Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Santorum Criticizes Obama's Parenting
Rick Santorum criticizes President Obama?s parenting
Today Rick Santorum criticized President Obama for allowing Malia Obama to travel to Mexico for a spring break trip. Santorum?s comments were made during an interview with Glenn Beck. Both Beck and Santorum cite a recent travel advisory released by the State Department. What both Beck and Santorum neglect to mention is that the advisory does not treat all of Mexico the same, but instead American travelers are only told to avoid some parts of Mexico. Ignoring this fact, Santorum claims that President Obama is setting a bad example by letting Malia travel down to a popular tourist destination in Mexico. A video of Santorum?s comments can be seen in the video to the left. A transcript appears below.
?What I would say is that the president?s actions should reflect what his administration is saying. If the administration is saying that it?s not safe to have people down there, then just because you can send 25 Secret Service agents doesn?t mean you should do it. You should set an example. I think that?s what presidents do. They set an example. And when the government is saying this is not safe, then you don?t set the example by sending your kids down there.?
Beck?s own website, The Blaze, notes that there is no travel warning in effect for the part of Mexico that Malia is visiting. Somehow Beck forgot to mention this during the interview.
But the larger issue is even discussing President Obama?s daughters. Throughout American history it has been unspoken rule that a president?s children are off limits to the press when they are minors, particularly when not accompanied by their parents. The president theoretically invited scrutiny when he chose to run for office, but the president?s children did not make such a choice. Santorum has complained in the past about being asked about birth control rather than substantive issues that he would rather be discussing. However, by talking about Malia Obama?s spring break trip rather than health care reform, deficit reduction, or job creation Santorum essentially invites more controversy.
Re: Santorum Criticizes Obama's Parenting
LOL. Won't Malia be covered by twenty trillion Secret Service agents while in Mexico?
Pretty sure that Zoe Bartlet is the only first child to ever be kidnapped.
I thought Malia was on a school trip.
I mean, I know Rick Santorum thinks all kids should be home-schooled and therefore not have such school trips. Be that as it may, a school trip is a good way to learn. And even if it's not a school trip, who the fuckings cares? Just because Santorum has his head up his ass doesn't mean other people shouldn't enjoy the world.
Sisu, where are you to jump in and say, "This is the best the Republicans have got to criticize? They must be desperate indeed"?
They were over the age of 18. But yes, it always comes back to the Bush family, doesn't it?
The conversation is ridiculous and apparently is part of Santorum's continuing efforts to look like a buffoon.
This part, however, has me side-eyeing theshit out of the writer:
Throughout American history it has been unspoken rule that a president?s children are off limits to the press when they are minors, particularly when not accompanied by their parents. The president theoretically invited scrutiny when he chose to run for office, but the president?s children did not make such a choice.
Surely I'm not the only one who remembers how awfully Chelsea was treated during her "awkward phase" (which was most of her father's presidency).
yeah, they were over 18. in a state where the legal drinking age is 21. i don't really care that they did it, but your counter argument is factually wrong.
No. It always comes back to hypocrisy.
I'm sure they are the only 18 year olds ever arrested for underage drinking.
And I'm sure the Obama's are the only parents to let their kids go to Mexico.
See I can make illogical arguments too!
I'm sure the majority of Americans don't let their 13 year old kids run off to Mexico. Although the majority of Americans don't have 20 some secret service agents to babysit for them either.
Why are the Bush twins even being brought up? They were 18 and making their own decisions when they were arrested for :gasp: underage consumption. I would say Obama made the ultimate decision on whether or not his 13 year old daughter could jet off to Mexico for a week.
Time to lay off the "war on women!!!1111" kool aid ladies. It's making you stupid.
Oh there's stupid all right happening in here.
It's a happy coincidence, then, that all the other parents of the kids on the school trip were down with them "running off to Mexico".
Wait, why is Mexico bad again? Is it the Mexicans?
They do ruin the place for a bloke like Santorum, don't they?
There's a few states with elevated risk of targeted crimes (like kidnapping) against Americans that the State Department has issued travel warnings for and restrictions for gov't employees. Most of the tourist areas are OK.
THe majority of Americans aren't smart enough or hard working enough to become President, either.
Um. but they were under the drinking age, and that was the point.
LOL at "jetting off to Mexico" - I'm sure Malia is dancing on bars in Cancun carrying a yard glass of 190 Octane and participating in wet t-shirt contests. Dude, she went on a SCHOOL trip. Geez.
The only one ever that had Secret Service bodyguards. Awkward!
No silly. It's not all Mexicans. Just the ones that want to be able to vote like they're really a state without learning English.
Wait...wut?
Why do you keep saying that she's "running off" to Mexico, as if she's eloping or running away or something? It's a school trip, there's no running involved!
I guess they could have arranged a school trip to a safer place like Aruba - oops.
Every 13 year old I know "runs off" on a trip to Israel w/o their parents.
lol. THE NERVE!
I just helped 75 13 year olds "run off" somewhere without their parents for 5 days. The kids barely had time to stop and eat, we were so busy. School trip =/= crazy party lol.
I look forward to letting DD "run off" without me if it means she can have amazing experiences through school in other cultures. Sign me up now. The school she will attend has mini-mesters that allows kids to go abroad for a week or two through school between quarters to learn and do service. I can't wait. Its amazing.
But there is a travel warning ZOMG!