Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) says politics can be humbling, particularly when you are mistaken for disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner — twice.
Ryan, the former GOP vice presidential candidate, told a story this week about how he has also been mistaken for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R).
{mosads}”But that wasn’t to be outdone, because then I went on this flight a week later, and the flight attendants were looking at me and kind of whispering at each other and pointing at me, and looking and pointing,” Ryan said in a speech Wednesday. “And then finally one of them comes up to me and says, ‘You’re somebody famous aren’t you? Are you Anthony Weiner?’ I’ve been confused with Anthony Weiner twice now.”
Weiner, the New York Democrat, resigned from Congress in 2011 after he inadvertently tweeted a lewd picture of himself to his Twitter followers. He mounted an unsuccessful bid for New York mayor last year as well.
Weiner said he too was not flattered with the comparison, calling it “the final insult.”
“How much more can I bear,” he told Business Insider, where he now writes as a columnist.
Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, told the anecdote to a gathering of Republicans in Michigan where he praised retiring Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.). The Wisconsin lawmaker told another story about being photographed by a woman at the Milwaukee airport where he said he “kind of felt like a zoo animal.”
Ryan eventually suggested that he and the woman could take a picture together.
“She said, ‘It is so nice to finally meet you Gov. Walker. I’ve always wanted to meet you in person.’ ”
Ryan said he did not correct her.
“No problem. Thank you very much. I appreciate your support, I just got to get on my plane.”