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May 28, 2008

The other race: Abedin vs. LoveHumor

With the Obama vs. Clinton contest in its death throes, I want to make sure we don’t lose sight of the big picture. There is another contest between an accomplished woman and a black man that is also about to come to an unfortunate end. It is the contest between Clinton body woman Huma Abedin and Obama body man Reggie Love (yes, that is his name).

Mr. Love now knows that when it comes to food, Senator Obama “eats pretty much anything, from chicken wings and barbecue and ribs to grilled fish and steamed broccoli.” But when he is campaigning in a small town with limited options, a cheeseburger is always a good bet. (“Cheddar is the cheese of choice,” Mr. Love added.)

He knows that “the boss,” as he calls Mr. Obama, likes MET-Rx chocolate roasted-peanut protein bars and bottles of a hard-to-find organic brew — Black Forest Berry Honest Tea. He keeps a supply of both on hand…

Mr. Love, 26, is Mr. Obama’s body man, the personal aide who shadows the senator and anticipates everything he needs — and everything he does not need. He is not a bodyguard (security is provided by the Secret Service), but rather the ultimate assistant, rarely more than a body length away from the candidate. [Link]

Even in a story about Obama’s body man, the Times lets us know that it too is smitten by giving a nod to the underdog:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has a body woman, the efficient and glamorous Huma Abedin. [Link]

Yeah, that’s right. She is efficient and glamorous in addition to being dreamy. What does Mr. Love have going for him?

Mr. Love had summer try-outs with the Green Bay Packers in 2004 and the Dallas Cowboys in 2005 before being cut.

Which is how, in 2006, after applying for an internship on Capitol Hill, Mr. Love ended up interviewing with Robert Gibbs, Mr. Obama’s communications director, for a position in Mr. Obama’s Senate office. “It’s the only time I’ve ever interviewed somebody whose work experience included the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys,” Mr. Gibbs said. [Link]

Misogyny rears its ugly head once again. The popular jock is pitted against the female achiever.

Speaking of Huma, I read something a few weeks back that sort of disturbed me. A couple of Washington Post columnists were reporting on the White House Correspondents Dinner afterparty and noted the following tidbits:

· “Harold & Kumar” co-star Kal Penn closed down the Bloomberg after-party at 3 a.m. with an intense discussion with Salman Rushdie. Dudes!

· The after-after party? A flash mob of night owls spontaneously descended on Al Gore confidant Mike Feldman’s Dupont townhouse: Penn, Lauren Conrad of “The Hills,” Will Forte of “SNL” and Bradley Cooper of “The Wedding Crashers’” (lured by CAA agent/Clinton fundraiser Michael Kives); political folk included Clinton aide Huma Abedin, Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor and White House deputy press sec Scott Stanzel. Last guests stumbled out at dawn, stepping over morning papers. [Link]

Are you guys thinking what I’m think? Penn ends up at an after-after party with LC AND Huma (after he more than likely smoked up with Rushdie). I bet you that rabid Obama supporter is making a play for Huma, who must be particularly vulnerable right now. I’ll cut you you bastard if our paths should cross. Stick with LC as it will better complement your Hollywood career/lifestyle.

And so we will have to wait longer to see if fate will produce a female American president (or body woman) in our lifetime. Abedin in 2016 I say. Nobody can deny she’d be better than Jindal.

abhi on May 28, 2008 12:10 AM in Humor, Politics, Profiles · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post



23 comments

 1 · freshprince on May 28, 2008 12:22 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

jeez abhi, im starting to get tired of ur obama ass kissing.


 2 · Ghuriya on May 28, 2008 12:28 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

There's so much about Obama's bodyman, what does Huma have in her resume?


 3 · Abhi on May 28, 2008 12:28 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)
jeez abhi, im starting to get tired of ur obama ass kissing.

When leaving a comment about ass kissing, at least read the post first so you can correctly identify the ass being kissed. Else you sound like a Tom Tancredo supporter.


 4 · Abhi on May 28, 2008 12:30 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)
There's so much about Obama's bodyman, what does Huma have in her resume?

Read my previous post on her (which I linked above). Don't question Huma's credentials. She is fabulous.


 5 · Jim Leerer on May 28, 2008 12:37 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

With so much critical stuff happening in the US, how are we expected to have time for piddling hurricanes in Myanmar, or minor earthquakes in China?

And Zak expects to have an audience for a program about world affairs in this crowded news climate! Maybe he should open his series with a profile of Yulia :)


 6 · rob on May 28, 2008 01:08 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

Wow, I am (usually) pretty immune to color issues, but, damn--Huma is pale enough to give me the heebie-jeebies/send me running to CVS for some "fair and handsome cream." Curses on you, moms and dads, for leaving me so unfair and unhandsome!


 7 · Mewa Singh on May 28, 2008 04:49 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

Obama drinks Black Forest Berry Honest Tea as well! That is my favorite from Ackerman Union. Love should know it isn't that hard to find. Costco sells it too.


 8 · Snapple won't do? on May 28, 2008 06:20 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)
Costco sells it too.

More importantly for an elitist, Whole Foods has it.


 9 · Body double on May 28, 2008 06:35 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)
bet you that rabid Obama supporter is making a play for Huma, who must be particularly vulnerable right now. I’ll cut you you bastard if our paths should cross. Stick with LC as it will better complement your Hollywood career/lifestyle.

