In more than three decades since moving to the United States, Huffington's influence on public life has grown exponentially.

In 2003, she stood against Arnold Schwarzenegger as an independent candidate for Governor of California.

She rejects political definitions of left and right (although she is widely viewed as a staunch liberal these days), but has plenty of advice for President Barack Obama.

"For me the biggest crisis that's not being addressed at the moment in Washington is youth unemployment.

"It's the fact that 50% of college graduates either can't get a job or are doing a job for which they wouldn't have needed a college degree.

"That's not sustainable that really goes against the American dream, which is based on the assumption that you work hard you play by the rules and then you do well."

Huffington is divorced with two daughters in their 20s. Her biggest hope for her daughters' generation is that they will feel less pressure.

"I think especially as women we need to recognize that feeling pressure is completely self imposed," she said.

"We women suffer more than men what I call the obnoxious roommate living in our head, which is that critical voice that constantly judges us, according to which we are never good enough.

"One of the advantages of growing older is that you stop looking over your shoulder, you stop feeling that pressure.

"My only hope for younger women like my daughters is why not feel that earlier."