Obama: My Kids Won't Be Doing Any More Interviews

[ErinBerin84]

Heh, I know it's lame to be fawning over the kids of a nominee, but I'm glad they did the one interview...they were just too cute, interesting to see how the family dynamic is.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/09/obama-my-kids-wont-be-doi_n_111591.html
Obama: My Kids Won't Be Doing Any More Interviews

WASHINGTON — Don't expect to see more of Barack Obama's young daughters on television any time soon.

The Democratic presidential candidate and his wife, Michelle, allowed the cable show "Access Hollywood" to interview their daughters, Malia and Sasha, as Malia celebrated her 10th birthday. Segments of the interview began airing this week.

On Wednesday, Obama said he had second thoughts after seeing how much attention the interview had received.

Obama told ABC's "Good Morning America" that things got carried away a bit.

Obama said, in his words, "I don't think it's healthy and it's something we'll be avoiding in the future."

Before the "Access Hollywood" interview, the Obamas had kept Malia and 7-year-old Sasha out of the media spotlight.

[Newsjock]

1. So, once again, right or wrong ...

... we have allowed the GOP to set the agenda on this topic. When will we ever learn?

[babylonsister]

4. That's what it sounds like to me, too. They are precious, the r/w

found fault, so now they are off limits. I want to see more of his beautiful kids, not less.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

61. How did the Right Wing find fault with two little kids?

What happened there? :shrug:

[liberal N proud]

7. The GOP had to go after them...

The interview exposed the Obama's for the common people they really are and that makes the elitist comments obsolete.

[DFLforever]

50. I think it was a genuine response from Obama

He didn't like seeing the clips all over cable and the networks.

But it was a wonderful interview with the family and I'm glad it was made.
Those girls stole the show!

[rox63]

2. I thought they were adorable

Malia is looking forward to redecorating her room if they move into the White House. And both girls are excited about getting a dog. Barack and Michelle are raising 2 lovely, well-grounded girls.

[fasttense]

3. It's probably for the best that the kids don't stay in the spotlight.

But I'm glad about that one interview. It made the kids seem so normal. It was good for those who are afraid of people different from them.

[TexasObserver]

5. Good. It was a mistake.

They're cute kids, and that's all they should be doing - being cute accoutrements to their dad's stage and campaign presence.

[Radio_Lady]

32. He's already on a political learning curve. He never should have agreed to this, IMHO.

This is another learning experience for a young politician, and he hasn't even been elected President.

Hillary and Bill had it right. No coverage of Chelsea -- that was the correct decision.

[CreekDog]

33. he's as old as Bill Clinton when he ran

and older than John F. Kennedy was when he ran.

what does "young" have do to with anything? :banghead:

[Radio_Lady]

35. Perhaps you are right. My perceptions have changed as I have aged, especially about presidents.

Somehow the definitions of "old" have crept further out.

I remember when college aged boys and policemen looked old. Now even middle aged men look VERY young. I'm 69 -- and in that white older woman age group who supported Hillary through the primaries. Don't bang your head.

However, I do wish Obama had followed both Carter (who protected Amy), Clinton (who protected Chelsea), and even George Bush (who resisted coverage of his twins, also).

Thanks for your comments.

Lady Ellen in Alpen Knolls

[JackORoses]

47. you just won't get over it, will you? Hillary and Bill are not in this anymore.

IMHO, your opinion is not very humble.

[mwb970]

6. He's a good dad.

Obama is a guy with real "family values", not the Republican Craig/Vitter kind.

It just occurred to me, what do we know about mcCain's children? I don't think I've ever seen pictures of them and I don't even know how old they are. I gather he adopted his first wife's two pre-existing kids then had a third with her, is that right? So who did they turn out to be?

Now that I'm off-topic anyway, here's an interesting paragraph I found in mcCain's Wikipedia entry while checking out the children:

McCain had conflicts with higher-ups, and he was disinclined to obey every rule, which contributed to a low class rank (894 of 899) that he did not aim to improve. McCain did well in academic subjects that interested him, such as literature and history, but studied only enough to pass subjects he disliked, such as math.

