Huma Abedin is the news again ... Hillary Clinton's loyal right hand who has become a house hold name due to her husband, nowadays disgraced congressman Anthony Weiner, sex-twitter, is making headlines because of two issues:
A) Her Saudi Arabian origin.
B) A Hello! style photo shoot: At home with her husband and little baby, Jordan, speaking with "People" Magazine.
I know Huma well. Everyone who is friendly with Hillary Clinton - does! We used to joke that Huma is like an extension of Hillary. She is a beautiful woman, hard working, who has earned the trust of her boss, during challenging times like elections or personal issues with Bill.
If Huma were to suspect that someone was not loyal or discreet about Hillary, this person would be removed from her inner circle at once. Loyalty has always been a priority to this talented woman. So to listen to some Republicans, speculating about her loyalty to the U.S., just because her family is from Saudi Arabia - is laughable. I would not make this an issue but because some circles are repeating these claims, I am bringing it up now.
When one throws dirt - some of it sticks. And some circles these days are trying to refer to her as a "Muslim mole!" That's what I call, paranoia.
God bless the former G.O.P. presidential candidate John McCain, for defending Huma and reminding all of us, that we are a nation of immigrants, which come from different cultures and religions. Whenever I talk with McCain, I tease him about some extremists around him.
***
One day, I asked the non-stop working Huma: "What about YOU? What about your private life?"
She giggled ... Her personal life was a secondary to her being available to Hillary. When she got married to Anthony Weiner, she thought, she finally arrived: "I never knew, I could have it all..." as Barbara Streisand said it famously when he got married to James Brolin.
Weiner was an ambitious politician who eyed to become the Mayor of New York. After divorced Michael Bloomberg, New York could use a First Lady. And who would be better for that role, other than the savvy and beautiful Huma Abedin?
The picture-perfect marriage was broken up one day, when Weiner's tweets of his private parts to several girls. His initial denials pushed the sex scandals to the front pages worldwide. By then, embarrassed Huma was pregnant with her first child. Weiner was forced to resign from congress. He disappeared from the headlines.
Until now ...
Huma reportedly arranged an interview and a photo shoot with the "People" magazine. The couple looks like lovey-dovey. It is viewed by many, as an attempt for a political come back. A premature one, some view.
Maybe? Yet - what do we expect from this young woman? To keep hiding, because of her husband's humiliating conduct? Are we going to punish her twice??
The smiling-loving photo does remind indeed a political candidate, running for and office, with his supportive wife, next to him.
Who would cope with such situation better than Huma? She must have known that it would be compared to the 1992 interview of then presidential candidate Bill Clinton and "standing by my man" wife Hillary after the Jennifer Flowers scandal.
Soooo ...What?
Huma looks sunning in these photo spreads. She is smiling with Anthony. Nice photos.
Only one thing bothered me though ...Hillary would never do that! When Hillary was a first lady, she protected the privacy of the 'First Daughter' Chelsea, like a lioness would. Hillary and I discussed that. She always said: "People can attack Bill ..They can go after me ..But leave my daughter out of the picture!"
Literally. I can not remember any official photo shoots of Bill, Hillary and young Chelsea together.
My friend, the late Benazir Bhutto managed to keep her three children out of the limelight too, although she was the first woman prime-minister of Pakistan. Nobody recognised them, when Benazir, Asif and I had lunch in New York. Read more about it in my book "My Benazir" (www.daphnebarak.com or -www.pipublic.com)
Huma chose to include her baby son Jordan in these photo spread. What an adorable baby. It is her judgement. Yet, it is a decision, she will not be able to reverse. Unlike Hillary, she will not be able to say: "Leave my children out of the picture .."
A) Her Saudi Arabian origin.
B) A Hello! style photo shoot: At home with her husband and little baby, Jordan, speaking with "People" Magazine.
I know Huma well. Everyone who is friendly with Hillary Clinton - does! We used to joke that Huma is like an extension of Hillary. She is a beautiful woman, hard working, who has earned the trust of her boss, during challenging times like elections or personal issues with Bill.
If Huma were to suspect that someone was not loyal or discreet about Hillary, this person would be removed from her inner circle at once. Loyalty has always been a priority to this talented woman. So to listen to some Republicans, speculating about her loyalty to the U.S., just because her family is from Saudi Arabia - is laughable. I would not make this an issue but because some circles are repeating these claims, I am bringing it up now.
When one throws dirt - some of it sticks. And some circles these days are trying to refer to her as a "Muslim mole!" That's what I call, paranoia.
God bless the former G.O.P. presidential candidate John McCain, for defending Huma and reminding all of us, that we are a nation of immigrants, which come from different cultures and religions. Whenever I talk with McCain, I tease him about some extremists around him.
***
One day, I asked the non-stop working Huma: "What about YOU? What about your private life?"
She giggled ... Her personal life was a secondary to her being available to Hillary. When she got married to Anthony Weiner, she thought, she finally arrived: "I never knew, I could have it all..." as Barbara Streisand said it famously when he got married to James Brolin.
Weiner was an ambitious politician who eyed to become the Mayor of New York. After divorced Michael Bloomberg, New York could use a First Lady. And who would be better for that role, other than the savvy and beautiful Huma Abedin?
The picture-perfect marriage was broken up one day, when Weiner's tweets of his private parts to several girls. His initial denials pushed the sex scandals to the front pages worldwide. By then, embarrassed Huma was pregnant with her first child. Weiner was forced to resign from congress. He disappeared from the headlines.
Until now ...
Huma reportedly arranged an interview and a photo shoot with the "People" magazine. The couple looks like lovey-dovey. It is viewed by many, as an attempt for a political come back. A premature one, some view.
Maybe? Yet - what do we expect from this young woman? To keep hiding, because of her husband's humiliating conduct? Are we going to punish her twice??
The smiling-loving photo does remind indeed a political candidate, running for and office, with his supportive wife, next to him.
Who would cope with such situation better than Huma? She must have known that it would be compared to the 1992 interview of then presidential candidate Bill Clinton and "standing by my man" wife Hillary after the Jennifer Flowers scandal.
Soooo ...What?
Huma looks sunning in these photo spreads. She is smiling with Anthony. Nice photos.
Only one thing bothered me though ...Hillary would never do that! When Hillary was a first lady, she protected the privacy of the 'First Daughter' Chelsea, like a lioness would. Hillary and I discussed that. She always said: "People can attack Bill ..They can go after me ..But leave my daughter out of the picture!"
Literally. I can not remember any official photo shoots of Bill, Hillary and young Chelsea together.
My friend, the late Benazir Bhutto managed to keep her three children out of the limelight too, although she was the first woman prime-minister of Pakistan. Nobody recognised them, when Benazir, Asif and I had lunch in New York. Read more about it in my book "My Benazir" (www.daphnebarak.com or -www.pipublic.com)
Huma chose to include her baby son Jordan in these photo spread. What an adorable baby. It is her judgement. Yet, it is a decision, she will not be able to reverse. Unlike Hillary, she will not be able to say: "Leave my children out of the picture .."
