Weiner blames the media for putting too much focus on his sexting scandal. Anthony Weiner: 'I'm not an idiot'

In his first national media interview since losing the New York City mayoral primary, former Rep. Anthony Weiner joined Geraldo Rivera for a nearly 20-minute appearance on Rivera’s radio show Friday, taking responsibility for his loss while also blaming the media for focusing on his sexting scandal.

As he did on the trail, Weiner said he tried to run a campaign on the issues, but he admitted that revelations of further sexting after his resignation from Congress led to his loss.


“If you’re breaking the news here that the scandal and how it came back and the new things that came out … more things came out, yes of course, I’m not an idiot, I know it succeeded in derailing my campaign,” Weiner told Rivera, who said he was an early supporter of Weiner’s candidacy but was surprised when news came out that Weiner’s online interactions with women continued as long as they did.

( WATCH: Anthony Weiner: Timeline of scandal)

“I took this campaign, frankly, on a bet, and that was that something at the end of the day that was behind me should not stop me,” Weiner said.

“Ten months behind you, that’s like yesterday,” Rivera responded.

Weiner repeatedly told Rivera he tried to run on the issues, but the media wasn’t having it, saying there is a “disconnect between people in your business” and citizens’ concerns.

“You had every tabloid in New York going bananas trying every day to derail me,” Weiner said. “None of the newspapers ever attacked my issues, none of the other candidates even bothered to take me out on the issues because they knew I would beat them.”

( QUIZ: Do you know Anthony Weiner?)

At one point, Weiner joked that maybe he needed a different name.

“If my last name was Rivera and not Weiner, I mean that’s two-thirds of the crap I took,” Weiner said. “There’s no mistaking that the New York media world had a field day with my name and that’s part of the game.”

But when Rivera suggested Weiner take his wife’s name, the disgraced politician was clear:

“I love my name,” he said.

Weiner said he didn’t know what he would do next, and he was still adjusting back into a normal routine with his family.

“It’s like a week and a half from the primary, you’ll forgive me if I’m winding down a little bit,” Weiner said. “Best thing about losing the election is I get to be home with [my son] every morning.”

As for his wife, Huma Abedin, Weiner said despite the negative attention the campaign brought her and rumors about their marriage, everything was good.

“My wife’s good. My marriage’s good. Look, I won’t lie to you, a lot of people took runs at my wife that I think are entirely unfair,” Weiner said. “God willing, my marriage survives everything, but I don’t take anything for granted.”

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Ultimately, Rivera was able to find a silver lining in Weiner’s saga.

“You took the heat off my selfie,” Rivera said.

The pair put their talents to use for a picture Rivera later tweeted:

Funny dual Selfie- Weiner in my WABC radio studio. We're posting video of his lively interview asap pic.twitter.com/JoLqp6Pjv0 — Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) September 20, 2013

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