What are Momma and Poppa Clinton grooming Chelsea for?

Great Debates
1

The gratuitous mentions of his daughter in last night’s speech made me aware of a trend I’ve been noticing: Chelsea is being positioned towards some end. But I can’t quite figure out what they’re up to. If she makes enough vacuous appearances at conventions and the like, introducing her mother (“Ladies and gentlemen, here’s my mother, Hillary Clinton!”) will she acquire the gravitas to run for Congress or something?

I admit, I’m a Hillary-hater from way back, but probably it solidified when she ran for the Senate without serving in any prior position more exalted than First Lady and corporate lawyer. (I find it ironic that she’s complaining that Obama should have waited his turn, acquired more experience, etc.–like there weren’t plenty of office-seekers more deserving of a Senate run than she in 2000.) So the success of that plan to sidestep the normal resume-building proces has emboldened the Clintons to try it again–but they wont let Chelsea get down and dirty in politics either. Frankly, I thought it was ludicrous to protect her on the basis that she’s still a child–what is she, 25 by now?

Do you think they’re grooming her for a political career, or simply letting her bask in their light for no real purpose? Does anyone have another explanation for this “Hillary and I and Chelsea feel strongly…” stuff?

2

This C. Clinton website has a McCain ad running when I clicked on it! Ha! http://www.chelseaclinton.org/

I do not know if Chelsea is associated with this website, or not. I was googling to see if she had publicly mentioned her aspirations.

“The Actress Chelsea Clinton”?.. hmmm. me smells a rat.

3

I don’t have any sense that Chelsea’s being groomed for anything. She intends to go into either business or medicine, last I heard, and from what I’ve read she has little or no interest in politics except inasmuch as she can help her parents. Anything’s possible, and she might yet change her mind, but I’d be very surprised if she ever ran for public office herself.

For all their many faults, though, I’d say Bill and Hillary raised a fine young woman.

4

I don’t know, but I am officially the first person to post something on their message board!

Maybe a bunch of us could join. It’s like discovering and populating our own deserted island!

5

I dunno doesn’t Chlesea work for a Hedge Fund in NYC? I thought she was solidly business oriented…I think she’s just supporting mom and dad because mom and dad can’t have anything negative in their public lives so she is behaving wonderfully. Or then again, it could simply be that she loves her mom and dad and *wants * to support them. She’s also being paid handsomely I’m sure…as she left her job for the primary campaign did she not?

6

Do you agree that most candidates don’t trot their grown kids in front of crowds to introduce them? Have you ever heard W. for example, saying, “I endorse [political hack X] and so does Laura and my twin girls, Barbara and Jenna, let’s give them all a great big hand…” I mean, we know he has a family, and a dog and cat and a goldfish, and he doesn’t need to be hauling all their asses on stage every time he does anything political, does he? He would, tho, if he were trying to get some exposure for his goldfish, for some peculiar reason…

7

I don’t know about that. Joe Biden was introduced by his son at a rally the other day. John Kerry’s daughters were invovled at the DNC in 2004. The list probably goes much farther on.

8

There are several reasons for using her.

First, women voters (statistically) lap this stuff up.

Second, HRC ran on a platform that implicitly relied on the notion that women and girls were under attack. Showing Chelsea supporting her mother feeds into this us-against-them theme.

Third, showing kids of candidates is often a way to pander to the elusive “youth vote.”

Fourth, the Clintons’ hubristic brand of dynastic politics fits right in with showcasing the royal heir. Remember, we are (or the true believers are) encouraged to think of the Clintons as the chosen saviors of their nation. Wouldn’t you too be fascinated by every aspect of their family life (you saw this with the Kennedy kids too, not coincidentially)?

Yes, of course they are grooming Chelsea for a variety of possible things (there have been just too many orchestrated media appearances, airbrushed magazine covers, etc.).

I doubt very much she’ll go to med school. Takes a long time, hard, unglamorous, very difficult to morph into a public persona.

She is working or was for a somewhat iffy (iffy in terms of whether it’s a real player in the financial markets or a vanity project) hedge fund run by a big Clinton donor. It’s safe to assume her job description involves little exposure to the details of high finance. In fact I think her job description was “be Bill and Hillary’s daughter.” Her annual reviews in that capacity are uniformly excellent.

Making a boatload of money floating through the business world (especially when your name can get you entrees anywhere you want) is not in any way inconsistent with ultimately shifting over into politics; it’s a revolving door.

My prediction: If HRC remains politically ambitious/runs again, Chelsea repeats her role of this election. If not, Chelsea joins/founds a nonprofit. My guesses: an educational foundation aimed at getting young women more involved in the political proces; or a charity dedicated to helping girls and women facing sexism and poverty in Africa.

From there, maybe a run for a House seat.

9

There was also Al Gore’s daughter Kareena:

10

She’s been heavily involved in the 08 campaign, so it makes sense for her to appear at the convention. If your spouse and adult daughter were sitting together while you made a speech, wouldn’t you mention both of them?

11

I think they’re taking a page from ancient Rome. Obama is going to divorce Michelle, marry Chelsea, and their first son is going to be offered the first King of Puerto Rico and Guam. Their grandsons will be full blown emperors (or sultans).

12

I thought I heard that she took a formal leave from her regular job to do this and has every intention of going back after November.

13

My guess is that their handlers have advised them to do whatever they can to seem like a wholesome, loving family. It kind of humanizes them and reminds you that they may not have the best marriage, but they are a family & have a really great kid.

14

Not for every occasion, no, but I recall the Bush twins were present – and made a speech – at the 2004 RNC.

15

For a nickle, tell me Biden’s son’s name. Or Kerry’s daughters’.

No Googling.

16

Everytime I have heard her asked (once) about her political asperations she has said she has none. I get the feeling that there is a slight possibility that she might, but she would just as soon have a real life.

17

Beau* and Hunter Biden. Do I get a dime.

Kerry? That was so four years ago. Uh, Terry and Sherry?

*Actually Joseph, but answers to Beau.

18

I have Beau Biden’s Wikipedia entry open right now, and I was just reading Joe Biden’s entry a minute ago, so that’d be cheating. The Kerry daughters are Vanessa and Alexandra.

Is that nickel each, or a nickel per Kerry spawn?

19

Well, that’s not quite fair…Chelsea Clinton DID live in the White House for 8 years.

20

Naturally. And she will keep repeating that line, I suspect, until Chuck Schumer drops dead, or her mother is confirmed on the Supreme Court.

Where should I mail the nickels?