Why choose? (#3)


 10 · Pagal_Aadmi_for_debauchery on May 28, 2008 08:24 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

Dhimmitude! Huma is a secret Saudi agent.


 11 · Bridget Jones on May 28, 2008 08:35 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)
With the Obama vs. Clinton contest in its death throes

though off-topic, following is an interesting observation from newsweek -

...the majority of counties in which more than 65 percent of whites voted for Clinton closely track Appalachia—the mountainous region running from New York into the Deep South, where voters tend to be somewhat less well-off and less well educated than in other parts of the country....Appalachia is a big place, encompassing 13 states: southwestern New York, western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, West Virginia, western Maryland, western Virginia, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, western North and South Carolina, and northern Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. You cannot afford to lose all those states and still win in November.

So a race about race ?


 12 · Hope it like you used to, Bam! on May 28, 2008 08:57 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

this article perfectly captures the mood of obamasturbation overtaking America.


 13 · BrooklynBrown on May 28, 2008 09:19 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

FYI, Abedin is dating Anthony Weiner [link].


 14 · DesiDawg on May 28, 2008 09:24 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

There was this movie I saw quite a few years ago called Election. I don't know what it is about Clinton's campaign and her staff that reminds me of Tracy Flick(Reese Witherspoon) from that movie. Obama on the other hand reminds me of Paul Metzler (Chris Klein).


 15 · KXB on May 28, 2008 11:18 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

On a somewhat related note, what hasn't Abedin told Hillary to cool it with the rumors about Obama being a Muslim? While Hillary has not herself said such a thing on the campaign trail, he infamous "as far as I know" comment on 60 Minutes was still pretty outrageous. Not to mention the photos of Obama dressed up in a turban, or the robocalls constantly invoking his middle name? Or does Abedin's politics and her good looks mean she does not have to do anything?


 16 · Vikram on May 28, 2008 11:35 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)
Abedin is dating Anthony Weiner

Tony Weiner... not a name to envy


 17 · Bridget Jones on May 28, 2008 11:53 AM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

1 · freshprince said

jeez abhi, im starting to get tired of ur obama ass kissing.

another take on the name controversy..how abt oBUMa


 18 · Athena on May 28, 2008 12:45 PM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

I heard about her dating Anthony Weiner who I'm assuming is Jewish. Kind of cool, that a Muslim girl is dating a Jewish boy.


 19 · Manju on May 28, 2008 01:55 PM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

Huma must really want Weiner to be Abedin' Anthony. But if all Anthony wants is Huma, whats Love got to do with it?


 20 · deemz on May 28, 2008 02:08 PM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

call me captain obvious but the personal assistant is probably sometimes closer to the ear of the president than the first lady/man given what i know about high powered execs and their PAs.

so it's really interesting to me that they're so young and aside from these people magazine style tabloid articles, their politics/motivations aren't well known or all that scrutinized at least by the general public.


 21 · ak on May 28, 2008 02:32 PM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)
There is another contest between an accomplished woman and a black man
this sounds a bit off to me - these descriptions seem rather skewed (even if they are accurate). yes, reggie love is much younger than huma abedin, and so has had less time in his career to prove himself. however, given this current position, and the fact that has has a degree in both public policy and political science, he clearly has the potential to rise high in politics, so i'm not sure that it's fair to compare abedin and love. even more so, if we are making a comparison, i'm not sure that i am more impressed by someone who started as an intern and is still in basically an assistant's position 12 years later - from the SM posts and other articles that i have read, i don't have much of a sense that she has a firm position in guiding policy (and like deemz, i'm not even sure what her political views are) or doing more than cater to clinton's needs on the campaign trail. it's not that i am not impressed with her experiences - staying in politics for so long and at such a high level, even if it is as a PA, is a hard thing to do - but in comparison to love, i don't see that she necessarily is the clear winner. whatever good impression her composure, efficiency etc give off, much of that comes from just sheer experience, and it cannot be said definitively that love would not have all those - and more - in 10 years when he has been in the game for about the same amount of time as abedin.
Wow, I am (usually) pretty immune to color issues, but, damn--Huma is pale enough to give me the heebie-jeebies/send me running to CVS for some "fair and handsome cream." Curses on you, moms and dads, for leaving me so unfair and unhandsome!
honestly, that picture looks more like the combination of off-shade foundation and a flash bulb than anything else. the vogue spread, and other pictures, showed her with a much less pale (and healthier) complexion. and fyi - unfair does not equal unhandsome; in fact, a little bit of a tan (or bronzer ;)) could definitely do some men some good.

 22 · Abhi on May 28, 2008 08:14 PM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)
There was this movie I saw quite a few years ago called Election. I don't know what it is about Clinton's campaign and her staff that reminds me of Tracy Flick(Reese Witherspoon) from that movie. Obama on the other hand reminds me of Paul Metzler (Chris Klein).

If you had clicked on the links in my post then you'd get a summary of what it was about :)


 23 · Suki Dillon on May 28, 2008 11:22 PM · Direct link · “Quote”(?)

Mr. Love had summer try-outs with the Green Bay Packers in 2004 and the Dallas Cowboys in 2005

I wonder if he get the chance to catch any passes from Brett Favre or Tony Romo.


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