Santorum's crying daughter inspires C&W song

[RamboLiberal]

Last week, country singer Martina McBride released the single "For These Times" from her album Wake Up Laughing, with a verse inspired by Sarah Maria Santorum, Rick's 9-year-old daughter.

On election night 2006, the Republican Santorum, you may remember, was defeated by Democrat Bob Casey Jr. Sarah Maria, then 8, clutched a doll and cried inconsolably. The image was captured by news cameras and became a much-viewed and debated item on the Web.

When Sarah Maria started crying, singer/songwriter Leslie Satcher, who knows and admires Santorum, was watching, chagrined.

"Rick was giving this speech how he loved Pennsylvania, and the cameras zoomed in on this little girl," Satcher said Thursday by phone from a Nashville recording session. "I said, 'They're not even paying attention to Rick, and they're just showing us this girl hurting for him.' It spoke to our times. We forget people are grieving and forget to give them space."

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/10835312.html

There's one artist whose music I'm never buying.

[TwilightGardener]

1. "Mah Deddy Lost the 'Leckshun ('Cause He Said Man-On-Dog)"

On edit--whoops, they gave it a title already. I guess they don't need mine.

[Joe Bacon]

14. Where's Cousin Itt and The Thing?

Looks like everyone else is in that picture :evilgrin:

[FREEWILL56]

15. Running away from them.

[Joe Bacon]

63. They're Creepy and they're Kooky...

Mysterious and Spooky
They're all together OOKEY!
It's Ricky's Family

(2 snaps up :evilgrin: )

[janx]

68. stop it! STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Joe Bacon]

69. Did the family drive off in the Munster Koach???

Sorry, I just can't help myself! :evilgrin:

[jillan]

2. I used to love Martina. Then she went off the deep end.

Too bad, she has an amazing voice.

[WCGreen]

3. A snip from the story...

McBride did not know until well after recording "For These Times," however, that the song had its genesis in Santorum's election loss, Satcher said.

I don't think she recorded it because of Rickie poo and his daughter with the matching dolly...

[jillan]

8. She's been singing about religion and God for years now. It all seemed to fit.

I figured she was probably crying when Ricky lost too

[WCGreen]

11. I'm not at all defending her...

I just think we should be fair when these type of things come up...

[silverojo]

18. But her mind is possessed by Satan

:evilgrin:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. I will prolly go to hell for saying this...

But that kid probably needs some acting lessons.

[TwilightGardener]

9. I don't know--looks real, but how would an 8-year-old understand the significance

of a political defeat? I think Mommy was pinching her--"Cry, kid! Cry for the cameras!"

[alphafemale]

21. "Daddy's Gonna be Home MORE!!!!! WAHHHH!!!!!!" nt

[left is right]

24. My thoughts exactly

This picture is so obviously staged, why else would the 9 year-old have center stage with her dolly and the wife be in the background. This kid was coached to cry on cue.

[Danieljay]

5. thats just messed up. n/t

[Vickers]

6. So that lady is bitching about the media focusing on a little girl in pain

so she writes a song focusing on a little girl in pain.

Brilliant.

:eyes:

I see that irony is alive and well in contemporary country music.

[Scooter24]

7. I can't help but laugh when seeing this photo

I know it's probably wrong to laugh at the children, but if you're going to parade them around on stage at your political events, then be prepared for scrutiny. :D

[MH1]

38. Not the child's fault, though, is it? nt

[alphafemale]

10. Isn't nine a little old to be carrying around a doll?

And wear a matching dress?

Maybe she's crying because they MADE her dress like that.

[TwilightGardener]

12. Watch out! I said the same thing a couple months ago, and the

"American Girl" Doll Ladies of DU came out in force and tore me a new one. They're a rough bunch of customers.

[alphafemale]

20. American Blech, more like it. Poor Aurora.

:hide:

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

29. ROFL! I remember that well. Although I don't think it's an American Girl doll because the hair color

is wrong, since the doll is supposed to have the same hair color and eyes as the girl.

:rofl: the "American Girl" Doll Ladies of DU, ready to RUMMMBLE! :rofl: MKJ

[knitter4democracy]

56. It's one of the historical dolls. Kit, I think.

Kit has the short blond hair like that.

