Chelsea Clinton misses opportunity |
Loading ...Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton missed a way to turn a reporter’s question around:
a reporter for the student paper, The Butler Collegian, asked for her opinion "on the criticism of her mother that how she handled the Lewinsky scandal might be a sign of weakness and she might not be a strong enough candidate to be president".
Instead of showing indignance toward the reporter for asking Chelsea a good question she should have reinforced her mother’s strength in keeping a family together for not quitting in a time of personal crisis. Would it have been better for Hillary to divorce Bill Clinton over the incident? I’m sure some would be criticizing her now if she had. And would she be a serious candidate today if she had gotten a divorce?
Wrong or right, I don’t think so. Voters like me view divorce — except in rare circumstances — as a weakness, not a strength. When you go up there and agree to stand by your spouse in "sickness and health" and in "good times and bad times" that’s a contract to adhere. How do we know for a fact that Hillary didn’t already know about Lewinsky? Who knows, maybe she even approved privately. Whatever the case, if she decided to quit her marriage contract, how can we be sure she would stick by what she said in public office? Fair criticism.
Ask anybody who has ever been divorced if they should have gotten married and how many will answer yes? We all make mistakes, that’s not the point here (and not trying to make those who have been divorced feel like bigger failures either), but a contract of marriage needs to have some amount of importance in society again. Today all too many couples are getting divorced like they’re changing underwear. It’s one thing if no children are involved but quite another when there are.
Choosing the right partner
Thinking of getting married to someone? Make sure it’s the one. Ask yourself how you’ll feel when that person doesn’t look the way they do now? What if s/he becomes ill? Are you willing to stand by and take care of him/her? And are you best friends? Do you like to do a lot of non-sexual activities together? People who aren’t best friends shouldn’t get married. Look, you have very few true best friends in this world, so at least make sure before you marry someone that that person is a best friend.
I believe it’s possible to have more than one best friend and be compatible with more than one person in life, but the bar should be extremely high for your chosen life partner. Right now the bar seems to be way too low. If you’d like more guidance, read past post Does 17 Years Qualify for Giving Marital Advice?
Back to Chelsea
I wonder if Chelsea’s parents schooled her on how to answer this question next time. Staying together shows strength, dedication, resolve. I’m not saying what Bill did with Lewinsky was acceptable behavior in their marriage, but was it enough to break up their family?
Chelsea getting angry only shows a vulnerability and opens the door to future probing on the topic by any skilled reporter. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t receive this question again.
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- Why is Hillary Clinton the least photogenic Presidential candidate?
- Divorce over woman too shy to consummate marriage
- Valentines: 80 years of marriage
- Does 17 years qualify for giving marital advice?
- Divorce and drywall, bizarre way to split a home
Hmm… Funny how that question’s never come up. You’d think that as a public figure and politician’s daughter… and not to mention in the limelight all the time, you’d learn how to spin things. I actually think … hmm.. I think it’s NY’s new governor’s backstory was done pretty well. The whole, we were at a rough time in our lives, we both had affairs during that separation time (is that considered an affair then?) and we both went to counseling and are better for it.
From a PR perspective anyways. Morally, that’s more eye of the beholder type question. As a public person, you can only play damage control, and a good PR person can spin any bad thing into something that the majority would go… “oh.. hey, you know.. they’re really in the right.” But that’s a whole other story on how those that know how to communicate, can lay it on thick with most of the population.
Comment by darkmoon — March 27, 2008 @ 10:33 am PST
It’s Chelsea…not Chelsie.
Comment by Andrew Ferguson — March 28, 2008 @ 12:10 am PST
Spelling errors aside (fixed, thanks), Andrew, what do you think of her answer to the question?
Comment by TDavid — March 28, 2008 @ 12:02 pm PST
I think that the question probably caught Chelsea off guard. However, I think that it was a good and valid question (especially if you contrast it to Giuliani’s past) and that Chelsea should have been more prepared (or should have been briefed better about how to answer it).
She was definitely wrong, though, when she said, “I do not think that is any of your business.” If Hilary were in the private sector, then sure, it’s probably none of our business.
However, Hilary is vying for the highest level public office. Not even the times of her bowel movements are private anymore.
Comment by Andrew Ferguson — March 28, 2008 @ 12:18 pm PST
“but was it enough to break up their family?”
Let’s be honest. The clinton marriage has more to do with politics and power than love.
Comment by Casey — March 28, 2008 @ 1:39 pm PST
Great insight. There seems to have been innumerable missed opportunities this election; good questions, great chances to make powerful points, but too often overlooked, and from both sides at this.
As for the principle you talked about concerning relationships….i enjoyed it. I’m dating someone right now and marriage has come up, but its just too soon to know. I liked the questions you posed, all too true. I’d add one more that Ive been contemplating: does he or she make you want to be a better person. All too important. Thanks for your post, I ne, ed to keep asking myself those questions as I get closer to someone-divorce is just too common and depressing. I have a couple friends whose parents divorced, and it ruined them significantly. My dads parents divorced, and though he is very successful today, he developed a twitch and insecurities during the divorce when he was 10 years old.
If my wife were to cheat on me, it would be very difficult. But if kids were involved, I’d have to reconsider separation…its easy to tell someone to forgive, but when it is in your court, you realize how difficult it would be. I’d have to get counseling for us both, figure things out, work it out. And i dunno if Hillary has a looser moral code than I do, but it is true that she kept a marriage together, and that is impressive.
Comment by Thomas — March 30, 2008 @ 8:24 am PST
Two rules for a good marriage:
1. Don’t sweat the small stuff!
2. It’s ALL small stuff!
If you really love someone things that come up between you and friends don’t really matter.
Sure you can take chances and loose your spouse, But life is too short to loose you precious time together over minor infractions.
A wise man once said, “If you love somebody, set them free”.
And who is to say Bill and Hillery Clinton don’t love each other!
I seem to recall in Bill’s first campaign, that when the same question came up, Hillery’s answer was that the post they were asking about was published in super market rag that also did stories about little green men in flying saucers !
Perhaps their marriage arraignment is as you mentioned earlier,(not that it is any body’s business).
as for Chelsea’s answer to the reporter, I’m sure Chelsea is very intelligent and probably has come up with a better answer for any other time the question comes up again. Dave
Comment by Dave — April 2, 2008 @ 2:38 pm PST
I agree that it is important to make sure your special someone is the RIGHT one! I guess the best option for me (I am not married or engaged yet but it has been talked about) is to just wait it out until I know!
Interesting post — Thanks for sharing!
Comment by Jenna — April 4, 2008 @ 11:01 am PST