Obama: I regret putting my daughters on TV

[IDemo]

Presumptive nominee says he and his family ‘won’t be doing it again’

By Mike Celizic
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 1 hour, 17 minutes ago

Barack Obama said it was a mistake to allow his daughters to be interviewed extensively by “Access Hollywood,” and he will not allow it to happen again.

“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.”

The interview, which is being aired in four parts this week on “Access Hollywood,” took place last week in Butte, Mont. In it, Obama and his wife, Michelle, sit down with their daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, to talk about family life and what it’s like to be the daughters of a presidential candidate.

The interview, conducted by Maria Menounos, prompted criticism of the candidate, who had said that he wanted to keep his family life private, but now seemed to be using his family to advance his candidacy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25600445/

My own impression with this interview was that it was anything but a mistake. It was just a nice moment with our next First family, and these girls are great.

edit -- I must be thinking of another interview, with a female interviewer, not Matt Lauer.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. I think people liked it!

people are intrigued to see the Obamas

[TahitiNut]

20. I think that's part of the problem he faces.

I can't remember when I was as favorably impressed with a politician's family and no small part of that is the perception that they're "keeping it real" ... without pretension and with enormous mutual respect and love. In every interaction between either parent and either daughter I see a respect for the other person - a whole, complete person above and beyond their role as 'parent' or 'child.' It's a very ephemeral but essential component of emotional maturity, imho, and sadly not common enough in parent-child relationships. When I see them laughing, they're laughing WITH each other and not AT each other. Making fun WITH and not fun OF seems natural for them.

That kind of relationship best thrives when not 'staged' ... not put on display. I don't blame Barack for letting his guard down but I also agree that it was probably a mistake. There's absolutely nothing worth compromising that emotionally healthy relationship even in the slightest. It's not that there'd be any intention to exploit ... but that public scrutiny is inherently inimical to that dynamic.

[redqueen]

22. "Put on display" is not the same thing as "staged".

What about putting it on display compromises healthy relationships? How is public scrutiny that comes from interviews any different than public scrutiny that comes from mediawhores just making things up / blowing things out of proportion?

[TahitiNut]

26. It BECOMES the same. Once it becomes more common, the more the intention is lost.

It's a kind of "Heisenberg effect" ... the very process of viewing and assessing has an impact on that being viewed. It's a risky business ... and I would agree with Obama's gut reaction.

[redqueen]

28. I don't get it. (nt)

[redqueen]

2. I was taken aback when I heard it advertised...

but it seems like a good idea.

So many people don't like news news... but they like that kind of news... so... go why not where the voters are?

[LibDemAlways]

14. Agree. I have a friend who has no interest in real news, but

watches shows like Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight religiously.

Sure bet that many more people saw the Obama family on the Access Hollywood interview than would on any hard "news" outlet. Obama has no reason to regret this. He should never have backed down with repuke shill Matt Lauer. It was actually a savvy political move.

[redqueen]

16. Oh hell... was it Lauer's mediawhore questions that prompted

Obama to say he regretted it?

*sigh*

[LibDemAlways]

18. Yep, it was Lauer playing self-righteous, serious "reporter."

Obama should have told him where to stuff it.

[redqueen]

19. Yes, he should have.

Dammit dammit dammit.

[knitter4democracy]

3. The part that I saw was lovely.

Beautiful family, wonderful girls (so precocious and darling), and it showed how loving and comfortable they are with each other.

[slampoet]

4. I thought the girls were CHARMING. They were more comfortable than i've ever seen political kids be

Also as a note.....my pet dog seemed to be fascinated by the Obama children interview.

[liberal N proud]

5. If that is all the GOP and the M$M has on Obama and his family

They are really hard up.

[madokie]

6. I've loved what I've seen and read so far of our new first family

The Obama family is a class act and thats a fact

[TahitiNut]

24. The first in a long time that doesn't belong on some psychoanalyst's couch.

They seem refreshingly unencumbered by the the neuroses and psychoses that seem to plague political families ... as demonstrated so aptly from the weepy Santorum daughter to Jenna sticking out her tongue.

[madokie]

39. Maybe I'm just deluded but I think that the bush cabal has so over reached that they have awaken

a giant. I have felt from early on in the bush/cheney mal-administration that they will be so extreme as to wake people up, what I didn't realize then is just how evil they are too. In the end we will be better off for all this illegality in the fact that we are seeing a new interest in our Constitution and its relevence, why it is and what it stands for. Something for a while now polls have been showing that the majority of Americans have not been paying attention. Those folks will be awake going into the future and with an informed populace democracy can and will flourish.

[CC]

7. It was a great interview and the

girls were wonderful. Even Access Hollywood had said it wasn't planned so I am going to believe both the Obama's and them on this. Of course he has two very cute, very well behaved kids that did a great job just being themselves. Kind of hard to paint the Obamas as monsters when the kids tell how mom and dad correct them when they are fighting with each other. Then throw in the lovey touchy cuddly stuff the parents do and the repukes are running scared. OMG not only is Obama a real human being but he has a loving family so the repukes must make the interview a bad thing and accuse daddy of using his girls as a prop. Guessing the McSames can't round up the kids and train them fast enough to do their own family interview.

