Now that Davis has officially started the mud throwing it is vital for Simon to come out in full force. If Simon attempts to play nice he will get smeared in the press and drop in the polls.
I wonder how much Viet Nam and the military contributed to the family breakup, or the usual trying to 'deal with teenagers'. Seeing as both parents went back east following the divorce, I guess it could have been just about anything, including '60s California.