There’s been a lot of debate about whether Huma Abedin, the wronged wife of New York sex fiend and mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, is following the “Clinton playbook” in standing by her man on the campaign trail. Bill and Hillary Clinton wrote Volume I of the playbook by surviving a big sex scandal in 1992, when Bill was first running for president. They added Volume II by surviving a bigger sex scandal in 1998, during his second term in the White House. Mrs. Clinton was a key player in her husband’s defense on both occasions, and today she is close with Abedin, her long-time aide. So why shouldn’t Abedin try to emulate her mentor’s success?

Because it won’t work. Abedin can’t follow Volume I of the Clinton playbook because Weiner can’t deny everything, as Clinton did — falsely but successfully — in ’92. And she can’t follow Volume II because Weiner is not president of the United States.