* was Annoyed by 4 Year Old Jack Robert's Dancing

[RamboLiberal]

(Their 4-year-old son, Jack, energetically danced at his father's televised nomination announcement, upstaging and mildly annoying President Bush, says a White House aide.)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8683401/site/newsweek/page/6/

Probably why the WH aides hustled him out. I bet they knew the boss was fuming.

Like the twins turned out to be perfect kids. Jack is cute in my book.

[hippiechick]

1. Chmpy was mad cause he couldn't wear his saddle shoes, too ...

:P

[kliljedahl]

5. He could wear them

If he could've found someone to tie them for him.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

49. Chimpy was mad because he couldn't dry hump him.

Have i gone too far? :shrug:

[coloradodem2005]

2. Bush can't compete with a 4 year old.

His maturity level is that of a 4-year-old.

[Imagevision]

92. you guyz are commenting on a 4 year old?? Stick with Rove & DSM

ok? do us all a favor! DEms look pretty stupid allowing a the antics of a kid to prompt Du'ers to actually respond? - sounds like some need a break from the puter!!

[Skittles]

100. it's not the kid

bush was annoyed and upstaged by the kid, that is the subject

[anarch]

153. perhaps post #92 above is referring to the chimperor?

Yes, we should leave the mental 4-year-old out of the discussion, and focus on those who pull the strings....

[Miss Chybil]

146. Hey, I think we can discuss what we want to discuss.

The kid was cute. Bush wasn't. BFD. You need a break. We really can focus on more than two things at once. A little comic relief is always welcome. Keeps a person sane, you know?

Watch this....

DSM blah, blah, blah....

Rove blah, blah, blah...

London terror blah, blah, blah...

Gonzales gave heads up, blah, blah, blah...

Roberts nominated for Supreme Court blah, blah, blah...

Roberts nominated early to take focus off Rove, blah, blah, blah...

Roberts kid danced a jig at the nomination ceremony, blah, blah, blah...

Suicide bombings in Iraq, blah, blah, blah...

Giant cloud of dust coming, blah, blah, blah...

London police kill innocent man, blah, blah, blah...

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!

See, I can run a few thoughts through my mind simultaneously. It's really not a problem. We aren't the RNC, you know. We really are allowed to converse OUTSIDE the Talking Points.

[LisaL]

3. I recall a few DUers being annoyed with that as well.

I wonder how they feel now, knowing they have something in common with Bush?
:silly:

[Maple]

15. Same way as I did before

The kid was badly behaved, and it was his parent's fault, not his.

[Jo March]

24. It was very late when they made the announcement - past his bedtime

When that annoucement was made, my kids (6 and 3) were in bed and had been in bed for quite a while.

The parents ARE to blame because those kids were just trotted out for the "family values" factor. I'm sure the little guy was over stimulated and over-tired. He did behave badly but I'm not going to say that he probably acts like that all of the time.

The Roberts are jerks to allow their kids to be used as props.

[DemBones DemBones]

36. You've never kept your kids up late for a special event?

I think this qualified as a special event for the Roberts family and the kid was cute. He acted like a kid up too late at a special event. At least he didn't start screaming.

[ailsagirl]

89. I wish he had... that would really have infuriated chimpo LOL

:rofl:

[XemaSab]

137. I could see the chimp

begin screaming in sympathy...

[ailsagirl]

144. Or kicking the crap out of the kid... chimp is a sadist. IMO.

[XemaSab]

151. true

Chimps have big teeth and they're not afraid to use them on other chimps.... or humans.

[Jo March]

140. Of course I've kept them up past their bedtimes

Read what I wrote. Even when I keep them up past their bedtime, it is still MY fault as to how they behave.

Sorry but those kids did not need to be there. The wife - yes. I can see that. The kids - no. They should have been home in bed while a babysitter watched them instead of on that stage.

[ailsagirl]

145. DemBones... great user name!! :=)

:)

[DemBones DemBones]

147. Thanks!

;-)

[FreedomAngel82]

95. Or maybe

they couldn't find a babysitter? :shrug:

[Jo March]

141. Yeah. I know how difficult it is to find a babysitter

Especially at the last minute. I'm still saying that - KNOWING THIS ADMINISTRATION AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH IT - they had those kids up there as props.

