Political anti-commentary

[jhetley]

I don't think a candidate's children are suitable topics for discussion.

Comments

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

So Obama reportedly said. If so, it may be the first thing he's said with which I am in complete agreement.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

I tend to agree, with two basic exceptions:

1. Neutral mentions or descriptions: "Candidate X has two children" or "Candidate Y's daughter is a sophomore in college".

2. The child him/herself has done something legitimately newsworthy: (for example, in a local newspaper) "Jane Smith, age 14, was the winner of the regional spelling bee. Smith's mother, senate candidate Sue Smith, said, 'I'm so proud of her!'" or "Two people have charged in connection with the robbery at a local convenience mart this weekend: Sue Smith, age 18, and John Jones, Jr., age 19. Jones is the son of John Jones, who is running for mayor." In other words, if the kid would have made the news without the connection to the candidate, it's fair game.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Thank you Jim.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

That is correct. Here's what Obama said in Michigan yesterday:

Obama told a news conference in Michigan that "I would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories. You know my mother had me when she was 18 and how a family deals with issues and teenage children, that shouldn't be a topic of our politics."

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

As in when the Bush Twins got arrested for underaged drinking?

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I'm not even sure about Item 1, given the effect on Clinton Daughter and Kennedy Children.

[malkingrey.livejournal.com]

If arrests for underage drinking by non-political offspring regularly made the national news, sure.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

So why didn't they come out with this up front, if they didn't want it discussed? They had to realize that someone was going to notice, and then it would be a topic for discussion. They could have defused the whole thing... but they didn't. Why?

Perhaps it's cynical of me to think that somebody was expecting the news to break when Bristol was a couple of months further along, giving McCain an excuse to pull an Eagleton at the last minute.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Then good for him. =) We need more of that kind of attitude in politics, and a hell of a sight less "OK, what mud can we find to sling at THIS one?"

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

See initial post.

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

What about non-political celebrities?

Lindsey Lohan, for example. Or Britney Spears. Or Paris Hilton.

Personally, I think the media is shameless and I hate the way they treat people, and this is why I've gone almost exclusively NPR (which, I believe, only mentioned Palin and has not discussed her offspring) since... oh, I don't know... the OJ trial?

C.

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

Chelsea Clinton was "a dog" to folks like Rush Limp-dick.

Yes, I went there. (in case you can't tell... I don't like Rush)

The Kennedy Children... well...

And then there's Amy Carter too.

C.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

That would be really nice, if it were true. Given the events of the past several campaigns, I don't believe it can be said to be true any more.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

See initial post. Particularly the "I don't think a . . ." part.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Probably Lindsey, etc, have garnered their shameless media on their own.