Evidently mcCain, just like his buddy bush, considers himself above the law. And that last bit may account for mcCain's persistent "fuzzy math" problem, as with his "I don't know much about economics" confession and his recent numbers-free commitment to somehow magically balance the federal budget in his first term.

[Captain Hilts]

10. He's been on the road so much...

these past two years I'm not sure how far the "good dad" stuff can go.

It's part of the turf of running, but it doesn't make for a very good dad.

[mwb970]

12. I was thinking in terms of his attitude.

If it is a bad thing to run for president while you have young children, who then would be suitable to run? Single people? Old people?

I assume that soldiers who go off to Iraq for a year or more at a time are even worse parents, by the same logic.

[Captain Hilts]

18. I've no doubt he's got a great attitude and loves his kids...

but having read tons of presidential and political biography, the time and attention constraints take their toll.

He's probably a good, part-time dad.

[gblady]

13. don't agree...

with being away a lot not making him a good dad....

from all I can see, Barack is a good father...
calls daily, attends all important events, actively involved in their lives...
in the pics of he and his girls, the love shines through loud and clear.

[KittyWampus]

37. The amount of time spent doesn't equate into how good a parent one is. And your bullshit about

him being a "part-time" father is heinous. He is there FULL TIME FATHER.

Knowing you were (supposedly) a Clinton supporter during the primaries, at this point I'm sick of your crap.

[sniffa]

62. Ignored sucks ass

That's why they're ignored.

[yourguide]

8. jeesh

Do I think it's a good idea to do one of these a week? no.

Do I think this was a great way for the American people that they are a normal family? Yes, absolutely.

More manufactured outrage.

[Pirate Smile]

9. I think it was that Access Hollywood gave the footage to the cable networks to play endlessly.

Summary of his comments on it from the morning shows:

"On NBC’s “Today”:

“I think that we got carried away in the moment. We were having a birthday party and everyone was laughing, and suddenly this thing cropped up and we didn’t catch it quickly enough.”

Adds on ABC’s “Good Morning America”:

His daughters are “not spending a lot of time worrying about TV cameras or politics, and we want to keep it that way… Particularly the way it went around the cable stations, I don’t think it’s healthy, and it’s something we’ll be avoiding in the future.”

And on CBS’ “Early Show”:

“In retrospect, if you had asked me, we probably would not have done it then. We wouldn’t do it again.”'

http://thepage.time.com/obama-responds-to-family-interview/

[sallyseven]

11. I liked it myself. I thought that the interaction

between parents and children told us a lot about how they are being raised. I just think that they should be scarce, now, until after the election. At least we know they won't be tramps like the bush kids.

[JANdad]

14. Do you have a crystal ball or something?

"At least we know they won't be tramps like the bush kids.'

And how exactly are the Bush kids tramps? Do you have proof? Or are you doing what you propose to hate of the RW spin machine.

[theoldman]

17. The Bush girls are alcoholics and not too bright.

I would not call them tramps but they are not exactly idols for young girls.

[Captain Hilts]

20. I wouldn't say they were "alcoholics" at all...how do you know?

College-age kids drink a lot. So do a lot of female college students.

They don't seem to be doing that any more.

I'm no fan of the Bush twins, but you hit them unfairly.

[KittyWampus]

36. College Kids that drink a lot are alcoholics or at least have drinking problems

being in college is no excuse for out of control behavior and excessive drinking.

[Captain Hilts]

42. As someone who doesn't drink, I...

don't like to see over-indulgence in any circumstances.

But heavy drinking in college does not translate to alcoholism or drinking problems as an adult. It just doesn't.

[shireen]

19. i've always liked the Bush twins

Not that I knew them personally, just from the little I've read about them in the "media". They seem to be smart high-spirited young women who have made mistakes like any other teenager. I've never had any negative reactions to them. To refer to them as tramps, as one poster did, is grossly unfair and insulting.

[Captain Hilts]

22. I think some here are also operating with a different standard...

for young women than young men.

