Too many people are feeling sorry for Huma Abedin, the wife of ex-Congressman and current New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner. Mr. Weiner was first disgraced a couple years ago for sexting with someone other than his wife. If that wasn’t enough of a knucklehead move, recently he was caught sexting again – this after a slick PR campaign meant to con us into believing he was fully reformed.
New York Democrat Rep. Charlie Rangel summed up the public sympathy for Huma: “I have seen a lot of things like this in politics, where males have to lean on their wives for support. But I don’t ever recall seeing a wife looking and feeling so sad and embarrassed, because Huma is a very private person, a very delicate, sophisticated person.”
Stop with the sympathy already.
Let’s not underestimate Huma Abedin. Many women don’t have much of a choice but to stick it out; Abedin does not fall into that category.
I mean, she’s highly educated with a kick-ass resume, gorgeous, and has A-list friends including her boss Hilary Clinton (who once gushed that Abedin is like a daughter to her), and presumably financial security judging by her NYC Central Park digs.
She’s a gal with some pretty hefty bargaining power right now. If Weiner wants to mitigate his political face plants, he needs Abedin more than she needs him. Who knows what her deal is, but if I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t settle for anything less than Weiner doing all the laundry including delicates for the next 50 years, making him watch every chick-flick that only I was interested in (think The Notebook over and over and over again), and assuming sole financial responsibility for the family so that I could spend my days shopping at Tiffany’s and firming my core in Pilates class.
But the bigger question is, should she stand by her man irrespective of the potential upside?
If I were in her shoes I’d take a pass. And the sexting thing is only part of the reason. My concern is that Weiner appears to be untrainable. If you are going to stand by a dog of a husband, he should at least be capable of staying in the yard.
Sure, Abedin can continue to spend her kid’s college fund on couple’s therapy. But what would be the point? They have already invested significant time and money without any real improvement. Sometimes it’s best to cut your losses and move on.
Like a leopard, a Weiner dog can’t change its spots.
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