Close race began Weiner congressional run

Thirteen years ago this summer, Daniel Feldman, then a state assemblyman, became one of three Democrats to lose a widely watched primary to Anthony Weiner, then a New York City councilman, for the House seat vacated by Charles Schumer, then making his first run for U.S. Senate.

Feldman, 62, watches this season's Weiner-mania from the sidelines. He lives in Port Washington and teaches at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan. Last year, he co-wrote a book titled "Tales from the Sausage Factory: Making Laws in New York State."

"A few weeks ago," Feldman said on the phone yesterday, "there was a story buried in the middle of one of the newspapers about U.S. senators speaking up for J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs -- in trying to defeat the regulation of derivatives. That was barely a one-day story."

"Now this Weiner nonsense dominates . . . I guess it's so fascinating because it's entertaining. That this incident, which has essentially no impact whatsoever on the lives of Americans or the future of the country, gets that kind of attention signals, to me, a very dangerous decline in the sensibility of this country."

So you have Feldman's earnest take. But there might be other political lessons -- such as how small margins can lead to lasting results.

In the 1998 primary campaign's final weeks, Schumer endorsed Weiner. This might have been key. On primary night, Weiner barely won, with 28 percent, edging Assemb. Melinda Katz's 27 percent. The top spender, Noach Dear, now a New York City Civil Court judge, landed third, with Feldman just behind him. Feldman and Dear pulled in around 22 percent each.

Winning with less than a third of the vote of one party can hardly be called a ringing mandate. But this slim first win, in a Democratic-dominated district, paved the way for seven straight terms for Weiner -- and ultimately, to this summer's political comedy sensation full of sex (virtual), lies (Weiner's) and videotape (of Weiner lying about virtual sex).

The other night Katz, of Forest Hills, showed up at the Queens fundraiser of Democratic Rep. and county chairman Joseph Crowley. She was asked if she might try a comeback. Katz -- now a lobbyist on zoning matters for the firm of Greenberg, Traurig -- would not comment.

Others mentioned in private chats at Crowley's event as possible candidates -- if and when Weiner quits in disgrace or sees the district redrawn -- include Councilman Mark Weprin, ex-council member Eric Gioia, Katz and Assemb. Rory Lancman.

But insiders say the whole 9th Congressional District might be redrawn for next year. So the Brooklyn and Queens communities that would be in play today might not be in 2012, affecting the pool of candidates.

If there was a common default statement Wednesday night from Crowley's party guests, it seemed to be either no comment, or good wishes to his family or that it was Weiner's personal decision whether to resign. One guest said privately that local, public calls to nudge him out could start as early as Friday.

The borough's Democratic organization, however, is no stranger to scandal. Securely in their midst not long ago were ex-Comptroller Alan Hevesi, and ex-state legislators Hiram Monserrate, Brian McLaughlin and the late Anthony Seminerio. All were convicted of one thing or another before being bounced.

Weiner's admitted to nothing illegal and says he won't resign.

But if his other recent statements proved false, why wouldn't those as well?