Rep. Weiner confesses 'terrible mistakes.' Did he save his career?

However, not all Queens voters were so forgiving.

Rona Greene, a resident of Forest Hills, says the fact that Weiner lied “is unforgivable.” If he would lie about this, she asks, “why wouldn’t he lie in the future.”

However, Ms. Greene stops short of calling for him to resign since she says there would be no one to take over.

Some veteran political observers said they do not think the revelations would necessarily destroy Weiner’s political future. He is up for reelection next year.

“He could get some element of political restoration if he is reelected and see where that takes him,” says Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute of Public Opinion in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Mr. Miringoff notes that former President Bill Clinton survived the political fall-out from the Monica Lewinsky affair. “Right now it is highly damaging, since it speaks to Weiner’s judgment.”

Questions about Weiner’s actions, however, might kill his chances to run for mayor of New York. Weiner, who ran for mayor in 2005 (he lost in the primary) has said he wants to run New York City.

“The run for mayor in 2013 is just impossible,” says Doug Muzzio, a political observer and professor at Baruch College in New York.

If Weiner stays in Congress, it’s not clear how effective he will be. In the past, he was “an aggressive, articulate spokesman for the Democratic left,” says Professor Muzzio. However, he adds, many members of Congress may have a difficult time working with him right now. “Clearly his influence over the short run becomes nil,” he says. “If you are a Democrat, you run away from Anthony Weiner.”

At his press conference, Weiner indicated he wants to work hard to regain the trust of the voters. However his first priority, he indicated, was to patch things up with his wife, Huma Abedin, who works for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

After he revealed to her what he had done, he said she was “very unhappy” but not interested in splitting up.

Monitor intern Patrick Wall contributed to this story.

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