So glad to see that she is at least going to bear some consequences for her heinous and vicious attack on the First Family.
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I hadn't heard about this until today, but I'm glad she resigned. As a communications professional, she should have known better, not to mention the fact that what she said was very rude and malicious.
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Oh my goodness, that was so ridiculous. I briefly saw it mentioned on the news this morning as I was heading out the door. I had to look it up - I was shocked! I can imagine that being the President's daughter is bad enough... being attacked in the media as a teenager, just awful!
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@plantains: I love how Twitter reacted and I'm glad she's resigning. I'm a communications professional, too, and if she didn't know this was going to get her into trouble, then she obviously needs to go back to school or take some social media courses.
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Good! I still can't believe all the nasty, vile attacks Rush Limbaugh (and others) made on Chelsea Clinton's looks when she was a pre-teen and teenager in the White House. It boggles my mind that he got away with it then; it's well past time people face public backlash for publically attacking children.
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Good! It really ticks me off the level of disrespect that Obama receives. Is he a great president? In my opinion he is not but he is 10 million times better than both Bush presidents (one of whom should be in jail of you ask me.) He has done some good and it's shameful the way he is being treated. Reminds me of how people treated president Carter and still do only at much more despicable level.
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What she said was rude. She attacked the whole family!
However, I would like to see us have remedies for bad behavior that do not result in job loss.
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: While I agree with you on the job loss thing, I disagree on her leaving her post solely because communications is her job and this is a big communications snafu.
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Am I the only person who thinks it's a bit crazy this lady had to lose her job over this??!!
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@Leah: no.
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@Leah: no. Let's face it, they are public figures and public figures are scrutinized. Now could she have said dress classier (her opinion not mine) in a nicer way? Yes.
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@Leah: for anyone else, I would agree. But she's a communications specialist for a representative, so I think a snafu like this is a pretty clear measure of her ability (inability really) to do her job.
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @Leah: she is the communications director for a Republican Senator. The full text of her open letter was disgusting.
“Dear Sasha and Malia, I get you’re both in those awful teen years, but you’re part of the First Family, try showing a little class. At least respect the part you play. Then again your mother and father don’t respect their positions very much, or the nation for that matter, so I’m guessing you’re coming up a little short in the ‘good role model’ department.”
This is appalling from anyone, out from the comma director if a politico it also speaks to total and utter incompetence so I think it is absolutely right that she should lose her job over this.
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@MrsH: true, but I think it's pretty well accepted that minor first children are supposed to be off limits? They're 13 and 16.
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@plantains: I read her open letter and her pitiful apology to everyone that was offended except the actual First Family. Still, I think we have come to a place that hardly anyone is given the opportunity to course correct. We are so quick to fire & resign in the face of embarrassment and poor judgment. I don't think moving on from things without a job teaches people a lesson. Having to own up to what you did and face people that once thought highly of you, earn their trust & faith in your performance again teaches people characyer.
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I would normally agree with you, but in this instance, I don't think it would have been appropriate for her to continue in her position. She had an opportunity to course correct and blew it by making a non apology and indicating that it took hours of conversation with her parents and hours of prayer to recognize the stupidity of her actions. I just don't see how such a person is able to be communications director if a leading politician.
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@plantains: @Madison43: @MrsH: @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I definitely thought they could have been dressed more appropriately and could have shown a lot more interest in the proceedings (or at least hide their disregard). So, in terms of her criticisms, I absolutely agree. Her expression of those criticisms was far from ideal, but I wouldn't expect Republicans to be sweet to the Obamas.
Lately it seems like there's a lot of public flogging when someone doesn't have the politically correct view. Cancel the Duggers because of their beliefs on homosexuality. Pressure Don Sterling, Bruce Levenson to sell their investments because their private communications are racist. And on and on.
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Good riddance to her.
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@Leah: everyone is entitled to their opinion. I personally did not find anything about their attire inappropriate for a turkey pardoning but if course I don't know what 13 and 16 year olds typically wear to these things. I hope that Lauten found it in herself to be equally as horrified by the antics of the Bush twins when their father was in the White House.
I take exception to the idea that you cannot disagree with someone's political point of view without being a grade A asshole. It is this type of approach that makes it impossible to have civil discourse from differing perspectives in this country.
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@Leah: I watched the whole ceremony after reading about the open letter & apology online. What I found interesting was how little I actually saw of the Obama girls.
They came out looking uncomfortable and fidgeted. When I was their age I wouldn't have wanted to put my hands down by my side either as I was very self-conscious. However, folding one's arms like Malia did gives off the unapproachable vibe even when a person is actually warm and inviting. To knock her for that, which lasted seconds long is ridiculous.