[LisaL]

26. Oh dear lord. How easy it is to declare how other people's

children should behave. The boy is four years old. I suppose when they get older, and don't behave, one might say parents didn't raise them right.
But at 4 years old is a bit early to pass judgment on how they are being raised.

[BrklynLiberal]

29. He is only 4 years old. He's a baby. He should not have even been there.

[Maple]

33. 4 is not a baby

and he should know how to behave in public by now

[DemBones DemBones]

41. Like an adult, you mean?

I've seen adults behave much worse, for that matter. The boy danced around, he's 4 years old, who cares?

[Maple]

44. No, like a child, not a monkey

And adults who behave badly were raised badly...like this child

[LisaL]

51. Oh give it up. He is four. Not forty. You expect a four year old

to behave like a little adult. Well, I don't.
He is a kid. He is behaving like a little kid.
It doesn't mean he will grow up a serial killer.

[Maple]

56. Yes, he's 4

and should have better manners.

[LisaL]

58. I think he got perfect manners for a four year old.

Dancing to annoy Bush? Now, that is one smart kid. He should have been running and screaming very loudly.
Would have made it all even better.

[Maple]

60. That's your problem

and you shouldn't let your dislike of Bush determine your thinking on everything.

[LisaL]

61. I don't have a problem, but it seems like you do.

[Maple]

64. No, I raised mine properly

[Name removed]

88. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[redwitch]

136. for goodness sake

he's 4.

[DemBones DemBones]

84. He wasn't acting like a monkey, he was

acting like a child, and there's no evidence that he's being raised badly. If your kids never misbehaved in public, you were lucky enough never to have faced what Mrs. Roberts did the other night.

It's been my observation that most kids misbehave at times and that most mature into decent, well-behaved adults, even if they were not so well-behaved as children. Mine rarely misbahaved, and turned out very well, but I always knew that some children are inherently more difficult to raise, more willful, more stubborn, and that I was lucky not to have one of those difficult children.

Luck plays a large role in success in child-rearing and a larger role in success in marriage, I believe. I say that as someone who's been successful at both but realizes that bad luck could have caused failure in either. We all like to think we're self-reliant and self-made, but then we were all lucky enough to be born in affluent societies, weren't we? If our marriages are successful, we're lucky to have chosen someone who remained stable and faithful, lucky to have been able to have a decent level of income, lucky not to have lost a child (a major cause of divorce.) The same factors, influenced by luck as much as by effort, are present in our rearing of children.

[FreedomAngel82]

98. Oh please

Mrs. Roberts should've took the boys hand and held it and maybe even bribed him with a little treat (like his favorite ice cream or something). As I mentioned in another post my DEAF AUNT AND UNCLE can take better care of their VERY hyper four year old. :eyes: I noticed when Georgie started to get an annoyed face is when they were escorted out.

[fujiyama]

85. That's the dumbest thing I've heard

Four year olds generally do NOT know how to behave in public. He was badly behaved because he was dancing around?

[Skittles]

102. I disagree

I know there are others like my brothers and me who never dared to misbehave in public because we knew our dad would come down very hard on us

[BrklynLiberal]

135. Four year olds are still babies....

It was totally unfair to put him in that situation and expect him to behave like an adult..

Four is not an easy age for children. They are considerably more powerful than at the age of three; language is developing very rapidly; time sense is increasing; and they can identify with a larger social group. They are self-sufficient in many of their personal needs. This leads many adults to think they can perform on a high level at all times. When they retreat temporarily to needing help, or when they are suddenly defiant, it may be that they are exhibiting a persistent need to experiment and test others. At four they have not learned all they need to know about the ways of their own world, or about other children or adults. Consequently, they still require acceptance of feelings and help with limits, just as they did at age three, but always with due recognition of their increased growth.

http://members.tripod.com/~Patricia_F/prek.html

Four seems big but the child is still a baby when stressed or tired.
http://www.elainegibson.net/parenting/development.html#Four

[havocmom]

139. Four year olds are about a year away from school. They better have some

understanding of how to behave by four or mom and dad best not send them to school at five. A kindergarten teacher can not play catch up for a kid who hasn't been taught how to behave in public when there are 15-35 other kids to keep an eye on and try to teach.

