the obvious question, margaret hoover, after he resigned, there was more. he has an explanation, but does it matter? >> you know what? we're going to have to see how this plays -- >> hold on, hoover. don't take the middle ground. does it matter, yes, why? >> i think it does matter. you always want to empathize. i want to give the benefit of the doubt for this guy because huma, his wife put herself out today. this behavior was habit, chronic. there needs to be long-term attention on this so there is no way the apology on the front end was believable he would stop. >> margaret hoover is going with the word cured, she is giving him the benefit of the doubt of an illness. kevin, i put it to you, how do you think this plays he continued the behavior after the resignation saying we put it behind us. is that good enough? >> no, many voters now will say you're out of excuses. everybody has one chance at redemption, they don't get two. the big problem here again is that this -- in order for anthony weiner to get past this issue, he has to start a new chapter focused

. >> joining me now, cnn's political couple, margaret hoover. we have seen weiner's wife stand by herman. he falls from the top spot favored for mayor. he plunged to the 30%. is he going to get a third chance? >> this is only a democratic primary we're talking about and he only has to be in the top two. now he's in a statistical dead heat for the number 2 spot. 72% of democrats who will vote in the primary says the character witness for her husband made no difference at all. so the third chance may not happen. >> what do you know that he says is true or false or -- >> yeah, i know. the guy is clearly a narcissist and a pathological liar. he had lied to his family about something he was already punished for. you deal with that in your private life, not the new york voters' dime trying to run in new york. but the massive problem is this trust that we're seeing disintegrate in the last couple decades. the problem is people in positions of authority aren't trying to hold themselves to a higher standard anymore. back when people a spidspired t abe li

>> margaret hoover and her partner in life. the u.s. boycotting the olympics. the u.s.this guy has done horrible things and he can get asylum. some people are really frustrated. should the u.s. boycott the olympics to send a message? >> i think it is a fair thing that he said. it should be on the table. he is not saying we should boycott but is saying it should be one tool in our tool kit. it appears we don't have leverage. i think having it on the table is a very reasonable signal to send to russia. >> what do you think? >> i don't. this is a dumb idea. we have boycotted the russian olympics in 1980 and the only people who got hurt were the american athletes. >> you are agreeing with john boehner. >> i am agreeing with john boehner. let the records show. it would be a bad idea then and it is now. now we have proof. >> let us know who you side with. >>> still to come call to end stand your ground law in florida by celebrities, activists, politicians. we wanted to know if they were saying it or if it was true. >>> and the jury in the zimmerman case. we don't know their n

. >>> joining me now, cnn's political power couple, margaret hoover and john avalon.have seen anthony weiner's wife, huma abedin, stand by her man. new york democrats i don't think are going to be so loyal. after this week's scandal, weiner fell from the top spot. his favorable rating plunged. a second chance. a third chance? >> this may be too far even for new york voters. when you polled 73 of new york democrats. this is only a democratic primary. he only has to be in the top two. he is in a statistical dead heat for the number two spot. 72% of democrats that are going to vote said huma abedin's testimony made no difference to them at all. third chance may not happen? >> is this what voters -- what do you know that he says is true or false? >> the guy is clearly a narcissist. he lied to his family about something he had already been punished very publicly for. you can take the medical route and say it is an addiction. i don't give a dam. you deal with that in your private life not trying to run for mayor of new york. this massive deficit of trust. part of the proble

. >>> joining me, professor johnson, margaret hoover and clinical psychologist jeff gardire. >>> onehe initial scandal is uncovered resigns from congress, poses on the cover of "people" magazine with his wife and baby and says we're into counseling, we're getting better. but during that very time when he posed for "people" magazine he was sexting new pictures with another woman. what kind of malady does he have? >> well, certainly he has a sexual compulsion. this is a person who has an addiction to sex. and actually all of this is not surprising to me. people relapse all the time who have these thoughts of addiction and compulsion. he said yesterday in the press conference this behavior was behind him. he's wrong. this behavior is with him. and will always stay with him and that's why he needs to be in recovery. and needs to be in therapy, marriage counseling and perhaps in a 12-step program where he's getting group counseling, supportive counselling to help control his compulsion. >> so it's been less than a year since he stopped sexting. right? i think i got that right. so if he is

margaret. no, that's hoover, sorry.i don't know. >> wilson had more access than thomas marshall the vice president. i'm not sure he fully knew the extent of wilson's disability. >> right. nobody did. >> even the vice president. >> no, nobody did. >> if you want an interesting book on the very interesting respect to vice presidents sometimes maybe kept in the dark of president's health. how sometimes wives have been body guards to some extent keeping others way. >> i like to ask you about -- >> where are you? >> back here. nobody is talking about mrs. onassis. nobody is talking about her? >> obviously she was so young. you look at that wonderful style. and the style and grace that she brought to the job with two little kids and being pregnant and losing babies all while she was first lady. it's really -- i marvel at it now because of course, i was in college at the time. she didn't seem young to me. i think her style certainly had an impact and had an impact in european capital as well. she did a wonderful job on the whi

margaret hoofer and cnn contributor john avalon. very nice to have you here. let's deal with the essential question. do you believe, miss hoover i believe, to quote a joke somebody said to me last night, huma-nizes him. i think she saved his campaign. in this race all he needs to do is be in the top two to make the runoff. this may blow over. to the extent it does, is his wife who saved the campaign. >> do you want him to win the ticket? >> it actually may make it easier for one of the republican candidates frankly to run against anthony weiner, although there are vulnerable democrats in the top two. i'm not just saying it because i hope the most vulnerable democrat wins. i do think there are a couple of republicans that would make great mayors. new yorkers are tough people. you forgive people and you let things sweep under the carpet. >> they're low expectations for politicians. >> yes mr. avalon, i understand you benefit from a loving and generous wife in your own life but you do not believe huma was enough. >> no. no, i don't. look, this really cuts to the core of the argument he's been making about his candidacy, give me a