Weiner Launches Mayoral Run With Web Video

Online photos may have tripped up his career, but online video may spur his return.

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner released a video on his website this morning announcing his bid for mayor, bringing months of speculation to a close.

The two-minute video weaves together imagery of his family, his parents and childhood, parts of his former district and some of his accomplishments as congressman, but the shadow of the scandal that forced his resignation hangs over the video’s climax. At the 1:38 mark, when Weiner talks into the camera and asks for voter support, he acknowledges his past.

“Look, I made some big mistakes. And I know I let a lot of people down. But I’ve also learned some tough lessons,” he says. “I’m running for mayor ’cause I’ve been fighting for the middle class and those struggling to make it my entire life. And I hope I get a second chance to work for you.”

The video also acknowledges a slew of middle-class woes that will set his agenda, including unburdening small and medium-sized business, lowering the cost of living and promoting mass transit – ideas that also form the core of his “Keys to the City” policy pamphlet, where he proposes 64 ideas to “Keep New York the Capital of the Middle Class.”

Still, Weiner has an uphill battle to fight against the lead Democratic candidate, Christine Quinn. A new Quinnipiac poll released this morning shows that he immediately pops into the race for the Democratic nod in second place, with 15 percent of the vote (we’ve noted before that pollster Nate Silver has some strong doubts about his viability, despite those numbers). But Quinn is pulling 25 percent, while William Thompson and Bill de Blasio are at 10 percent each, and Comptroller John Liu is trailing with 6 percent. But 27 percent of Democratic voters remain undecided – enough for any of the candidates to steal the show.