"No more dynasties"--for women, that is

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

30. No one is saying that Chelsea Clinton is unfit to serve because she was

raised in a wealthy family.

People have expressed concern that she should automatically be considered a viable candidate simply because she grew up in a political family. Especially as she has never once expressed any interest in running for elective office.

I almost hate to mention the Obama women (Michelle, Sasha, and Malia) since this may be interpreted as sexism, but again, I've seen people here gush over the possibility of any of them running for office, simply because they are the wife and daughters of a President. Michelle has made it crystal clear she has no interested in running. If either Sasha or Malia does move in that direction in the near future, by majoring in political science or going to law school for instance, and then actually running for office or taking up community organization, I'll be the first to congratulate them.

The second and third generation Kennedys who've gone into politics, did it at the beginning of their adult lives. They didn't just go off and do other things for several decades and then decided to run for office. Also, that family has notoriously discouraged its women from accomplishing much on their own, so Kathleen Kennedy Townsend is a notable exception in that she became Lt Governor of Maryland.

And people have complained bitterly about the Kennedy and Bush dynasties. The latter consists exclusively of male members. So your complaint that somehow sexism is the main thing at work here doesn't hold water. At least not for me.