There are two lines of dolls--the historical dolls that are from a particular time period in American history and the Girl Like Me dolls that match the girl and wear contemporary clothes.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

58. Thanks for the clarification.

My daughter had the doll and all the books. But, she had the Girl Like Me doll, which was about ten plus years ago and I had entirely forgotten about the other series.

I still remember cooking from the Early American recipes in one of the books, with mixed success, but it was fun. My daughter read every one and I credit those books, along with "The Phantom Tollbooth" with contributing to her current love of reading.

I was a bit surprised that Sen. Santorum's daughter would have the doll, since the stories with the dolls reflect the positive aspects of independent, caring, smart girls in a variety of settings.

Much appreciated, I had really forgotten about the other line of dolls. MKJ

[Sadie4629]

60. My daughter-in-law to be had a bunch of them

She is an only child, and was *ahem* a bit indulged.

Having two sons, I knew everything there was to know about Ninja Turtles, but nothing at all about the American Girl dolls. They are truly beautiful.

As for the positive aspects--independence, caring, intelligence--what leads you to believe that even conservatives wouldn't value those traits in their daughters?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

62. I'm sure conservatives want the best for their own kids. They sure don't give a

damn about any other children in the world, though. MKJ

[JI7]

70. doesn't American Girl give money to abortion rights groups

or some other liberal thing. i remember there was some issue about this a while back so it's more reason it's not an american girl doll.

[kimmylavin]

72. Sort of.

I can't remember all the details, but the company was giving money to an organization that seeks to empower girls and young women. ONE of the tenets of their philosophy was age-appropriate information about sex and birth control (which came AFTER the stuff about responsibility, believing in yourself, setting goals, holding off on sex until you're truly ready (and if that's after marriage, then great), etc.) so all these nutty parents went down to the flagship store to protest. I don't think it had any effect.

As for the dolls themselves... Before Mattel bought them, it was a fairly small operation called Pleasant Company. There were three dolls to start, and all were rooted in a particular time period. They each had a school story and a holiday story, and as the company grew, so did the events/books and accessories. I have the first three dolls - been collecting them since I was 10. I have each of their six books, and almost all of their accessories. The stories were good, the girls were a nice window into a time period, and the accessories were interesting and very well made. The company went up to 6 time period dolls, and then Mattel bought it. After that, I haven't been very interested in the company. The dolls don't seem to have much to do with history anymore, and most of the accessories are just excuses to buy miniature versions of things that a lot of teenage girls already have, but at triple the price.

Regardless, that DOES look like a Kit doll. :)

[knitter4democracy]

55. American Girl is targeted to that age.

What's wrong with a nine year old loving her Kit doll?

[LanternWaste]

78. They're called Action Figures these days (and don't you forget it!)

Not dolls, you apostate! They're called Action Figures these days (and don't you forget it!), and they're very trendy when displayed on cinder-block book shelves in their original packaging or on your computer... :evilgrin:

[Nutmegger]

13. LOLOL that picture is priceless!

Look at them all! :rofl:

[LeftCoast]

16. She was crying because her mother made her wear that gawdawful dress on national TV!

:)

[alphafemale]

19. That was one of my thoughts.

My friends are gonna see ME!!! WAAAHHHH!!!!!

[FREEWILL56]

17. "Rick was giving this speech how he loved Pennsylvania"

Yup, that's why he lived in Virginia and as far as I'm concerned he can stay there. BTW, his home in Penn Hills, Pa. was a small 2 bedroom home and was too small for his family to legally reside there during most of his terms in office as is evidenced by the ages of his kids. The irony of this being he won the election from Democrat Harris Wofford because Wofford didn't live in Pa., but also lived near DC. If Santorum truly loves Pa. he'll stay the hell away from it and all Pennsylvanians.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

22. I do have some sympathy for the children of politicians -including Santorum's daughter

But not enough sympathy to think that they are deserving of such sympathy that they have a song performed and dedicated to them. Particularly when you consider that the father of that child has been one of the right wing hatemongers against homosexuals, liberals and whoever else that he smeared during his twelve years polluting the United States Senate. Now I don't blame the child for the sins of the father but, quite frankly, there are much more deserving ctying children out there who could do with a song dedicated to them. Children who no longer have a daddy for one

I had a high opinion of Ms. McBride before this. I'm sorry I was wrong.