It's a big disservice to children to underestimate what they are capable of learning very early. It's a big disservice to not teach them things every single day. Part of respect for children is to also respect their intellect enough to feed it.

A four year old should be able to behave in most circumstances. That being said, the grown ups are responsible for knowing the limits of the children's physical endurance. They get tired and then there will be trouble.

Sounds like the kid needed some personal attention (might have been lost in all the excitment) and sleep.

[FreedomAngel82]

96. I agree

My cousin is four and he gets a light spanking on his butt when he doesn't behave and his parents are DEAF. So if they can make their son behave surely these folks can. And it is at a very important event. The mother didn't even bother trying to pull him over and stop him until after a few minutes. If that was me doing that I wouldn't have even been able to try.

[cmd]

70. I was annoyed at mom's behavior

To stand and do nothing was inappropriate. A hand on the child's shoulder steering him back to her side would be appropriate. A four year old needs direction; help him out, mom.

[Maple]

72. Agreed

[Zorbuddha]

74. Really, she froze in the clutch

Grace under pressure is not her long suit.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

38. Exactly the same way...

that his mother should have pulled Little Lord Fauntleroy firmly by the hand to her side and maybe whispered a little something in his ear (like "simmer down"). There's a time and place for that sort of behavior -- during the announcement of a Supreme Court nominee is not it.

[deadparrot]

4. God forbid people fawn over someone besides himself. nt

[CJCRANE]

6. A little ride outside

on his bike would've calmed him down.

(And I don't mean the four year old).

[seabeyond]

7. he gets annoyed by a lot of things

sign of arrogance.

peoples dress
cell phones

there are other particulars. if anyone does anything to take his lime light away, he is annoyed

oh oh bet he was annoyed, clinton walked thru the door of HIS library first. lol lol

asshole bush. that is the funniest picture of all bush squeezing by clinton to be the first one out. shows what an ass he his. and clinton stay squarely forward, making bush look more the ass

[RamboLiberal]

9. I missed that Clinton/Bush photo - anyone have it?

eom

[pacalo]

11. Here's that picture...

[RamboLiberal]

13. That is funny - * Does look like the petulant brat!

He is so arrogant and full of hubris!

[pacalo]

16. "Me first! Me first!"

Clinton's dedication ceremony for his new library & the brat's got to be out the door first where the cameras are waiting.

[RamboLiberal]

19. I don't think it was about the cameras

the brat just had to show Clinton who's "The President" now and that Clinton was not obeying the protocol! God forbid the protocol is broken.

[pacalo]

23. Right on.

But I like the fact the cameras were there to record the brat's immature solution to the broken protocol.

[meppie-meppie not]

152. look at the face of the Asian chap...priceless!

[seabeyond]

14. i love that picture. even more, look at the background people

guy in overcoat just watching, two other faces, they see, and daddy, i can hear him say, oh george. lol

ya this is a favorite. thanks. shows exactly what he is about

[pacalo]

21. I like the expression on the man holding the door.

[FreedomAngel82]

99. Oh yes a total jackass

Bush is so spoiled. :mad: It's CLINTON'S event dumbass.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

122. I was there and noticed this even from WAAAY back in the stands.

Obviously, Shrub was maneuvering to make it look like he (not Bill) was the object of the cheers. What a jerk!

[Bluerthanblue]

94. it's his narcicisim- and his socopathic personality

remember, the world revolves around him- and anyone who doesn't 'bow' to him is shit.

[Stirk]

8. Hell, *I* was annoyed.

That kid had no manners.

[LisaL]

10. Maybe we should arrest and in-prison the kid now, before it's

too late.
:eyes:

[Stirk]

52. Yeah, because expecting a kid to behave for five minutes is obviously

the same as saying he should be fucking jailed.

Give me a break.

[hippiechick]

That was probably the first time in months

... he wasn't Ritalined into a near-coma so his parents didn't have to 'deal' with him.

God forbid, a 4 year old boy actually acts like a 4 year old boy ? How shameful !! :eyes:

[Stirk]

53. Yes, you're right- it's silly to expect any standards of behavior.

[hippiechick]

75. Ohferchrissakes

:eyes:

[FreedomAngel82]

104. Not at an event like that

My little five year old second cousin gets told not to run around my grandmother's house and jumping off the stares and things like that. Of course she has these plates and various decoration stuff around that could break. But please, these people obviously don't raise the boy. I betcha they have a nanny.

