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KentuckyWoman

(6,845 posts)
Fri Mar 4, 2016, 02:35 PM Mar 2016

Leaving the kids out of politics.

I can remember the pundits trashing a President's children (or the candidate) is Amy Carter and the trashers were pretty well put down. But it happened long before that.

Garfield's kids were "holy terrors". Truman threatened to punch a critic of his daughter in the nose. Lincolns boys were accused of running wild and peeing on the floor. When the monkey pic came out of Cruz's kids we had a collective fit. When someone trashed Obama's kids they were forced to resign. We refuse to tolerate either the bullying of the children, or the assumption a child's personality or choices reflects on the candidate.

But the flip side seems to be more acceptable. Admiring a candidate who has beautiful, intelligent and well behaved children. The assumption made the children are a reflection of the parent.

Looking at the adult children of a candidate to speak to the character of the candidate seems to get mixed reviews. When the adult kids campaign for the parent they are fair game IMHO. When they stay out of the fray I think they should be off limits. Good or bad.

And if we are going to decide Obama and Michelle are amazing people partly based on how wonderful their daughters are (ad they are wonderful) then I think it's fair game to wonder about the leadership skills of a candidate who's daughter wants to flick him away (Ted Cruz) or a candidate who's adult children are on the campaign trail and like to unwind at the end of a day by slicing open wildlife (Donald Trump).

Flame away.

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