[Moloch]

23. self-delete

.

[Preening Fop]

25. Thank You, Everyone for a Great Morning Laugh....!!

:rofl:

[John Kerry VonErich]

26. Betcha bottom dollar that if the lurkers are taking a gander at this thread...

They would say "And they say we pick on kids!?!"

[Sadie4629]

28. You are no doubt right

Wouldn't be surprised if this thread shows up on certain "other" sites.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

31. Hey, good morning! You know, they'll trash us, no matter what.

It's what they do, along with attacking and threatening families of children who speak up about SCHIP. What they do goes far, far beyond a little humorous riffing.

If everyone here tried to post to not offend lurkers, this would be a milquetoast message board, and the lurkers would still find something to whine about.

:hi: MKJ

[John Kerry VonErich]

39. question

What is MKJ? sorry for being off topic.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

44. No problem.

It's an acronym of my intials. When I started posting here three years ago, it seemed everyone had sig handles, in addition to avatars, sig lines, etc.

Being the unimaginative sort, I just used my initials and the habit's stuck.

Every once in while, I'll dash off in email at work or home and sign with the initials instead of my name, which causes occasional puzzlement on the part of the receiver.

MKJ

[John Kerry VonErich]

47. OK, I got a lil curious..

Thanks for clearing it up.

:hi:

[Sadie4629]

36. Already posted on

The Site That Shall Not Be Named.

That didn't take long.

[John Kerry VonErich]

40. PM it to me. I gotta see this.

nt

[Sadie4629]

50. Done n/t

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

45. You seem pretty familiar with that site.

:hi: MKJ

[Sadie4629]

46. I check it out daily,

especially when I see a thread like this. I always KNOW it's going to show up there.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

49. I don't doubt you do!

MKJ

[HughBeaumont]

52. Then again, I would love for Sarah Maria, and all children, to have health care

Can they say the same?

I can imagine their response: "Well I'd like to have free Cadillacs too, Comrade, but you can wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one gets filled first! There's a WAR to be won, yew stupid lib!!!"

[Mother Of Four]

27. This is sickening to me.

I was deeply involved with my little brother (Born when I was 13) and sister (when I was 15)

I helped raise two stepsons, now ages 24 and 20

My biological children are 11g 13g (will be on Jan 1st)15b 17b

My kids friends are also my "kids" and I'm the neighborhood mom, the one who has the pleasure of staying home and "Baking cookies" as some people are fond of slamming.

I am also an EMT Intermediate, certified up till 2010, I volunteer and am active in the community.

Needless to say I have a alot of contact with children, I appreciate them as our future and try desperately to protect as much of their innocence as I can.

Anyone who attacks this little girl should be ashamed of themselves, if you feel the need attack-- then focus on the parents for putting her in that situation. Attack the news people for focusing on her instead of the actual story. Attack the bloggers and You tubers that place her on show for a vicious joy.

But never forget that the children of Republicans today, can become Democrats tomorrow and the one sure way to keep them from opening those beautiful eyes and minds of theirs is to hurt them and make a mockery of them. Children are smarter and know much more of the world around us than they should, or than most of us even guess.

[Sadie4629]

32. Thank you for that!

You should have seen some of the threads about that little girl on election night. Truly disgusting.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

33. You must have been appalled at the attacks on Graham Frost.

What do you think about Malkin stalking him and Limbaugh ridiculing him on a nationally syndicated radio show? MKJ

[MH1]

35. What does that have to do with it?

Are you of the "two wrongs make a right" school?

It's crappy if the other side does it, but because they do, we should?

How's that saying go - if we all took an eye for an eye, soon the whole world would be blind?

I'm beginning to think we are well on the way.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

42. It's a matter of degree. I don't see anyone here threatening the life of this family or proposing

stalking this little girl, as did the Republicans and their followers. And, of course, it will never happen, because we have actual boundaries here.

