Political children or children of politicians: Fair game?
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Political children or children of politicians: Fair game?

MSNBC host and guests mocked Mitt Romney's family
MSNBC host and guests mocked Mitt Romney's family
MSNBC host and guests mocked Mitt Romney's family
MSNBC host and guests mocked Mitt Romney's family

There was a time when the family and children of politicians were off-limits to mockery and abuse by their ideological opponents. Not any more. The latest example comes from the unwatched, ultraliberal MSNBC, where Melissa Harris-Perry and a panel mocked Mitt Romney and his adopted grandchild who happens to be black as they posed with his wife, Ann, and the rest of their 22 grandchildren in a family photo earlier this year.

The panelists gleefully mocked the picture, calling the child a token and comparing them to the “diverse” GOP which supposedly trots out the lone black person to prove they aren’t racist. This is despicable on so many levels. When called on the outrageous segment, Harris-Perry offered a bizarre hashtag apology on Twitter. Meanwhile, other liberal pundits rushed to defend Harris-Perry and her compatriots, but only succeeded in making things worse.

I remember when Jimmy Carter was president, his daughter Amy was unfortunately at an awkward age and when her appearance elicited a few comments from some unsavory comedians, they received immediate approbation. Such comments certainly would never have come from any reputable news agency or political operative. It just wasn’t done. It was rightly seen as lower than low. I wish it were still so.

Mocking politicians is one thing. They willingly enter the fray (even though much of that invective often goes too far today as well) and when spouses enter into the political debates, they might be fair game. But minor children and other family members should always be off limits.

And let’s be honest: It’s the liberals who offer the nastiest attacks, whether against Sarah Palin’s children or Mitt Romney’s grandchild or George W. Bush’s kids. We should be better than that.

Image Credit

  • msnbcmocksromneychild: Screen capture | Copyright by owner. Used under Fair Use doctrine
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