[hippiechick]

12. double post self delete

oops :blush:

[Zorbuddha]

18. If he'd stood at rigid attention I'd wonder even more about Roberts

This shows he isn't heavy-handed with his kids. Which means he might have better parenting skills, but isn't an outright bastard. A good sign.

The kid was a pain but funny, he is going to be handful his entire life.

[Gormy Cuss]

76. Thanks, Zorbuddha

The boy was acting like any overtired, overstimulated 4 year-old would. The very best trained children can have a meltdown. I agree with the up poster who said the problem was more that his mother stood there woodenly rather than try to rein him in or remove him, but she may have done so because she's aware that her boy would have caused an even bigger disturbance had she tried to stop the little dance. It's awfully hard to judge parenting skills from a brief public appearance.

That Bush was perturbed is no surprise. There is ample evidence that with his narcissistic personality he doesn't like to share the spotlight.

[DemBones DemBones]

78. Better a dance than a tantrum,

I agree, and an adult vs. a child who's pushing the limits in public is going to look bad whatever s/he does. If she'd grabbed him up and smacked his bottom, DUers would be screaming "child abuse."

I thought Jack did stop and go back to his mother at one point, but I wasn't really trying to judge her parenting skills, being more worried about the fate of the US and the world.

[fujiyama]

91. My question is

why the hell are DUers so obsessed with Roberts' wife and kids? I'd rather focus on his legal philosophy and his opinions on civil rights, the environment, choice, and worker/labor rights.

Who gives a shit if the little guy wears saddle shoes and goofy 50s era clothing? And really, I think the idea of Bush getting annoyed by a four year old shows how narsissistic he is - as though Bush is the paragon of parenting. His kids have turned out to be real brats.

[MADem]

114. Well, the wife is a FEMINISTS FOR LIFE board member

The family is Catholic, and the kids are adopted.

I guess it is easy to preach when your reproductive organs don't function, so you never have to worry about an unintended pregnancy.

Carville and Matalin aside, the prevailing trend in politics (Dick and Lynne, e.g.) is that one spouse gives a good clue as to the political leanings of the other.

[Gormy Cuss]

116. Well yes, there is something unseemly about the obsession with attire

(classic '50s WASP) and young adopted kids (implying nothing, IMHO) but the kid meltdown was very cute and unscripted, and the fact that Newsweek chose to mention Bush's annoyance is why it's worth comment. The comment is not about the Roberts, it's about Bush and it casts him in an unflattering light. That is the significance.

The way Bush's daughters turned out is also irrelevant.

[FreedomAngel82]

106. Cause a bigger event??

What are you getting that from? She could've just gently took his hand and pulled him over and whispered something in his ear or just pulled him over instead of dancing around like that. Sometimes my parents let me stay home with a babysitter and/or they could've let the kids go outside and run around and play around and introduced them later.

[ribrepin]

129. Zorbuddha-good take on the situation

Maybe the kid thought he should dance for the cameras-who knows? It was probably past his bedtime.

Young Jack will, indeed, be a handful his entire life. I remember stories of Prince William as a preschooler. They called him the basher.

[Dervill Crow]

17. For any 4-year-old, manners are pretty on-again, off-again.

Anyone who thinks otherwise either has no kids or has their kids drugged up on Ritalin.

[RamboLiberal]

22. Exactly - being dressed up, bored silly, up past your bed time

is tough when you're 4. Probably smart to let him dance a little - the alternative might have been a temper tantrum.

Hell, * was probably extra annoyed cause he was up past his bed time!

[DemBones DemBones]

27. Absolutely right! And young Jack had his mother in

a sticky situation. Her choices were to allow him to continue dancing around and be accused of being too permissive or jerk him back in line, which would have everybody at DU screaming "child abuse" at her. Parenthood is so much fun!

Jack's a 4 year-old; cut him some slack.

And I'd like to see videos of Dubya at a similar occasion at that age. I'm guessing screaming alternating with dancing.

[knitter4democracy]

34. Thank you!

I felt bad for his mom, having been in similar situations before. My husband's med school graduation with a one year old, and his residency graduation (at nap time, no less) with a four year old and a two year old, neither of whom could understand why they couldn't sit with Daddy when they could see him.