Then the camera focused on the President for much of his speech. Every once in a while Sasha would get into frame and you could see her looking and paying attention to her dad. Then, finally the speech was over and it was time to bring out the turkey. The frame opened up and the girls were all smiles and laughing at their dad's jokes.
Did I love the cranberry dress Sasha wore? Not really. But, as I looked at her choker, which was a tween fashion staple of mine too, I was reminded self-expression through clothing is beautiful. Now I loved everything about Malia's outfit & hair! I truly don't think either girl was dressed for a bar, although the skirt lengths might have got them sent home from my junior high school.
ETA: I wrote all that to basically say don't be a hater just to hate, be fair.
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@Leah: yeah, I'm a die hard democrat and didn't think their outfits or demeanor were particularly appropriate. They were completely typical for their age, but then maybe don't put them on camera for the turkey pardon? I don't think anyone would have been offended or notices if they didn't participate. Nonetheless, I do think kids of both parties should be off limits and public ally shaming young teens on their wardrobe seems particularly awful.
As for people losing their jobs/investments over non PC comments, I'm still working out how I feel about this. People are entitled to have different - and even objectionable and offensive - opinions but if your statements negatively impact your job or violate whatever employment or investment agreement you have, well then I think you screwed yourself.
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@plantains: @mrsjazz: in the context, the only context in this case, that a communications pro took a major fumble I can see why she had to go.
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I didn't find their clothing inappropriate at all. Then again, what is appropriate attire for a turkey pardoning? I would have thought jeans. Maybe overalls. It's pardoning a freaking turkey. Really, it's a ceremony saying "hey let's not kill this one turkey and then let's go eat one." It's a light hearted event, not a friggin state dinner.
Trying to look engaged/happy/interested while being neutral and not overtly smiling is a skill that I wouldn't expect a teen to have mastered.
And again. It's a turkey pardoning.
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She said her departure was already in the works. Whether that's true or not is another thing. But, no I don think resigning was an inappropriate response. She clearly does not have the ability to exercise good judgement that should come with being in her position. She's not 18, she's 30-something and she should know better. Plus, I find it ridiculous she was so harsh on girls when she herself had a less than classy teenage past. Who is she to judge?!
Fwiw, I think the skirt lengths could have been longer, but it's not something I would have thought twice about, let alone publically shame for. They're children trying to be "normal" while living in an atypical situation that they don't have a choice about. Give them a break!
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I'm surprised she resigned. I think her message, while harsh, was pretty spot-on. They would've been sent home from school had they shown up in skirts that short, why would it be appropriate on a national stage? Like it or not, they're part of the first family and ought to dress and behave that way.
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@Applesandbananas: that isn't the only thing she criticized. I don't recall Mrs. Obama or the President wearing inappropriate clothing. So Lauten's remarks about the Obama girls not having their parents as role models was inaccurate and went too far.
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: he has a pretty low approval rate, I'm sure she isn't alone in feeling he isn't a good role model, I think that piece of her post was referring to things beyond their attire--at least that's how I took it, I could be wrong.
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@Applesandbananas: yes, but you focused only on their clothing. If that's all Lauten has to say that would have been one thing. But, she said so much more that was uncalled for and not helpful. My point is what the heck does their clothing have to do with their parents being role models? Nothing. She didn't need to bash the POTUS and FLOTUS to scold their daughters on social media.
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In my original post I referred to both attire and behavior.
Maybe she's referring to these?
http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/ronn-torossian/president-obama-where-are-your-manners/
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Good riddance.
They're teenagers. They didn't ask to be First Children. Being a teenager is hard enough without being in the public eye 24/7. Considering the pressure they're under I think first and foremost everyone should cut them some slack. But also, any adult publicly criticizing a teenager's appearance is ridiculously inappropriate.
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@Applesandbananas: to those? A list of quotes of random conservative bloggers' interpretations of events and international diomacy? That's not really a legit or impartial source, no matter how your politics run. But then again, maybe she was referring to those, and was playing to that audience.
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@yoursilverlining: my apologies. Here's the NY Post's article on his disrespectful salute.
http://nypost.com/2014/09/24/obama-salutes-marines-with-coffee-cup-in-hand/
USA Today reports on the lack of manners re: gum chewing
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/11/10/obama-gum-chewing-riles-some-chinese/18801757/
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@Applesandbananas: ah yes, latte-gate. I'm sure she spoke out harshly then against this equally morally deprived role model action as well.
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@yoursilverlining:
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Aside from the fact I think it beyond inappropriate for an adult to shame a teenage girl's appearance, in public, and I don't think what girls wear should be such a topic of discussion in general (I doubt teenage sons would have been so scrutinized), I think they both looked cute. It's a light-hearted event, and they both dressed on the nicer end of casual, with a teenage twist. They don't exist for our viewing pleasure and approval. I'm glad the woman resigned, she hit below the belt.
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