The man who said that he is a man of good judgment just showed he is a person of bad judgment. Apparently, personnel of Access Hollywood interviewed one of Obama's daughters. Mr. Obama explanation is reported as follows:
[“I think that we got carried away in the moment,” the Illinois senator and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee told TODAY's Matt Lauer Wednesday. “We were having a birthday party, and everybody was laughing. And suddenly this thing cropped up. I didn't catch it quickly enough. I was surprised by the attention it received.”]
Mr. Obama desires to be president of a nation were crucial events area happening every minute. Today, Iran launched missiles that are troubling many. The senate is considering overhauling surveillance laws. In Turkey, a gunmen shot at an embassy.
Is Mr. Obama going to get "caught up in the moment” when dealing with critical issues and not “…catch it quickly” because he and his administrators “…were having a birthday party, and every one was laughing”? A parent"s job is 24/7. It is very easy for young people to be drawn in to stardom mentality and all the ills that come with it. In addition, it is even easier for young people to be exploited and used by the media. In my, opinion, Mr Obama was negligent in not being in the correct frame of mind necessary to protect his children from being manipulated and/or having their lives complicated with “illusions of grandeur”.
Furthermore, for me the problem is in his explanation. I am troubled by statements like, “we got carried away at the moment”. The statements “We were having a birthday party, and everybody was laughing. And suddenly this thing cropped up” are even more troubling. They show signs of a person who can be easily swayed by a party atmosphere and loose concentration and make poor judgments.
Now, am I over simplifying the issue and running the risk of making a mountain out of a mole hill? I say no. The article I read, Obama calls "Access Hollywood" interview a mistake written by Mike Celzic and appearing on the MSN web site states Obama said he wanted to have his family left out of politics. Since, Mr. Obama had his family sit in an interview it appears he, him self, is infusing his family in to his political life.
However, the problem is more profound. Ten and 7 year olds are very susceptible to outside influence. To me Access Hollywood is a TV program that makes its money by pursuing the tawdry aspects of celebrity's lives. In my opinion, this is no place for impressionable children.
An even bigger issue is what do these children do that warrants being interviewed by people who pursue the flesh of celebrities. Do they sing? Do they act? Moreover, have we turned the pursuit of the highest office in the country in to a cheesy Hollywood movie? Too much attention for children is dangerous. It is more dangerous when it is unwarranted.
Being the children of a presidential candidate does not make them a star. For a person who says he exercised good judgment on voting against the troop surge in Iraq to be easily manipulated because of his desire for cheap publicity that he would compromise his children's mental health show very poor judgment, in my opinion. To me this is conduct unbecoming of a president.
Furthermore, Mr. Obama said that the surge in Iraq would not yield the goals assigned to the surge. However, we now know that the “surge” has reduced violence in Iraq and fortified the nation politically. I guess voting against the surge in Iraq is another example of Obama's poor judgement.
