Anthony Abedin For Mayor

Weiner should really change his name to Adedin. There's nothing that says a husband can't take his wife's surname. Sure it could be Weiner-Abedin. That's the politically correct way to do it, but choosing Abedin would show that Anthony Weiner is making a commitment to being a new person. Anyway there are too many Weiners in New York and we're on the verge of saying good-bye to a Bloomberg. Maybe New York's had too many nice Jewish boys or would be nice Jewish boys running for the mayoralty. Maybe the message is that it's time for Weiner to transform himself, to graduate. Remember The Graduate? Abedin's a nice Muslim name and if New York wants to show that it's a truly cosmopolitan city and also the mecca of finance and the arts, we need to elect a Muslim sounding mayor. Anthony Abedin--the name has a certain gravitas and it doesn't hurt that his other half is a prominent member of Hillary Clinton's team. Just let it run through your lips Hizzoner Anthony Abedin. Sounds a lot better than Huma Weiner, by the way, and maybe someday Abingdon Square will be renamed Abedin Square. Abedin can also compete nicely with Jewish sounding names which connote a facility with commerce. Where are you going to shop if you are given the choice of Macy's or Saks? Why of course the answer is none of the above. You're going to Abedin's since it's a little different. If I were at the airport and wanted to buy my wife a necklace, would I go to H. Stern or the new boy on the block?

{This was originally posted to The Screaming Pope, Francis Levy's blog of rants and reactions to contemporary politics, art and culture}