Kamala Harris

[Scepticalscribe]

Not a fan of Ivanka at all, but someone with a D in his party named his brother as US Attorney General...
And don't get me into the Office of the First Lady thing.

Leaving aside the fact that it was almost 60 years ago when JFK appointed RFK as US Attorney General, I would argue that it was wrong then, and it is still wrong.

That RFK was undoubtedly talented, brave, able and loyal doesn't detract from the fact that the appointment should not have been made in the first place.

 

[thekev]

The Office of the First Lady simply needs to be defined in a way that does not reflect poorly on someone who does not choose to be in the public eye by marriage.

It doesn't need to be defined at all. I think spouses of public officials would be better off if the public stopped projecting expectations on them, which seems reasonable in 2020. Many guys have working spouses, who keep their own schedules and may not always be present for every work related dinner or event.

To me, it seems like a side channel that was introduced in an era where women were not taken as seriously for higher political offices. It's still a bad overall mechanic, particularly as appointing a spouse to any political office would generate scrutiny.

 

[yaxomoxay]

Other than Hillary Clinton, who certainly entered on her own steam with her own merits, who else is doing it?

disagree on Hillary’s own merits.
As for who else, clearly Michelle Obama.

 

[Alli]

It doesn't need to be defined at all. I think spouses of public officials would be better off if the public stopped projecting expectations on them, which seems reasonable in 2020. Many guys have working spouses, who keep their own schedules and may not always be present for every work related dinner or event.

Then it needs to be defined for what it is not. It is not the official hostess for WH events. It is not the official cheerleading section.

 

[Alli]

disagree on Hillary’s own merits.
As for who else, clearly Michelle Obama.

Hillary was a senator. She got there on her own.

Michelle has no interest in politics.

 

[yaxomoxay]

She & Joe at least know how to take a cool looking campaign picture together, even with masks on.

1) Jay, nice to see you! Welcome!
2) picture is a People’s picture, I wouldn’t expect a sucky picture from them.
3) honestly it looks like one of those pictures to advertise lawyers

 

[yaxomoxay]

Hillary was a senator. She got there on her own.

yep, I am sure that the platform that her marriage gave her had nothing to do with it.

Michelle has no interest in politics.

Is that why she gave an important political speech at a very important political national event just two days ago? Sure. I give her that she’s a very intelligent woman.

 

[Renzatic]

honestly it looks like one of those pictures to advertise lawyers

That explains why I suddenly felt this pressing need to call someone up, and ask them questions about mesothelioma right after seeing that pic.

 

[JayMysteri0]

1) Jay, nice to see you! Welcome!
2) picture is a People’s picture, I wouldn’t expect a sucky picture from them.
3) honestly it looks like one of those pictures to advertise lawyers

True, that doesn't hold a candle to other pics

 

[yaxomoxay]

True, that doesn't hold a candle to other pics

ahhhhaha. Hey, it was a 1980’s pic with a roll camera, I guess at some event. Give some props to the photographer!

 

[lizkat]

If Kamala Harris as VP eventually becomes or is elected president, presumably we then have her husband Douglas Emhoff taking the title of First Gentleman and occupying offices in the White House as have done First Ladies in the past.

Or will it be different then? Would we just expect that Emhoff would take on a project that's potentially useful to the American public, or would we expect him to be more like current VP Mike Pence's spouse, just carry on in an already established career if desires to do so?

Sure a VP's spouse is not the same level of cachet as a president's spouse when it comes to public expectations, but are we saying we shouldn't even have those expectations of a president's spouse? Maybe that's only fair since it's not like she or he signed up for a job in a fishbowl, on top of having to live in one just as result of being married to a US President.

Still, the tradition seems pretty well established at this point. Every FLOTUS since the 1930s has had East Wing offices and a special focus or humanitarian cause, sometimes loosely linked to policy in the West Wing and sometimes more independent or neutral, e.g. Jacquie Kennedy's focus on the arts.

 

[Huntn]

If Kamala Harris as VP eventually becomes or is elected president, presumably we then have her husband Douglas Emhoff taking the title of First Gentleman and occupying offices in the White House as have done First Ladies in the past.