I felt bad he had to wear that outfit. It didn't look all that comfortable.

[DemBones DemBones]

77. My mother would say that

any mother who says she never had a moment like Jack's mother did the other night is lying.


That may be a bit harsh but my mom had no patience with "perfect" people. And I guess I'm a bit like her because I'm just not into judging Jack or his parents for his little dance. Each kid is different and every parent makes some mistakes.

The Roberts's biggest mistake was thinking their kids would be perfectly still and silent during the press conference. But they probably had good reason to think that; the kids probably are well-behaved most of the time. Maybe Bush** asked that the children be there, too. I wouldn't be surprised if he and Karl Rove wanted to use them as props.


How about we all criticize Jack's dad for his judicial mistakes and leave his family alone? Jack isn't the one who'll be sitting on the bench at SCOTUS for decades.

[knitter4democracy]

97. Amen!!!

Your mom is one smart mama!

I don't really like the whole "get the kids in the photo for the symbolism" thing, and I felt sorry for the little guy who was obviously bored and over-tired.

[Name removed]

109. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[oioioi]

73. Kids disrespecting parents - tsk tsk (story on * at age 26)...

...for the 1972 Christmas holiday, the Allisons met up with the Bushes on vacation in Hobe Sound, Fla. Tension was still evident between Bush and his parents. Linda was a passenger in a car driven by Barbara Bush as they headed to lunch at the local beach club. Bush, who was 26 years old, got on a bicycle and rode in front of the car in a slow, serpentine manner, forcing his mother to crawl along. "He rode so slowly that he kept having to put his foot down to get his balance, and he kept in a weaving pattern so we couldn't get past," Allison recalled. "He was obviously furious with his mother about something, and she was furious at him, too."

http://www.w3ar.com/a.php?k=878

[FreedomAngel82]

108. Jerk him back?

LOL. Oh brother. You lightly take the kids hand and whisper something in his ear to calm down or whatever or if that was me and my father he would've given us a scolding before the event and told us we would've gotten a whoppin if we misbehaved. :eyes: And the boy bit his mother for goodness sakes. What did she do about that? :eyes: And if these people are going to be trying to tell ME when I can have a family then you better damn well bet I'm going to observe them.

[Maple]

30. Sorry, no

I raised two...drug free...and they knew how to behave in public.

You do your children a disservice if you expect and condone poor behavior...and particularly little boys.

Accord them the same respect as you do little girls...if you expect children, especially boys, to behave like monkeys, that's what you'll get.

And by 16 you'll wonder what the hell happened.

[DemBones DemBones]

43. And your children NEVER ONCE acted up in public?

Excuse me if I find that hard to believe.

[Maple]

45. No, they didn't

and I'm not concerned with what you believe.

[LisaL]

66. Well, good for you.

The rest of us should only be so lucky. We are not raising little robots here.

[Maple]

69. I wasn't raising

either monkeys OR robots...I raised human beings.

[LisaL]

46. When I was a child, I used to trow temper tantrums in public.

I assure you, I grew out of that habit and didn't become a hardened criminal.
And nobody wondered what the hell happened to me when I turned 16.
I was very well behaved by that age.

[Name removed]

48. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LisaL]

55. What are you talking about?

It didn't take long at all. I grew out of it by age 7 or so.
I was what you would call a teacher's pet by the time I got to school, never misbehaving.

[Maple]

57. Well most people

have a faster learning curve.

[LisaL]

59. Better late then never, don't you think?

The way he behaves at 4 years old at no way indicates how he will behave once he grows up.

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[saigon68]

150. Adios

[Dervill Crow]

117. I have been complimented MANY times on my kids' behavior, and I raised 4.

I never expected them to behave like "little adults," though, and they knew what their expectations were. Proper rest, nutrition, not putting them into impossible situations, and the occasional bribe played a big part in their education. It looks like this little guy was in an impossible situation. Any of my kids behaving that way would have been escorted out for a private talking to. Somehow I don't think that would have been appropriate in this instance.

[Stirk]

62. *self-delete*

[Kadie]

79. Yep.

That kid was just being a kid.

[ConfuZed]

31. Send him to Abu Garib 2.0!

So he can be raped by our soliders like the poor iraqi kids that was held there :sarcasm: :puke:

[Stirk]

50. Jesus Christ- saying a kid needs manners is advocating

Abu Ghraib? What the fuck?

