Anthony Weiner was lying low this morning after releasing a video announcing his last-minute entry into the race for mayor.
A crush of reporters was camped outside his Park Avenue South apartment for so long that campaign aides treated them to three boxes of pizza and made plans for individual interviews later in the day.
Some of Weiner’s rivals, meanwhile, wasted no time poking fun at the sexually-charged Twitter messages that led their newly-minted opponent to resign from Congress in 2011.
WEINER’S RUNNING FOR MAYOR: LEAKED VIDEO BARES BID
“If he can penetrate the field, I’ll be ready for him in November,” Independence Party candidate Adolfo Carrion declared in a statement.
Democratic Sal Albanese got a huge laugh at a Crain’s mayoral forum in midtown when he dismissed Weiner as just another career politician, except for his “additional quirks.”
The campaign of Bill Thompson — who is expected to be the biggest beneficiary of the suddenly expanded field — was celebrating.
“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Anthony into the race,” tweeted campaign manager Jonathan Prince.
Comptroller John Liu said Weiner’s personal foibles would be a legitimate topic for the campaign trail.
“I think any issue of open game, any issue is fair game,” Liu said. “That’s for the voters to decide.”
Many political professionals were left scratching their heads.
“What he needed to do was do something else first,” said Greg David, moderator of the Crain’s forum.
“Everyone who’s talked to me has said why didn’t he run for Public Advocate or Comptroller or some place to prove himself rather than just go for mayor. So my personal view is that he made the wrong decision.”
Bill Cunningham, a consultant who used to work for Mayor Bloomberg, said Weiner’s biggest obstacle is “Weiner.”
“The question in everybody’s mind will be what kind of judgment does he have. And the second question that will be in the minds, if not outright asked, is how can you guarantee or assure us you won’t have some kind of lapse or episode. It’s almost an impossible question for him to answer.”