Anthony Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, forgives ala Hillary Clinton, political strategist says

In a public statement that one political strategist said hearkened to the Hillary Clinton days, Huma Abedin said Tuesday she’s forgiven her husband, former Rep. Anthony Weiner, for his sexting scandals — including the latest, which went public this week — and said most marriages encounter difficulties and challenges.

“Our marriage, like many others, has had its ups and its downs,” she said, in what The New York Post reported was her first speaking engagement at a press conference. “It took a lot of work and a whole lot of therapy to get to a place where I could forgive Anthony.”

Ms. Abedin has mostly kept quiet about her husband’s scandals, remaining largely behind the scenes while his issues played out in the press.

Mr. Weiner, who left Congress in disgrace over a sexting scandal, had announced recently a political comeback bid for New York City mayor — but his campaign was stymied once again this week, with another sexting issue.

Now Ms. Abedin is stepping forward to say she stands by him — though The New York Post described her press conference as awkward, reporting she stood several feet from her husband.

“It was not an easy choice in any way, but I made the decision that it was worth staying in this marriage,” she said, The New York Post reported. “That was a decision I made for me, for our son and for our family. I didn’t know how it would work out, but I did know that I wanted to give it a try.”

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She called her husband’s actions “horrible mistakes,” but said, “I love him, I have forgiven him, and as we have said from the beginning, we are moving forward.”

Political media strategist Adam Weiss said the speech reminded of the days when former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, occupied the White House — when the president’s sexual scandals went public and Mrs. Clinton came out in public to announce her “stand by her man” decision.

“They are that power hungry that she stands there and she accepts the absolute disgracefulness of serial cheating from her husband,” said Mr. Weiss, in The New York Post. “Huma comes from the Clinton school of forgiveness — power is more important than dignity.”