# Ivanka's new NON-position in the White House **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 21, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704 "2017-03-21T17:54:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/61 "2017-03-21T20:13:55Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Remember when Bill Clinton appointed a brilliant Harvard lawyer to take on health-care reform? _What_ a scandal. The definition of a\* succès fou.\* Without the _succès_. Poor old thing was never any good at following through. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/62 "2017-03-21T20:45:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > This country isn’t a corporation, and Presidents don’t get to pick their successors. Well, not yet. However, once Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell get on board with knocking that so-called “Constitution” law off the books we can get on with ruling the country with a tiny iron fist. “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” – _Henry VI, Part 2_ (4.2.2379) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/63 "2017-03-21T23:41:08Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > I am no fan of the whole Trump universe, to say the least, but I heard one take on this that comforts me - her presence stabilizes him (sort of like a comfort animal?) So, I am all for it. Well, maybe. But I still think we ruled out putting him into an induced coma too quickly. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/64 "2017-03-22T00:33:40Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > So maybe she’ll end up being the 21st century Edith Wilson, after Trump’s sundowning becomes a problem. This. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/65 "2017-03-22T03:05:23Z")
Czarcasm, > [@XT](#): > > This has nothing to do with the point that was under discussion. And since, at least afaict, Trump hasn’t attempted to make Ivanka his successor it doesn’t seem to have much bearing on the OP either. What point were you trying to make here? You asked about precedence, and that’s been answered, though I haven’t seen you acknowledge that. Presidents have in the past used various family members in adviser capacities so Trump seems on solid ground doing the same. Any acknowledgement? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/66 "2017-03-22T03:24:45Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Then previous posts should set your mind at ease on this, since several posters have mentioned at least 2 former presidents doing similar things with their sons. Unless your issue is that, purportedly Ivanka is a female (supposedly homo-sapiens)? Ah, but did those sons have secured phones _and_ computers? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/67 "2017-03-22T11:13:49Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Is there any precedent for this? Hilary Clinton during Bill’s Presidency? ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/68 "2017-03-22T16:29:55Z")
I thought the reason for giving Ivanka an office in the WH was self-evident – when Donnie wants a blow job he doesn’t want to have to wait for her to go all the way across town. OK, I admit it – I’m tired of going high all the time when they always insist on going low. So I’m going to take the Pub stance on this: I’ve heard that she’s fucking him from a lot of people. Many people. I’ve heard it bigly. I don’t know that it’s not true. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/69 "2017-03-22T17:09:23Z")
Conway: “Jake, there is nothing wrong with the love between a father and a daughter. It’s a beautiful thing, and it just reinforces the genetics that have made President Trump one of the most successful businessmen in the history of humanity. I don’t know we keep bringing up the vote. Mr. Trump swept the Electoral College by a larger margin of any candidate since Oliver Wendell Holmes.” Tapper: “Kellyanne, I don’t…you…Oliver Wendell Holmes was never elected to the presidency. He didn’t even run for elected office. He was an appointed Supreme Court justice!” Conway: “Jake, you can continue to try to delegitimize the president with this ‘false history’ narrative, but Neil Gorsuch is the most qualified nominee for the Supreme Court since Circeo.” Tapper: “We weren’t talking about Neil Gorsuch, Kellyanne! And Circeo was an orator in Rome nearly two thousand years before the Supreme Court even existed.” Conway: “Well, I don’t know what you’re upset about, Jake. Clearly Mr. Trump welcomes people of all nationalities and convictions as long as they aren’t infiltrating our great nation to blow up federal buildings in Oklahoma or rape and murder housewives in Chicago.” Tapper: “Are you referring to the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, and mass murderer Richard Speck? You realize that none of those people were immigrants, undocumented or otherwise, right?” Conway: “I don’t know anything about that, Jake, those are your words.” Tapper: “Fuck me sideways. I don’t even know what I’m doing here.” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/70 "2017-03-22T17:52:14Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Ah, but did those sons have secured phones _and_ computers? No, parents were stricter back then. They had to choose one of the other. If they wanted both they could get a job mowing lawns on the weekend and buy it themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/71 "2017-03-22T19:00:58Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > I thought the reason for giving Ivanka an office in the WH was self-evident – when Donnie wants a blow job he doesn’t want to have to wait for her to go all the way across town. > > OK, I admit it – I’m tired of going high all the time when they always insist on going low. So I’m going to take the Pub stance on this: > > I’ve heard that she’s fucking him from a lot of people. Many people. I’ve heard it bigly. > > I don’t know that it’s not true. I know you’re trying to mock Trump here. Still, ew. I’d prefer we leave this sort of thing to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/72 "2017-03-22T23:26:00Z")