[jmm]

20. Nobody can convince me his family wasn't part of the reason

he was nominated. They couldn't have tried any harder to recreate Camelot. Bush wanted somebody who shared his beliefs yet could appear endearing to the public and difficult to attack. He found it with John Roberts a man with a young family who is photogenic compared to most other Justices and doesn't have a long history of rulings as a judge.

Bush was probably just jealous because Jack was behaving better that his daughter tend to on camera.

[RamboLiberal]

32. I think that's a lesson they learned last July when Edwards was picked

You know they were envying the "perfect family" Edwards photos. It was no surprise as well that he would nominate a relatively young white man that would influence the court for probably the next 30+ years.

[Tommymac]

25. How immature.

Bet Georgie don't share his legos with Jack in the Oval office any more.

[BrklynLiberal]

28. What does it tell you that * was annoyed by a 4-year-old dancing?

What a complete and total asshole. He still has the emotional maturity of a three-year old himself. THAT is what is supposed to be the leader of the free world?! :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

35. Bush doesn't want anyone upstaging his own tap dancing career

He's been tap dancing around every issue since the beginning of his Presidency.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

125. LOL

Good zinger

[Taylor Mason Powell]

47. What does it tell us that a few DUers were annoyed by it?

Answer: that being a "complete and total asshole" and lacking emotional maturity is sadly not confined to *.

I mean, how much of a coldhearted jerk to you have to be to let your blind partisanship create an issue out of a four-year-old dancing? The people complaining about this ("It's the parents!") sound a lot like humorless right-wingers. Let's leave the bullshit knee-jerk condemnation to the other side - they're so much better at it!

I suspect the reason some people are making such an issue out of this is that they're frustrated that there's no way to prevent Roberts from being confirmed.

[Maple]

54. Nothing to do with Bush or Roberts

The child has no manners...and it doesn't matter whose child it is, or who the president is.

[LisaL]

65. So, if it was Edward's child, you would still be mumbling the

same thing? Or perhaps your judgment is clouded by who his father is?

[Maple]

67. I wouldn't be 'mumbling' at all

I'd be saying the same thing as I am now, out loud.

I'm Canadian, so I don't care who is on your supreme court.

I'm speaking as a parent, not a voter.

[jbnow]

82. No manners?

I'd agree if he was being loud, bumping into people or whining. But silent movement? How would he even know that was "wrong"? How many situations has a 4 year old been in that requires standing still silently?

[Bluerthanblue]

90. You have absolutely NO right

to judge whether that child has 'NO manners' based on what tiny a glimpse you got of a 4 year old child, who you have never met in person, and comparing him to your children who have never had to stand in a room filled with secret service, reporters, and flashbulbs, going off right left and center-

If you so shallow as to say "the child has no manners" based on your 'knowledge of him' and then pat yourself on the back saying "MY children never did that, because "i" was a good mother" i'd be interested in hearing from your children-

As someone above said- judge the Judge, not the child- and CERTIANLY not on the basis of one single viewing of him- i have a son, who can 'sense' the tension in a room and would sometimes respond to it in a similar way- NEVER would he have been able to stand like the 'cardboard cut out family" that you describe- and neither would i have asked that of him- it's called SENSORY OVERLOAD- many people have it- we just find different ways to 'cope' with it- and at 4, this little guy was doing what he had to, to get through the moment-

Forgive me, but from your responses, and judgements about this child, you need to loosen up- and stop looking for the 'Ozzie and Harried' perfect family-

i do NOT like what i have learned about Roberts OR his wife, but the child, was being exactly what he is supposed to be- full of life, childish, and exhuberant-

We spend most of our lives as 'DEAD ADULTS' let the innocence be, he'll wear masks like the rest of the world soon enough-

i think the people who bitch about him are just jealous of his uninhibited joy, while being in the presence of great hypocricy, pomp and useless falldee roll.- we wish we weren't jaded, and complicent-

[wtmusic]

110. Bravo!

"Like a little monkey". Keerist. If my son didn't act like that at 4 (at times)--that's when I'd be worried.

[etherealtruth]

126. You "said" it perfectly ...

I take issue with the Chimp being annoyed by a 4 year old child acting as MOST normal 4 year old children act.