TR's sons, FDR's sons, Carter's sons, GHWB's sons, were all heavy drinkers and were never called alcoholics in their youth or "tramps," because, well, they're boys!

[Forrest Greene]

44. One Of The "Worst"

...or perhaps we should say "classic" images of the Bush occupation was that of Jenna Bush, aged nineteen or twenty, sitting behind a closed limousine window, sticking her tongue out as far as it could go at photographers. The Bush's marital issue show many signs of being mean-spirited, self-centered, useless, wealthy brats who will likely contribute nothing of value or even of relevance to society throughout the courses of what will no doubt be their long and parasitic lives.

Apples don't fall far from the tree.

[madura]

55. ouch, that's nasty. the bush children are not tramps.

what makes you think they are tramps? would they be 'tramps' if the both of them were boys and sometimes get a bit too boisterous.

[theoldman]

15. Interviews with a President's children should be few and far

between. The Clintons did a good job of keeping Chelsea out of the limelight. The news media has a reputation of twisting things around so anything the children say may work against them in the future.

[shireen]

16. he's right ... keep the kids out of the spotlight

but i really enjoyed the interview with the kids, they are so smart, funny, and totally adorable. It was a touching glimpse into their family life, and it left a very positive impression. But Obama is right, one interview is enough, and the kids should not be exposed to all the ugliness that comes with political campaigns. Not at that tender age.

I really really like them as a family ... so warm, loving, and supportive.

I emailed Michelle Obama, via the campaign website, to encourage her to adopt a shelter dog,

[Alter Ego]

21. Obama's a dad and feels a responsibility to protect his kids.

I have no problem with this.

[MaineDem]

23. I thought the interview was adorable and I agree with it being the only one

I think Obama's decision to keep them out of the spotlight from now on is perfect. A little insight into the family but keep it at that.

[SeaLyons]

24. I thought the kids were adorable..

but I'm glad Obama sees it as a mistake and will not allow it to happen again.

[Captain Hilts]

25. They are cute kids.

I think it was fine to throw the press a bone with the one interview.

[jbnow]

29. The kids threw the bone. They weren't a planned

part of it, just he and Michele were being interviewed. It was 4th of July and a birthday party and the interviewer said they got there early and everyone was having fun, they just connected.
When they were getting the interview started the girls walked in and just sat down abd the Obamas just didn't make them leave (or know they'd get all the attention)

[Captain Hilts]

41. All the better!

Let's roll!

[marshall]

49. Why not have them participate in the election?

It certainly won't hurt. They'll enjoy the attention and look back on it fondly in coming years.

[qwlauren35]

64. Yeah, right...

Given how ugly elections get, I'd never let my underaged kids get involved.

Remember when they accused Hillary of pimping out Chelsea?

Nope. Not a chance. It takes a huge psyche to handle the negativity that an election generates. It's bad enough that they'll have to deal with what is said about their dad at school. They don't need to be on the front page of the Enquirer.

Imagine what it's like to have some kid who hates you come to school with a picture of the marquee where Obama was compared to a monkey? Or some of the more racist signs that showed up in Indiana? I wouldn't want to be in their shoes, and further involvement would just make it easier to hurt them. Adult children should be able to choose whether to campaign. But with young children, the choice belongs to the parents. I don't mind a few posed family shots, but frankly, I applaud their wisdom to can the interviews.

[marshall]

67. It's the Obamas decision, and if they think the girls will help then so be it

In a world where Denise Richards puts her kids on tv and other celebs make reality tv fodder out of their families, putting your kids on the campaign stump is pretty mild.

[ruggerson]

26. Healthy choice by Senator Obama

k/r

[Mass]

27. Happy to see somebody who is not ready to throw his kids to the media for his personal interest.

:thumpup:

[grantcart]

28. If any Republican candidate had a family this engaging we would be getting ti

24 hours a day.

[raebrek]

30. It was "Access Hollywood".

If I were letting someone do an interview with my family I would not choose "Access Hollywood".

Raebrek!!!

for what it is worth.

[blogslut]

31. I was glad for the insight

And I'm glad it won't be happening again.

