resigned in the wake of a cancer recurrence—or because of allegations of sexual harassment, or because Congressional Democrats forced him out—Weiner called his ex-colleague “one taco short of a happy meal.”

As for the charges of sexual  impropriety, Weiner lamented that these sorts of allegations are always coming down with the guys who have tickle fight with their staffers, as Massa confessed to doing. “It just seems so unfair to stereotype,” he said.

Weiner was perfectly comfortable, however, stereotyping his “Republican friends” in Congress, most of whom he said are “wholly owned subsidiaries of the health insurance industry,” and will therefore never vote for health care reform. 

“You’ve got two very important elements of American life that we’re trying to shake: one is the status quo, the other is the health insurance lobby,” he said, and assured the I-Man that after a year of working on the bill, “We’re in the red zone.”

When Imus pointed out that Democrats take money from the health insurance industry too, Weiner said his Party is taking them on, while the Republicans just roll over.

“I was born at night,” said Imus. “But not last night.”

At the interview’s end, Weiner again refused to disclose any information about his wedding, but he told Imus this: “We’re debating about whether Deirdre and Wyatt are going to get invited. The gentleman of the house isn’t even up for consideration.”

Gentleman?

-Julie Kanfer