I am astounded that the little guy is the focus of such criticism! (you said it much better than I could)

[BrklynLiberal]

143. BRAVO!!! VERY well said!!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[qanda]

37. What's wrong Georgie?

Did little Jack mess up your otherwise perfectly staged event? Oh boohoo!!!!!!!!!!!

[ET Awful]

39. He was just pissed cause Jack beat him in a breakdancing battle

shortly before the press showed up :)

[DeepModem Mom]

40. Being a control freak is W's way of staying sober, IMO. nt

[Demit]

42. The kid better not take (play with?) any small planes...

The WH is probably doing a workup on him right now.

[Straight Shooter]

68. Let's not miss the point. The article is showing how peevish bush is.

This goes hand-in-hand with bush's peevishness about guests sitting on furniture in the Oval Office, for cryin' out loud. Remember the hissy fit he threw about that? It was in the news, too.

Also remember that bush told somebody, "You got kids? You like 'em? Mine are a pain in the ass."

The man has a very short fuse.

[realms]

71. My pet peeve

I was like him until my father told me to act in a certain way. Why do they allow their children to be so bad?

[name not needed]

80. He's just upset

that a 4 year old has better moves than he does.

[Tactical Progressive]

81. I think the kid is a Democrat-to-be

He is already becoming aware that his parents are a couple of ultra-right wingers. Kids pick up a lot at that age, though of course he doesn't yet realize all of what it means. He has though, obviously internalized enough to respond in the only rational way for a four-year-old to respond to such a situation - he tried to bite their hands, twice if I saw correctly. Good boy.

If he were six he would probably have had the sense to punch Bush right in the nads with his little fisties. Then you'd all be calling him a hero. He'd be your favorite kid in America. So give the kid a break.

He did the best he could for four years old.

[LisaL]

101. Yes, the kid is probably rebelling already.

He chose to express his rebellion by dancing.
:evilgrin:

[kestrel91316]

83. Oh for crying out loud .....................

whatever happened to BABYSITTERS????

I don't think it was the place for a tired, overwrought 4 yr old. Why didn't they leave him at home with the illegal housekeeper/maid??

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

93. Because the kid is a prop

The wife and kids were props in this marketing campaign that went on for several days. The Donna Reed Show made a comeback on our TV sets with the wife and kids at daddy's side, next to the President; the wife and kids seeing their dad off to work at his front door; ad nauseum. This was all prepared many days in advance by ad men, by video directors, by choreographers, by make up artists, by fashion directors. Roberts and his Donna Reed Show family were sold to the American public just like any candidate running for office. For all I know, they may have even encouraged the kid to act up on stage to give a touch of realism to the event, lest it be accused of looking too canned (which it was).

[LisaL]

103. Lets be fair. Most politicians use their cute little kids (and not so

cute older kids) as props.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

107. And that's why I ABSOLUTELY DETEST, DESPISE, LOATHE AND

ABHOR that aspect of American politics. I hate the involvement of the wife, the kids, the dog, the cat, the squirrel, the Grandma, the convention, the balloons, the baby-kissing, ad nauseum in American politics. I don't care if the President is married, is divorced, is gay, has three concubines on the side, is an atheist, etc. I care about the issues and the intellect of the candidate, not the image. I don't even think the concept of a First Lady (or First Gentleman, if we ever have a female President) should exist.

And since when is a Judicial appointee a politician?

[wtmusic]

111. to a point

if a politician is married and has three concubines on the side, does that not say something about his/her character?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

115. What does it say about character? That the person enjoys sex?

If they are up front and open about it, I don't care. Honesty is the most important character trait, not lifestyle choices. If the President chooses to have a mistress and is honest about it, why should it matter? Why is it a bad character trait simply because that person doesn't have the same family values that I have chosen? Far more important to me is the President's grasp of the issues concerning administration of the government, not his/her bedroom.

[wtmusic]

119. Up front and open

with their spouse about having three concubines?

Explain how you can "choose a mistress and be honest about it" to your wife... :crazy:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

120. It happens in Europe all the time

European politicians typically have mistresses and everyone knows about it. French President Mitterand's wife and mistress both came to his funeral. The difference is that in America they all have sex on the side but have to hide it. I don't get the importance of a politician's sexual relationships to the American voter. As long as they do their job and come through on the promises, that's all I care about.