I watched the Campbell Brown "concern display" yesterday and it made me ill. Shame on her and shame on all the tongue clicking, pearl clutching busybodies who deign to pass judgement on this family.

[woolldog]

52. "tongue clicking, pearl clutching busybodies"

I love that description. :rofl:

[blogslut]

53. Good

Because there are a lot of them these days.

They make me want to be terribly inappropriate. I've never been prouder of my chosen nickname. :hi:

[book_worm]

34. Why Access Hollywood?

[GarbagemanLB]

40. What, did you prefer Meet The Press interview his daughters?

[Enrique]

48. Charlie Rose

tonight, Malia Obama for the hour.

[tishaLA]

57. It'd be OK because Charlie asks and answers his own questions

[high density]

38. WTF?

Why in the hell does Obama have to apologize for everything he does? I guess the campaign has decided it's easier to stop the runaway media by just saying "I'm sorry" instead of fighting it. I hope this changes after he's elected.

[barack the house]

39. Wise move. At least he is shown to be a good family man.

[Shine]

43. Good for him. I agree. His kids are not political commodities, after all.

:thumbsup:

[tokenlib]

45. Barack needs to lighten up--just slightly...

I thought the interview was a light moment, where the family was having a little fun, and the girls were adorable. There was no harm in giving America that glimpse of them and he doesn't have to do it again.

But just like sometimes Barack doesn't smile enough--now he is being a little bit too harsh about the episode. He should write it off as a lighter moment where the family was having a little fun and not be so critical of it. It was good to see the way the girls take after their mother in teasing their father. It was a net plus-- Sure further media encounters could become harmful, so don't do any more--but a rare glimpse shouldn't be considered a "mistake"--and can be a good thing.

[underpants]

59. I agree he is reacting too much

He HAD BEEN out in front on every issue/style point you name it. Now he is playing to defensive.

[JohnnyLib2]

46. Grandpa here.....

I see many more minuses than pluses about publicity for the children. Leave 'em home.

Some of the posts upthread about former presidential offspring illustrate the minus side.

The Obama kids are cute, and so we've said. Is there any reason at all to think that all of America is discussing them in that way?

[Fleshdancer]

51. FWIW, my 8 yr old daughter thought the interview was cool

I understand Obama not wanting his daughters to be interviewed again but my kid thought it was great and she loves the idea of girls her age possibly being in the White House. This led to a great conversation regarding how old you have to be to vote, why kids can't vote, what kids can do to be involved in the political process and what she would ask the Obamas if she ever had a chance to meet them.

The question she came up with for Obama was "will you help Iraq with electricity and water after you get our soldiers out?" She said she's worried about the kids over there.

[gblady]

54. I'm glad.....

to hear about your daughter caring about what happens to the children in Iraq...
warms my heart to read...

[Phoonzang]

56. He needs to stop expressing regret and being

sorry for things...even if he is.

[Eurobabe]

58. I agree, he is starting to look weak, KNOCK IT OFF Barack

Jesus Christ on a stick. :eyes:

[nxylas]

60. "Why is it that the noblest people are always most troubled by conscience?"

That's a line from an Alan Moore-scripted Superman comic back in the '80s that stuck with me because it's so true.

[TheDonkey]

66. I agree, I do not understand why he did that. Was very bizarre and out of character

for someone who has had such a sharp campaign. But recently I always keep hearing him say "sorry" and "I shouldn't have done that" sheeesh, it was just an interview, no reason to get emotional.

[Rene]

63. Seems like Obama ALWAYS realizes he's made wrong decisions AFTER the horse is out of the barn.

he has no experience in making appropriate 1st time decisions until he stickes his finger up in the wind. Absolute inexperience showing up on many topics.

[TheDonkey]

65. I'm glad the interview took place, it was very cute and nice to hear from the girls. He overreacted

saying it was a mistake and all this. I really do not understand Obama's hyperventilating over this. I can understand if he doesn't want to do a campaign tour with the kids but an interview with Access Hollywood is hardly going to lead them down a path of drugs, sex, and rock n' roll.