[LiberalFighter]

8. It might had turned out okay. But it would had been better to err on the side of caution.

You can't trust the media when it comes to children. And children are going to be children.

[RaleighNCDUer]

38. IMO, that's why he said he regretted it -

not regretting the interview so much as regretting setting a precedent.

"regret it" is code for "don't expect to see it again any time soon".

[SteelPenguin]

9. They're just excited that they get a dog

The fact that the girls are excited that win or lose they get a dog was so funny. I can see them jumping up and down in
private about it. "Dad if you win do we get to have a dog? All presidents have a dog! Can we get a dog dad!"

Such a great family.

[Lex]

10. "Access Hollywood" -- uggggh

nt

[Benhurst]

12. Yeah, the name "Access Hollywood" should have been warning enough.

Assuming Obama does get elected, his children will need to be shielded from the press.

I feel sorry for the children of presidents, especially the young ones.

I'm glad Obama has come around on the issue; but even this one interview makes his job of protecting them from the press more difficult in the future. A bad precedent has been set.

[redqueen]

15. That was my reaction too... but think about how many people

are completely tuned out of politics or real news of any kind... but they do watch that stuff.

Smart move IMO. Very.

[Benhurst]

17. For a politician, it was a smart move.

But not for a father.

I'm glad he's learned his lesson; but a bit surprised it was one he needed to be taught.

[redqueen]

21. Huh? "Not for a father"? What does that mean?

What lesson are you talking about?

[Benhurst]

33. Obama himself has decided granting the interview was a mistake and will

not be doing it again. That's the lesson I'm talking about. A political mistake? I hardly think so. His daughters are quite charming and certainly did him no political harm.

But Obama is correct. His allowing the interview was a mistake. As a father he should have protected his very young children from the such exploitation. But, if anything, Obama is a fast learner and seems to be a very good father. From what he has said, I doubt this will be happening again.

[TahitiNut]

42. I agree.

While I personally LOVE seeing them and celebrating their very being ... I cringe at the idea that the inherently dysfunctional public spotlight is aimed at them.

[onehandle]

11. I cannot believe he flaunted the fact that he fathered two black children.

That would kill the candidacy of a Republican candidate.

Especially if your name is McCain and you're running for President in South Carolina in 2000.

:evilgrin:

[ProfessorGAC]

13. Very Good!

Thanks for the chuckle. Great bit.
GAC

[Rosa Luxemburg]

43. indeed

[Horse with no Name]

23. He should

I remember what the media did to Chelsea and Amy.
Anyone that thinks that they won't do the same to Malia and Sasha has a very short memory.
Despite what you think about the parents...the children should be off limits...for good or bad press.

[TexasObserver]

25. I agree with his decision on this. He knew it was a mistake when it happened.

You could see it in his eyes. He knew he should never have agreed to the interview, and now he won't make that mistake again. They're cute kids. They serve their purpose being seen.

[KoKo]

29. His Campaign Managers probably pushed it as a good thing...for reasons

some posters gave "upthread" that people watch shows like "Hollywood Access" and that might be their only chance of seeing the Obama family as very down to earth. But, it does start a bad precedent.. Makes him look like he caved to Campaign Ops who were really trying to "Market" the family to an audience that may have many clueless viewers. I'm glad he's said he won't do it again...even though I understand why his "Ops" pushed it.

[TahitiNut]

44. It's a dilemma. You hire trusted advisors and should listen.

At the same time, it's important to keep core values paramount. The constant dilemma is in ordering priorities ... how much harm vs. how much good. Just as he has a profound obligation to his family, he has a obligation to listen and collaborate with advisors and teammates. There will always be times when a very minor compromise of one higher obligation must be made to honor a lesser obligation, but of greater import in the instance. That calculus is persistent with conscientious people.

[EFerrari]

27. Why is he dignifying this stupidity. n/t

[TNOE]

30. Oh brother -

what is the big deal? I saw the interview last night on KO & the show after that (can't remember, having a brain fart right now) - and the interview was lovely and spontaneous and for ONCE - NO NEGATIVITY - NO ONE SAID ONE BAD THING - THEY LOVED THE GIRLS.

WHERE IS THE PROBLEM? THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THEIR MORE BRILLIANT NON-CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN MOMENTS.

[Mad_Dem_X]

34. I thought it was a very nice piece

They looked like a regular, down-to-earth family. Just the kind of people we would want living in the WH.

[snooper2]

31. McWobble...

could put his great grandkids on TV for balance :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Johonny]

32. I thought it went well

[TwilightGardener]

35. I don't think there's anything wrong with interviewing the whole family together--

really, that's all it was. Letting his kids speak on camera, just once, in the presence of their parents, is not a big deal. The American people want to know this family, and this was a nice way to introduce them to the folks who don't watch Hardball and cable news.

[IDemo]

36. Vote: Should Obama have OK'd kids' TV chat?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25604329/

[redqueen]

37. "Do you think it was a mistake for Sen. Barack Obama to allow his children to be interviewed...."

Are they changing the wording?

[IDemo]

40. No, I just used the headline from the link on the msnbc.com main page

[LSK]

41. hes being protective of his children

As he rightfully should.