Or will it be different then? Would we just expect that Emhoff would take on a project that's potentially useful to the American public, or would we expect him to be more like current VP Mike Pence's spouse, just carry on in an already established career if desires to do so?

Sure a VP's spouse is not the same level of cachet as a president's spouse when it comes to public expectations, but are we saying we shouldn't even have those expectations of a president's spouse? Maybe that's only fair since it's not like she or he signed up for a job in a fishbowl, on top of having to live in one just as result of being married to a US President.

Still, the tradition seems pretty well established at this point. Every FLOTUS since the 1930s has had East Wing offices and a special focus or humanitarian cause, sometimes loosely linked to policy in the West Wing and sometimes more independent or neutral, e.g. Jacquie Kennedy's focus on the arts.

First we get Joe elected and see what happens. I’m good with either course, but it would be nice in Harris’s case if hubby showed up to support her as POTUS.

 

[lizkat]

Waiting to hear what yax has to say about that....

 

[yaxomoxay]

Waiting to hear what yax has to say about that....

not much. Spouses should either sacrifice their career (as many others in many professions do), or just be quiet. No need for an office or any media attention (while the spouse is in office of course. After the term they can do whatever they want).

 

[Huntn]

yep, I am sure that the platform that her marriage gave her had nothing to do with it.



Is that why she gave an important political speech at a very important political national event just two days ago? Sure. I give her that she’s a very intelligent woman.

The platform her marriage gave her offered exposure to display her abilities. Not every political spouse becomes a political force to be reckoned with as I try to picture Senator, Secretary of State Melania or Marla. Hillary was a social activist who wanted to make a difference her entire life. She was on that path before marrying Bill Clinton.

And I give the GOP credit for orchestrating their greatest character assassination plot to prevent her from becoming President. They put their heart and souls into it, for 20 years, ending up substituting a freaking monster in her place, someone they never wanted, yet they opted to sell their souls and become part of team Rump licking his boots has he stomps around DC and the world like a half assed Godzilla destroying everything he touches. And I predict the GOP will pay for their foolishness or heaven help us, we’ll deserve what we get.

 

[Huntn]

not much. Spouses should either sacrifice their career (as many others in many professions do), or just be quiet. No need for an office or any media attention (while the spouse is in office of course. After the term they can do whatever they want).

I disagree. All meaningful voices should be heard. No clue how you arrived at this conclusion.

 

[yaxomoxay]

The platform her marriage gave her offered exposure to display her abilities.

The platform is an official Office of the United States of America, with staff and resources paid for by taxpayers; and again, the office is obtainable only thru marriage to an elected official.

I am not pointing the fingers at Mrs Obama or Mrs Clinton for using it for their purposes, and I am not making political evaluations about the First Ladies. The Office should not exist; it’s a flaw in the system, not of Mrs Obama or Mrs Bush or Mrs Reagan.

 

[yaxomoxay]

I disagree. All meaningful voices should be heard. No clue how you arrived at this conclusion.

then don’t complain about Ivanka who got her Office (certainlylower profile than the FLOTUS) thru her being the daughter of the president.

and meaningful voices can certainly be heard. On their dime.

 

[Huntn]

then don’t complain about Ivanka who got her Office (certainlylower profile than the FLOTUS) thru her being the daughter of the president.

There is zero wrong with the spouse of the President acting as an auxiliary of the Presedency. I just think you have a grudge against a Hillary.

Ivanka is not a spouse, although Daddy fantasies about her functioning as one, nor, are other Trump family members who are there because Daddy has no other assets he can call upon whom he trusts not to spill his beans.

 

[yaxomoxay]

There is zero wrong with the spouse of the President acting as an auxiliary of the Presedency. I just think you have a grudge against a Hillary.

kinda insulting. No, I don’t hold a grudge against Hillary for that. She used the system, as others did, Melania included. And if you don’t see what’s wrong with a spouse obtaining an Office and resources, I can’t do anything about it.

Ivanka is not a spouse, although Daddy fantasies about her functioning as one, nor, are other Trump family members who are there because Daddy has no other assets he can call upon whom he trusts not to spill his beans.

what a bullshit answer, going for the insult while I am making an argument about Offices to relatives. Meh.