Demcrats emerged from a closed door meeting of their entire caucus deciding not to strip Rep. Anthony Weiner of his committee chairs, or punish him in any other way.

Contrast that decision with the GOP senate caucus booting Larry Craig from his leadership positions and making him a pariah on the Hill following his gay sex scandal in 2007.

Wall Street Journal:

Mr. Weiner has so far resisted calls for his resignation from party leaders, as well as a public shove from President Barack Obama Monday, who said that if he were in Mr. Weiner's situation, he would resign.

The controversy poses a problem for Democrats. Many in his party want him to go so they can get back to putting pressure on Republicans over Medicare, gas prices and the economy.

But Democratic leaders have no authority to force Mr. Weiner from his job, apart from an ethics-committee process that could take more than a year. The ethics committee could decide his behavior did not merit expulsion.

For that reason, some Democrats are hopeful that the return of Mr. Weiner's wife, Huma Abedin, from a State Department trip late Tuesday night could end the impasse. Ms. Abedin, an aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has been with Mrs. Clinton on a trip to the Middle East and Africa.

"Hopefully, we're hearing he might resign in a couple of days," said New York Rep. Carolyn McCarthy. She later added: "He's waiting for his wife to come home. That's what we're hearing from his friends."

Despite national polls saying that 70% of the country thinks he should resign. Weiner may try to weather the storm by hiding behind his wife, now pregnant with their first child. He wouldn't be the first pol to try that gambit, but in this case, Mrs. Weiner may be less than enthusiastic in standing by her man.