Dear Kakki,
Boy, is my switchboard lighting up! Let me try to clarify my thoughts and my
misreading of your post by pulling a few points from a reply I just sent to
someone off list.
First of all, I didn't read your phrase a "serious misappropriation of the
public's money" as being about Bill Clinton's alleged actions to secure this
protection for his daughter. Don't ask me why I missed the connection, but I
did -- even though I am aware of the controversy and have heard it mentioned
a few times in the media in general and endlessly on talk radio. I am truly
sorry for missing that subtlety. I thought you were saying that protecion of
Chelsea was "serious misappropriation of the public's money."
Then you asked:
<< Do you propose that all adult children of ex-president's have lifetime
protection? Patti Davis? Ron Reagan, Jr.? Amy Carter? Tricia Nixon?
Caroline Kennedy? >>
Yes, if they need it. My original point was that children of presidents --
even adult children -- deserve this kind of special consideration. I was
actually surprised when I initially heard in the media that there was
controversy over protection for Chelsea. Up until that point I had assumed
that the secret service would have always been available for presidential
kids, if requested. I would assume that any presidential offspring who asked
for secret service protection -- with all the disruptions and intrusions that
it would bring into their lives -- would probably only request it if needed.
And when that person's father or parents are vehemently hated by so many
people, whether they're Kennedys or Clintons or Nixons, well, there are even
more reasons to offer them this perk.
The way I look at it is, politicians choose to be thrust into the spotlight;
the children of presidents do not have that choice. Ask Jenna and Barbara and
Julie and Lucy Bird and Caroline and Amy and Ron, Jr. Their lives all became
irretrievably altered by the American public and media, simply because their
fathers became president.
Remember when lots of people were outraged by how much money the government
spent looking for JFK, Jr.'s plane? I couldn't share their anger because I
think that, as public figures, the children of presidents are a unique breed
who deserve a few concessions from the American public they have been thrust
upon and -- too often -- devoured by.
Take care,
--Bob
NP: My knee jerking liberally