And, NO liberal talk show host has ever,ever attacked this child on the national airwaves, as did Limbaugh and Malkin, and others. There's a world of difference..

Yet, a handful of folks chuckle about silly staged photo, which it is, and the child in question is a member of wealthy, privileged family who will probably never even see this obscure thread, and your sanctimony goes to Level Red.

You turn your full outrage on a few posters, while being unwilling to acknowledge the obscenity of what is being visited upon the children of this country by Bush, aided and abetted by the likes of Limbaugh and Malkin.

Thanks for the lecture, and I'm currently interning in Pediatrics as I consider specializing in the field. Your lecture assumed no one here cares as much for children as you. MKJ

[MH1]

54. "will probably never even see this obscure thread" - really??

Do you actually believe that? If this child were in a public school she could COUNT on being hounded with this image for years to come. I can't imagine that even by avoiding public schools, that she could be so isolated as to not have someone throw this in her face eventually. And she won't be a child forever, but I'll bet that unlike many kids (who take the opposite political stance of their parents), she will become a lifelong anti-liberal.

As for my outrage, I have been asking people in various groups I participate in, to contact their reps about SCHIP. I am hardly "unwilling to acknowledge" the awfulness of the Bush administration's actions towards children, but I do think it is irrelevant to this thread.

Good luck in your Pediatrics internship. But if you seriously consider specializing in it, I hope you will do some studying on bullying and its effects.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

57. You certainly seem to have a grasp of the essence of bullying.

Your assertion that this thread on this message board which will, hopefully, after your rant, disappear down the rabbit hole will have an irreversible effect on her political leanings would be something with which I don't entirely agree.

However, you are predicting that course of events with such certainty, that it invites no conversation or debate.

So, I guess you've made your point by demanding utter acquiescence to your POV.

Thanks for the lecture on bullying, though. :shrug: MKJ

[Sadie4629]

59. It wasn't just a "chuckle about silly staged photo"

The first threads about that picture included allegations that that young girl was being MOLESTED by her father. Hate his politics all you want, but remember that that child is still a little girl, and to have anyone insinuating such a thing can lead to a devastation that makes lack of healthcare seem like a nothing.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

61. Where on this thread did anyone say that she was molested?

What are you talking about?

Or, is this information located at the non existent links? MKJ

[Mother Of Four]

37. I think it's just as disgusting...

but that's not what this particular thread is about. This thread is about attacking that particular little girl.

I think ANY child has the right to be protected or defended, they are children for cripes sake.

Anyone who uses a child for batting practice should be ashamed.

[MH1]

34. Thanks

I just posted a similar sentiment without reading all the way to the end of the comments so I hadn't seen yours.

I don't even have kids and haven't spent a lot of time around them like you have, and I know it's wrong. How hardhearted does someone have to be to make fun of a child's moment of anguish, because of their parents' politics?

[Mother Of Four]

41. Hardhearted

Perfect word for this. :mad:

[Sadie4629]

43. For your edification

http://www.democraticunderground.com...ss=364x2644507

http://www.democraticunderground.com...ess=364x266235

Watch some of these same people try to claim the high road next time a Repulic bashes some kid.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

51. Bad links.

MKJ

[Sadie4629]

53. Sorry about that.

Don't know how to fix it.

[Dr. Strange]

77. Try these. I'm not sure if the second one is what you had in mind.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2644507
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2662356

[noamnety]

64. Thank you.

Some of the comments here do not reflect well on the people who wrote them. I don't think you can mock a crying child without having some sort of ugliness and bullying nature in your heart.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

75. lwf,

I have respect for you and, as usual, you are well spoken and compassionate.

My gripe was the arrogant tone of the post, the list of credentials by the poster, in a seeming attempt to prove her credentials as the moral compass for the rest of us when it comes to caring about children, her finger wagging statement that we should all be "ashamed" and the fact that she's new to the board and in one of her first posts she calls DU'ers disgusting.

Sanctimony is often the flip side of mockery, same coin.

Until I read that self righteous scolding, my only remark was to laugh at wienerdoggie's assertion that he'd been roughed up by the American Girl Doll ladies on DU, which I still think is pretty funny. :-)

I've seen enough of the RWers hiding behind "what about the children" as they do everything they can to destroy the children's future to have a healthy dose of skepticism about anyone who trots our this canard immediately upon arrival to this message board.

