DAMAGE CONTROL

Clintonite Comes to Huma’s Aid

Advising her on Weinergate.

Anthony Weiner’s mayoral prospects aren’t the only political ambitions threatened by his compulsive sexting. The scandal could cast a shadow on Hillary Clinton’s presidential ambitions, through Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to Clinton. Enter Philippe I. Reines, the personal spokesman and adviser to Clinton who advised Abedin moments before she joined her husband in his first post–Carlos Danger press conference. Reines says he became involved out of his friendship with Abedin, but he also called Clinton to give her a heads-up about the conference. Reines also seems genuinely angry with Weiner, berating him when Carlos Danger was first unmasked, and telling him he was going to “reach through this phone” and “pull out” his throat. Abedin is taking a five-week paid hiatus from Clinton as the mayoral primary comes to a close.