# Why don't tabloids follow president's children more often? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 12, 2004, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593 "2004-04-12T12:51:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/1 "2004-04-12T12:51:32Z")
It seems like Chelsea Clinton got a lot of press, but I didn’t even know that George Bush had a son (who is a tool btw). The press reported about the drinking exploits of the Bush daughters but coverage died relatively soon and I wouldn’t even recognize a Bush daughter if she walked right past me. I would think that the President’s kids would be minor celebrities. Does the White House make some sort of quid pro quo deal with the press for staying away from the kids? Why did Chelsea get more press than Bush’s kids? ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/2 "2004-04-12T13:07:14Z")
I don’t recall Chelsea getting that much press, except for a few updates as she passed milestones. That, and “damn, is she ever ugly”, which came mostly from Rush and other like-minded folks, not the “press” per se. The Bushes likewise, didn’t rate paparazzi until they actually broke the law. I think it’s a combination of teh fact that presidentially families aren’t rock stars, and thus seldom make for interesting stories, and the fact that they have the best bodyguards of any celebrity possible. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/3 "2004-04-12T14:26:04Z")
I think there’s a bit of quid pro quo going on, but mostly it’s probably just a matter of what their audience wants. For the paparazzi type photographers, their main clients are the tabloids and the celebrity mags. Those mags want pictures of celebrities, not political kids. I suppose if the presidential kids were involved in a real juicy story in some way, they would be targeted more, but boring shots of them walking to class or something don’t sell issues. Then again, they do have pretty good security too. I don’t any stalkerazzi photographer could get close enough to get embarrassing photos. If they did, I imagine their life might get a bit more difficult too. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/4 "2004-04-12T14:41:49Z")
There’s also an unspoken agreement that since politician’s kids didn’t ask to be in the spotlight, they shouldn’t be pushed into it. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/5 "2004-04-12T17:14:29Z")
Also, the Kennedy kids tend to get a lot of press. And the Reagan’s offspring appeared in the limelight from time to time. I think with many presidents, their children are adults by the time their father becomes president. Of course, there HAVE been exceptions-in history, some White House kids have been famous or well-known for whatever reason. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/6 "2004-04-12T17:42:34Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > It seems like Chelsea Clinton got a lot of press, but I didn’t even know that George Bush had a son (who is a tool btw). The current President Bush (2001-2005) only has two daughters (twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna), according to the [official White House bio](http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html). Perhaps you may be referring to the _former_ President Bush (1989-1993) who had six kids (George, Robin (who died as a child), John (known as Jeb), Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy), according to his [official White House bio](http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gb41.html). ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/7 "2004-04-12T20:45:01Z")
Oh you’re right. Billy Bush is George W’s cousin. He is an enormous fricking tool though. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/8 "2004-04-12T21:27:55Z")
In the case of the Bush daughters, it’s probably because the press can’t keep up with them. Or they get drunk under the table. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/9 "2004-04-12T22:58:04Z")
I think the Bush daughters are now 21, so their drinking is much less of a story than when they were under the legal age and got caught drinking. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/10 "2004-04-13T00:52:17Z")
Well, here’s a whole [slideshow](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040411/ids_photos_ts/r3596483463.jpg) of the girls taken just yesterday, so they’re not exactly hiding in a cave. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/11 "2004-04-13T13:09:07Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Well, here’s a whole [slideshow](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040411/ids_photos_ts/r3596483463.jpg) of the girls taken just yesterday, so they’re not exactly hiding in a cave. Am I the only one who thinks Jenna is excruciatingly hot? Anyone, anyone??? [crickets chirping] ---
**Author:** ![Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Planet_of_the_Shapes)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/12 "2004-04-13T13:35:12Z")
I’ve heard that Tony Blair has an agreement with the UK media that they would leave his children alone, as long as he didn’t use them for political/PR purposes. Maybe the President has a similar agreement? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2004, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-tabloids-follow-presidents-children-more-often/239593/13 "2004-04-13T14:37:46Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Am I the only one who thinks Jenna is excruciatingly hot? > > Anyone, anyone??? > > [crickets chirping] Oh holy God, yes! Btw, Chelsea was no slouch either- just needed to grow into her features (much as her Mom, with whom I totally differ politically but whom I still consider quite Milfy).