On the other hand, I applaud your gentle but pointed reminder of why we should leave children out of politics in our discourse, although I'll say Santorum's a first class creep for using his children as a prop, thus setting them up for uncharitable remarks by those who find their father to be a hate mongering, greedy hypocrite.

MKJ

[Mother Of Four]

80. Theres nothing sanctimonious about it.

I gave a brief of my personal history to show WHY I feel the way I do, so that you and anyone else that took offense would know I wasn't just some fool spouting off at the mouth.

As for how many posts I have, I've been a lurker here since right before the 2004 election...it wasn't until this year I decided to start posting. Since I have started posting, I see my earlier hestiation was correct. A good half of all posts on these forums are nothing but attacks, insults and as you put it "finger wagging"

And I stand by what I said, anyone who uses a child as batting practice should be ashamed of themselves. I suppose you spend so much time upping your post count, that you forget TEXT does not show tone, facial expression or body language.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

82. Well, we agree that children in any setting should not be targets of derision or mockery.

I don't do it and would rather not see it done here or elsewhere.

However, when I know the posters are not truly malicious, I don't feel compelled to police them, either.

You may not think telling others to be ashamed of themselves is sanctimony. That's where we disagree.

lwf and Sapphire Blue are two shining examples of displaying compassion and making their moral stances clear, without scolding.

I don't know a thing about either's personal history, except to know that they exhibit the best qualities of caring and connection to others.

And, I feel quite confident they would not think me a "fool spouting off" if I didn't list verbatim my accomplishments as a mom, stepmom, neighborhood mom and so forth before posting, well, anything.

Welcome to DU. MKJ

on edit: I offer no apologies for my post count.

And, toned down the snark, a bit.

[Name removed]

66. Deleted message

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

[MH1]

30. Mean People Suck

I am REALLY tired of seeing that picture on DU.

Doesn't anyone here think it's wrong to exploit the reactions of a child to a sad event - regardless of who the child is? Of course we didn't see Santorum's defeat as sad, but how could his daughter not?

Edit to add: I just noticed the comment above mine and am glad to see that there are some folks here who see that this is wrong. I was so torqued after reading a few of the comments that I hadn't made it to the later ones.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

48. Oh, fuck you, Martina McBride

Santorum never gave a flying fuck about Pennsylvania. That's half of the reason he got his ass handed to him.

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

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

[Thickasabrick]

67. I personally think the child is faking at that moment - but I dont

want to pick on a kid, so I won't. The dirtbag parents shouldn't have put the kids in that position in the first place....maybe if he had won - but jeebus - why would anyone put their kids on display like that?

[Norrin Radd]

71. Dumb. She's not crying. She's praying like the televangelists do,

with her eyes scrunched. She's merely mimicking behavior she has seen.

[Iris]

79. and what would she be "grieving" anyway?

I mean, damn, there are kids that have A LOT to grieve over on a daily basis. So her dad lost an election, big deal. How's her life really going to change?

[Tiggeroshii]

73. Hilarious picture....

[wiseguy182]

74. ha!

Santorum just didn't lose, he got embarrased, by like 20 points. And that was after he used a lot of desperate tactics, like saying Bob Casey's father would be rolling in his grave at some of his son's decisions. One of the republican big-wigs said that keeping Santorum's seat was their top priority in 2006, so when he lost by twenty points, I said "ha!, that certainly avenges Daschle's one point loss in 2004."

The son looks scary.

And apparently Rick Santorum loved Pennsylvania enough to vote with Bush 100% of the time (what a loser)

[youthere]

76. Is it just me, or does the whole Santorum family look like a caricature?

Honestly...they remind me of something you'd see in a bad movie.

[LeftishBrit]

81. Ugh; imagine dragging Santorum into a song

I would never make fun of the kids; but I do think it was inappropriate for Santorum to have them there at all. However disappointing it must have been to lose his seat by that margin, a concession speech isn't the same thing as a funeral, and you really don't need to have your grieving family gathered around you for the occasion!