A different story than the one told by Henrietta Hughes...

POLITICO - By ANDY BARR 2/21/09
Bystanders become grist for pundit mill

In the recent case of Henrietta Hughes, her emotional plea poignantly captured the struggles of many Americans hurt by the economic downturn. The scene was so moving, in fact, that the wife of a local state Republican legislator offered Hughes a house, which she accepted, and it seemed the story would have a happy ending. But the inevitable questions about her past soon surfaced. A local charity organization came forward to dispute her claims of destitution, noting that, among other things, Hughes turned down an offer of permanent housing with three months of free rent. It also came to light that Hughes and her son Corey have both been unemployed for years prior to the current economic downturn, and they’ve lived together while each has been receiving $800 a month in federal government assistance. “People have to realize that if the media spotlight is on you, the media is going to dig deeper if it’s a good story. And this is a good story,” said Don Bates, an associate professor at George Washington University’s School of Political Management. “It goes with the territory,” he added. “Once you go public, your privacy is broached.” (FULL STORY)