Family Matters

[amykhar]

I saw a question on CNN today about whether Palin's family would matter if she was a man. I say yes. Every presidential candidate's family has mattered lately.

Bush's daughters out drinking. Billy Carter. Ronald Reagan's strained relationship with some of his kids. Edwards' wife's cancer. Hilary not baking cookies when Bill ran. Family has long been an issue for candidates.

Now, the question. Do you think it SHOULD?

Within limits, I say yes. A person's family sees the true self. To me, the fact that Ronald Reagan's kids barely spoke to him said a lot. But, we've seen that it's not a deciding factor. Bush's kids running around drinking didn't lose him the election, for example. Part of being president of this country is representing who we are to the world. And, part of who the president is is the president's family. So yeah, I think it's a legitimate thing to take a look at their family members.

What I do think is out of bounds is being hurtful or rude when talking about a president's kids. The kids didn't ask to run for office. And, while their failings may be worthy of discussion, I just think that tasteless cartoons, jokes, whatever are a unfair.

[realtraveller]

Family matters is not really the question. Family is interesting in a human interest type way but good politicians and good presidents have had horribly turned out children or children with problems.

What I find offensive is that the first thing out of CNN's John Robert's mouth was whether Palin can fulfill the duties of Veep while taking care of her children. That would never be asked of a male. After all, Obama has young daughters and it never occurs to anyone to ask whether his girls will be taken care of in Washington. It's just assumed that the mother will do it.

The sexist double standard is patently obvious. And it's very hypocritical that its liberal columnists like Sally Quinn in the Washington Post who are putting out this talking point. It takes women back to the 50's. The backlash from women will be huge.

[amykhar]

Different question, Kathy I agree with you on that point entirely.

Back on topic though. I think Obama's kids are escaping all the scrutiny because they are so young. Just wait'll they are teens in the White House if he wins.

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

The Internet is the problem

The family matters to an extent, especially if the candidate him/herself is using his family demographics or situation or experience to "connect" with the voters, and you're right in that they present a picture of America to the world. And there's always been jokes or snide comments made about politician's family members, going way back in our history.

Now that communication is so much faster and easier, the jokes fly faster and farther and it's not just journalists digging up dirt (or spreading rumors) about candidates and their families any longer. Journalists pre-Watergate gave greater privacy to politicians and their families than they do now, and might have avoided printing some juicy tidbits about family members. Now it's all up for grabs and, the public being as prurient and loving of salicious stories as they are, they go flying around both water cooler and cyberspace at the speed of light. It's even easier to get these things going when one can do so in relative anonymity.

Is it out of bounds? Much of it is. But the genie is out of the bottle and I don't see it going back in any time soon.

[lynnzop[$]]

When I was growing up, my dad ran for public office (Bloomington, 4th largest city in Minnesota, City Council if I remember correctly.).

We were told to essentially keep our noses clean during that entire election period - not that I was old enough to be doing anything all that bad - but behaving badly in public would reflect badly on my dad.

I've never forgotten that, and yes, I think family matters. Because while children (young or not) can make decisions on how they will behave in public/private, many times the influence is based on what the parents have taught them.

How many of us laughed or squirmed last night when Palin's daughter spat on her hand and smoothed her baby brother's hair down?

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

lynnzop said

We were told to essentially keep our noses clean during that entire election period - not that I was old enough to be doing anything all that bad - but behaving badly in public would reflect badly on my dad.

Except now you will have had to have never done anything wrong, never posted on line or had any of your friends post about you or post a picture of you, etc...

[drmomentum[$]]

No and yes.

No, she hasn't been targeted because she is a woman. She has painted a picture of herself, deliberately, which stresses her gender.

And so, yes, since a man would not have done the same things. McCain didn't introduce himself as a dad, for example.

So, mostly no. But yes if they stress gender on their own.

(Oops - I answered the wrong question. I mean to say it makes no difference whether she is a man or not, it matter equally)

[amykhar]

The one good thing is that pretty much every family has a screwup or two. My family has me

So, I think these things do sort of sort themselves out after a brief flare-up.

[Prepoia[$]]

drmomentum said

No and yes.

No, she hasn't been targeted because she is a woman. She has painted a picture of herself, deliberately, which stresses her gender.

And so, yes, since a man would not have done the same things. McCain didn't introduce himself as a dad, for example.

So, mostly no. But yes if they stress gender on their own.

(Oops - I answered the wrong question. I mean to say it makes no difference whether she is a man or not, it matter equally)

Men don't have to stress their gender or discuss why they are doing something unusual for their gender so it's a non issue.

[drmomentum[$]]

Why do you say that?

[eris esoteric]

It is absolutely, completely, and utterly NONE OF OUR BUSINESS. The personal life of any public figure, including politicians, is personal, and should not, under any circumstances, be discussed in any connection with their public lives.

Period.

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Even when it's one of the politician's key talking points for his/her stump speech?

[eris esoteric]

mjfrombuffalo said

Even when it's one of the politician's key talking points for his/her stump speech?

I have to say even so. I completely understand the urge, and believe me, I've no love for hypocrisy. But I think the line has to be drawn.

First, we draw that line. And then we draw the next line, which puts the private lives of private citizens completely beyond the scope of politics.