As I said in 2010 when council candidate Vernon Brown did it;
I do not respect any politician that uses their children as political props, in fact, I consider it desperate.
Well, at least Vern was using his own daughter. In TenHaken’s (small) defense, he was at a public school helping kids make dog treats (so he could feed his campaign goons?), nothing wrong with that . . . but to post it to your FB page where you are posting campaign endorsements? Really? I also question if the parents of these kids are aware of this (I blocked out their faces).
What I find so ironic about this is that one of Paul’s campaign goons was just bitching on his blog a few days ago about an altered headshot of a candidate? Really? What about this?
If I were the parents of these two young girls, I would demand Paul takes these photos off his FB page and remind him that kids are NOT political props.
*I am aware that Paul’s opponent, Islam, also uses her kids as props too. Nothing wrong with getting your kids involved with the political process, I encourage it, but leave them out of the promotion and advertising. It’s not cute, it’s just tacky.
mayor poops has a “get the hell away from me kid” look on his face.
More like when is the Mac and Cheese going to be served.
I don’t know. I have mixed feelings about it. It depends if the candidate has overall substance and whether they over do it, or not. Like, if you were to do continue FB Live pieces with one of your children and a chicken sandwich is your only major accomplishment, then its probably too much.
Thirty years ago, when I was a candidate for the state senate, I ran in an ad in the Argus as well as sent a post card out which featured my son and I. It was a great photo and I received many rave reviews for it. The photo was taken at Spellerberg Park, where the photographer was embedded in a tube/slide and looking up at the opening of the slide where I was photographed placing my son into the tube/slide. It was a fun piece and I like to think I have some substance at least. 😉
I also recall, that same year, Kermit Staggers in a state senate race against Denny Pierson in District 13, which Denny won and one of only two races that Kermit ever lost – it was Kermit’s first race – , Kermit ran a TV ad where at the end of it he had his son, who was about five at time, say:
“I love my Daddy, vote for my Daddy”
This ad also was quite charming and Kermit definitely had substance.
So, I guess it really comes down to whether a candidate has substance or whether they are just a tool for the establishment.
“Say, is it possible to be a tool and also have your own toolbox?”…. “Doesn’t such a reality enter one into the complex reality of an alter-ego (“What about a personality disorder?”) ?”…..
There is something about the mayor always having kids around him, hugging him, rubbing their faces and we aren’t supposed to comment about it. In light of our recent police and fire department extracurricular activities he doesn’t think twice about the over use of kiddos? Is it creepy times or sleazy times?
When I originally saw this photo, it creeped me out considering all the news coming out nationwide regarding child sex crimes/child victimization due to the placement of one child’s face and the other child’s hands. It still creeps me the heck out. Why anyone thought this was appropriate to post, let alone let those children pose with him like that is beyond me.