[wtmusic]

123. Get real

#1 We're not in Europe
#2 In our culture (usually) at a wedding partners pledge fidelity for the rest of their lives. Doesn't always happen. But assuming they made this pledge and he is seeing concubines, he is being dishonest. Period.

I don't know why this is so difficult.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

133. I am real - American politics is phoney

And this is not "our" culture. I don't buy in to that aspect of American culture. Bush's daddy had girlfriends, Eisenhowever had girlfriends, Kennedy had girlfriends, FDR had girlfriends. This is not difficult to me. The hypocrisy is very clear to me.

[Dervill Crow]

142. I used to think Clinton was a terrible president because of his sex life.

Then we got the shrub and I found out the true definition of "terrible president."

I do agree with you up to a point, but the point is a bit hazy. Black and white thinking was so much easier when I was drinking the Kool-Aid.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

127. Since when is a judicial appointee a politician?

Well, I guess at least since this week. (Unless you count the attempt to pack the SCOTUS in the 40s)

[Pool Hall Ace]

134. I agree

I don't care what political party you belong to or what office you are running for -- President, Senator, Alderman, Register of Wills -- please stick to issues and qualifications. I don't care how adorable your brood is.

[FreedomAngel82]

112. I know what happened

Photo-op. The "perfect" right wing anti abortion family. Blonde hair and dressed nicely. Of course you can't nominate a black man with a family who is pro Roe V Wade. If these people want to take away my rights to plan my own family you better damn well know that I'm going to judge them. They're already judging me and they don't even know me. So how fair is that?

[FreedomAngel82]

86. Aww poor Georgie

Not getting enough attention? Can't stand it that someone else is in the spot light and people are going "aww" at them? :eyes: Spoiled brat.

[greblc]

87. They brought the wife and kids out for show.

The White house is creating an image.

As for Bush, he's not Mr. Rogers.

[MODemocrat]

105. Little Jack is darling, Jon Stewart showed the cutest clips

That's a good looking family, but Jack does steal the show with his dancing antics. How could anyone not think that's cute? Maybe not appropriate, but he's only 4 years old, and it sure beats having to look at George Bush.

:hi: :hi: :hi:

[peekaloo]

132. JS cracked me up with his commentary

"I'm dancing Jack, Break Down, in my culottes, oh yeah".

:rofl:

[MODemocrat]

155. Actually, I think it was Jon Stewart who made the boy look cute

That was really funny, Stewart is so funny, I'm hooked on his show.
:bounce: :hi:

[flordehinojos]

113. the guy was so elated that in a mood incongruent moment, he wanted to cry!

[fortyfeetunder]

118. Here is another vote for bad timing

The announcement was made at 9 PM EST. I bet on a "normal" night little Jack would have been in bed, fast asleep. So that kid was tired, wound up and past his bedtime. Maybe the Roberts family should make * babysit the kid on one night as penance for this blunder.

[wtmusic]

121. Why punish little Jack!? nt

[helderheid]

124. vote on it live

Should John Roberts be confirmed by the Senate for the Supreme Court? * 1864 responses


Yes
61%

No
22%

I don't know
17%

[LonelyLRLiberal]

128. link? nt

[LynneSin]

130. Probably because Bush has never been around 4 year old kids

I'm sure the twins were pretty much kept away from him when they were that age

[Toucano]

131. I was mildly annoyed by it as well.

Children are not political props, whether used by Repubs or Dems.

The fact that a person has reproduced is interesting, but not relevent.

[onecent]

138. What a self centered SOB * is.... A 4 yr old is a 4 yr old. I have

15 grandchildren, and I haven't seen too many of them at 4 that didn't have a mind of their own and begin to show their independence...

[DemBones DemBones]

148. Quite a few DUers here agreeing with Bush*

that children should be neither seen nor heard. Such drama over a four year-old just goofing around.

:eyes:

[Corgigal]

149. That WH aid should have never released that info

Bush doesn't show up for Boy Scout rallies and closes down Easter Egg hunts on the yard of the WH. It almost appears that Bush doesn't care for kids. That also explains his poor daughters.

[Supersedeas]

154. another prime time orchestrated venue kaput