Coincidentally, I came across another example today. When Rutherford Hayes was President, he used his son Webb as a White House assistant. I also found out that Hayes’ family and friends called him Rud. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/73 "2017-03-23T01:19:11Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Coincidentally, I came across another example today. When Rutherford Hayes was President, he used his son Webb as a White House assistant. > > I also found out that Hayes’ family and friends called him Rud. They shoulda called him “Happied”. Then they could celebrate his arrival. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/74 "2017-03-23T01:58:49Z")
Well, his _return,_ anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/75 "2017-03-23T03:29:17Z")
Stranger#69, Ya got that right! Crane ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/76 "2017-03-23T06:26:14Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > It may be similar to access granted to previous First Ladies. I’m not aware of any other precedent, although certainly open to learning of any. > > SO far as I can tell, it appears legal. I may have already been ninja’d, but I believe that a widowed President some time in the past had his daughter carry out hostessing duties of FLOTUS. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/77 "2017-03-23T06:28:32Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > Asking the obvious, but… what can she possibly advise him on? I doubt she knows any more than he does about any national interest topic or policy. Well, it’s difficult to conceive of her knowing any LESS… HEY-OHHHH! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/78 "2017-03-23T06:40:26Z")
> [@JcWoman](#): > > I find it ironic how all of the Trump supporters are cheering because he’s going to “run government like a business”, but I’ve personally never known a CEO who appointed family to VP positions as advisors… well, except for shitty little mom and pop businesses. Large corporations seem to know better. So now I’m wondering, are we going to run the country like Proctor&Gamble (picking a random large corporation) or like Joebob’s Appliance Repair? With your permission, I would like to recommend for your perusal the collected works of Jackie Collins, with particular emphasis on the character named Lucky Santangelo. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/79 "2017-03-23T06:50:27Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Conway: “Jake, there is nothing wrong with the love between a father and a daughter. It’s a beautiful thing, and it just reinforces the genetics that have made President Trump one of the most successful businessmen in the history of humanity. I don’t know we keep bringing up the vote. Mr. Trump swept the Electoral College by a larger margin of any candidate since Oliver Wendell Holmes.” > > Tapper: “Kellyanne, I don’t…you…Oliver Wendell Holmes was never elected to the presidency. He didn’t even run for elected office. He was an appointed Supreme Court justice!” > > Conway: “Jake, you can continue to try to delegitimize the president with this ‘false history’ narrative, but Neil Gorsuch is the most qualified nominee for the Supreme Court since Circeo.” > > Tapper: “We weren’t talking about Neil Gorsuch, Kellyanne! And Circeo was an orator in Rome nearly two thousand years before the Supreme Court even existed.” > > Conway: “Well, I don’t know what you’re upset about, Jake. Clearly Mr. Trump welcomes people of all nationalities and convictions as long as they aren’t infiltrating our great nation to blow up federal buildings in Oklahoma or rape and murder housewives in Chicago.” > > Tapper: “Are you referring to the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, and mass murderer Richard Speck? You realize that none of those people were immigrants, undocumented or otherwise, right?” > > Conway: “I don’t know anything about that, Jake, those are your words.” > > Tapper: “Fuck me sideways. I don’t even know what I’m doing here.” > > Stranger Hilarious, even if you did screw up the famous Roman rhetorician (_Cicero_. Circeo, IIRC, was the sixth Marx Brother). ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704/80 "2017-03-23T11:40:37Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I may have already been ninja’d, but I believe that a widowed President some time in the past had his daughter carry out hostessing duties of FLOTUS. Trump isn’t a widow. His wife just prefers to avoid him, for now. (I can’t say I blame her.) First Ladies generally have offices in the [East Wing](http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/east-wing/first-ladys-office.htm). Their duties involve coordinating the busy White House social calendar & each one usually picks a “project.” Not Ivanka. Of course, Hillary Clinton did far more (or tried)–at the time, the Republicans were miffed. This whole Ivanka caper is not my biggest problem with the Trump Regime. Just a tacky little sidebar. She does know something about fashion–I shudder to think how Daddy Trump would dress _without_ her influence… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ivankas-new-non-position-in-the-white-house/782704.md?page=5)