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Apparently, being in charge of the nation’s budget isn’t all work. Proving that even a busy man can find time to play, White House budget director Peter R. Orszag, who recently announced his engagement to an ABC correspondent, has now confessed to fathering what The New York Post termed a “love child” with his former girlfriend, Greek shipping heiress Claire Milonas.
The birth of the child, Tatiana Zoe, on Nov. 17 had gone unreported until the Post ran a story Wednesday accusing Orszag of dumping Milonas in favor of ABC News correspondent Bianna Golodryga. The 31-year-old reporter announced the engagement Dec. 29 on “Good Morning America.”
‘Thrilled and happy’
The Post story prompted Milonas and Orszag to put out a joint statement that suggested there was no bitterness over the end of their relationship.
“We were in a committed relationship until the spring of 2009. In November, Claire gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Although we are no longer together, we are both thrilled she is happy and healthy,” the statement read.
Orszag, at 41 the youngest member of President Barack Obama’s cabinet, is divorced since 2005, with two children from his previous marriage.
“Does this have anything to do with his job? No, I don't think so,” Washington Post columnist Amy Argetsinger told NBC News for a story by Norah O’Donnell. “It makes you wonder how he manages to get everything done, but he clearly is very good at managing his time.”
Orszag is known as a brilliant policy wonk who first worked for President Clinton’s economics team. He got his bachelor’s degree in economics at Princeton before earning his doctorate in economics from the London School of Economics.
Wonk appeal
In Washington, nerds like Orszag are sexy, Argetsinger told NBC News. “Washington is a city of wonks, and he is a very eligible wonk himself. He has a kind of nerdy, sexy Washington appeal. Rahm Emmanuel said that he made nerdy sexy,” she said.
Even the president has made fun of Orszag’s nerdiness, calling him a “propeller head” and joking about him at the annual White House correspondents’ dinner.
“ABC is planning a show called ‘Dancing With the Czars.’ TLC has one called ‘Jon & Kate Plus Peter Orszag,’ ” Obama quipped at the event.
Friends of Orszag say he broke up with Milonas eight months ago, before he knew she was pregnant. He met Golodryga in May at the correspondents’ dinner.
The ABC correspondent explained the attraction by saying Orszag is “tall, dark and he could say ‘Golodryga’ and spell it after our first date. That is a winner in my book.”
© 2012 MSNBC Interactive. Reprints
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