Posted on 12/31/2007 9:29:51 AM PST by Cagey
VINTON, Iowa -- It's one thing for Hillary Clinton's campaign to turn down interview requests for the candidate's daughter, Chelsea. But can't a 9-year old reporter catch a break?
Sydney Rieckoff, a Cedar Rapids fourth grader and "kid reporter" for Scholastic News, has posed questions to seven Republican and Democratic presidential hopefuls as they've campaigned across Iowa this year. But when she approached the 27-year-old Chelsea after a campaign event Sunday, she got a different response.
"Do you think your dad would be a good 'first man' in the White House?" Rieckoff asked, but Chelsea brushed her question aside.
"I'm sorry, I don't talk to the press and that applies to you, unfortunately. Even though I think you're cute," Chelsea told the pint-sized journalist.
Such is the paradox of Chelsea as she campaigns across Iowa in the closing days before the state's caucuses Jan. 3.
Tall and attractive, Chelsea cuts an impressive figure on the campaign trail; she plunges enthusiastically into the crowd after her mother's speeches, shaking hands and posing for pictures while asking, "Are you going to caucus for my mom?"
But onstage, Chelsea never speaks; she stands next to her mother and applauds but utters not a single sentence and doesn't even say hello. And reporters covering the campaign have been put on notice that Chelsea is not available to speak to them. An aide follows the former first daughter as she works the crowd, shushing reporters who approach her and try to ask any questions.
Famously protective of their daughter's privacy, Bill and Hillary Clinton have taken pains to shield Chelsea from the harsh glare and rough edges of presidential politics. She stayed largely absent from her mother's campaign until December, when she made her first visit to Iowa.
For her part, Sydney looked a bit crestfallen after Chelsea turned her away. But luckily for Hillary Clinton, Sydney's mother has made up her mind to caucus for the former first lady.
"I like her position on family values and health care. And I think it's time we have a female president," Robyn Rieckoff said.
Except Hiltery has all the wrong values, if any at all.
Family values ?Yes like Slaughtering 40 million innocent Americans
and promoting perversion.
Chelsea knows not to tell any tales until her mother has passed away. Hillary has a mean throwing arm and a goon squad.
16 seconds...
Tall and attractive, ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!
Where is the Howdy Doody picture?
“It’s beneath me to comment.”
OK, I’ll do it.
Attractive to what? A rutting pig? Flock of vultures? Starving hyena? Rosie O’Donnell?
She’s appearing at functions with her mom asking people to caucus for Hillary. The question was about Bill, who IS a candidate for an office that he is not constituionally elligible for (he has said that he will sit in on cabinet meetings “if (when) Hillary asks him to”.
They are soft selling another term for their co-presidency.
not me......that is ass ugly
Like Mom used to say about Amy Carter, "Oh that poor child!".
Aw, give the snotty brat a break -- at least admit she's tall.
Dreamer.
I'd be willing to bet that that side of her doesn't look all that bad.
“There is nothing wrong with refusing to talk to reporters. It didn’t sound rude at all to me.”
I wasn’t referring to her, I was referring to the person quoted who wanted Hellery elected because she is a woman.
I detest the girls parents and think she is just a tool they’ve used to further their own careers. Their refusal to allow her to talk is quite telling. I can certainly understand it if she were 12 but she is 23 now.
Well, she’ no supermodel, but she looks OK to me. Why pick on the candidates kids? You hear the same stuff about the Bush daughters from the hyenas on the Democratic side. We ought to be a little classier.
She’s really improved her hair and makeup, and doesn’t look bad, all things considered. A fine complexion, and great job on the eyebrows. And she is tall, at least compared to me.
wondered if you noticed that...
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