海角大神

Saying he had made 鈥渢errible mistakes鈥� and had lied about it, Rep. Anthony Weiner finally came clean.

After a week of dodging questions over whether he had sent a lewd photo of himself to a coed in Seattle, the grim-faced congressman admitted that and more at a press conference Monday in New York City.

He admitted he sent photos and had on-line chats 鈥� even intimate phone calls 鈥� with at least six women over the last three years. He termed his own behavior 鈥渄estructive,鈥� especially since he continued the practice of communicating with women and sending them risky 鈥� even nude 鈥� photos, even after he was married.

Representative Weiner, saying he was taking full responsibility for his actions, announced: 鈥淚 have not been honest with myself, my family and supporters, and the media.鈥�

Whether his at times emotional confession was sufficient to rescue his political future, however, was not clear.

The New York Democrat, who was elected to Congress in 1999, said he would not resign his seat representing Brooklyn and Queens. Weiner said he notified Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic House leader, on Monday afternoon.

Representative Pelosi quickly called for a federal investigation to determine if Weiner had violated any House ethics rules or used national resources. Weiner said he would cooperate fully.

Some of Weiner鈥檚 constituents indicated that they could overlook his personal transgressions. 鈥淚 like his politics,鈥� says Noel Anderson, a resident of the Rego Park neighborhood in Queens. 鈥淚 was surprised to hear he would do something so foolish, but I still think he鈥檚 one of the good guys.鈥�

Another Rego Park voter, Desmond Porbeni, admits disappointment with Weiner but says he would still vote for him in another election. And, Diana Patrick, a resident of Forest Hills, says that before Weiner鈥檚 confession she was going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Now, she says, if he can still do his job, 鈥渁nd put this behind him, then I don鈥檛 think he should resign.鈥�

However, not all Queens voters were so forgiving.

Rona Greene, a resident of Forest Hills, says the fact that Weiner lied 鈥渋s unforgivable.鈥� If he would lie about this, she asks, 鈥渨hy wouldn鈥檛 he lie in the future.鈥�

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鈥檚 political future. He is up for reelection next year.

鈥淗e could get some element of political restoration if he is reelected and see where that takes him,鈥� 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. 鈥淩ight now it is highly damaging, since it speaks to Weiner鈥檚 judgment.鈥�

Questions about Weiner鈥檚 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.

鈥淭he run for mayor in 2013 is just impossible,鈥� says Doug Muzzio, a political observer and professor at Baruch College in New York.

If Weiner stays in Congress, it鈥檚 not clear how effective he will be. In the past, he was 鈥渁n aggressive, articulate spokesman for the Democratic left,鈥� says Professor Muzzio. However, he adds, many members of Congress may have a difficult time working with him right now. 鈥淐learly his influence over the short run becomes nil,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f you are a Democrat, you run away from Anthony Weiner.鈥�

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 鈥渧ery unhappy鈥� but not interested in splitting up.

Monitor intern Patrick Wall contributed to this story.