Things I Don't Care About: Cookie Recipes, Hair Styles and Stay-At-Home-Spouse Debates

In every campaign there are the moments where much -- and nothing at all -- is said. Looking back, they are most always couched as conversation about a candidate's family, when really the subject is something else entirely and everyone knows it. Everyone gets angry, no ground is won or lost, the brouhaha is more or less forgotten, and then it happens all over again.

With that in mind, here is my list of ...

Things I Would Be Happy To Never Hear Discussed In A Presidential Campaign Again

• Why a candidate's child is "so ugly."
• Why another candidate would call an opposing candidate's child "ugly".
• Which candidate's spouse has a better chocolate chip cookie recipe.
• Who a candidate's spouse may or may not have dated before marrying the candidate.
• The candidate's hair.
• The candidate's wife's hair.
• The candidate's cleavage.
• Whether the candidate's wife wears a cloth coat.
• Whether the candidate's wife works outside the home.

Each of these have made headlines over the years. Not a one gave us an bit of insight about how a given candidate would govern. They didn't even teach us much about the subject of ostensibly at hand -- we came away no more informed about cookie recipes and hair styles than about a candidate's views.

And we certainly aren't having an enlightening conversation about the value of parenting right now, either.

So, can we go back now to the regularly scheduled campaign?

 

 

 

Follow Lisa Belkin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lisabelkin

Comments

[GrownandFlown]

11:18 AM on 04/16/2012

Most of the things on your list are great fodder for Saturday Night Life humor, though I prefer they stay away from skits regarding candidates' children attractiveness

[BevfromNYC]

10:15 PM on 04/14/2012

But what you miss is that this was a revealing moment of truth. Ms. Rosen revealed her disdain for women who are not like her. Not respect, not deference, but disdain. And it's not so important that we know the candidates wive's should or can bake chocolate chip cookies, but it is revealing to know what they think of women who do.

[disgusted48]

11:08 PM on 04/14/2012

Romney said that he deferred to his wife on women's issues. rosen responded by basically saying that the ann romney doesn't have the experience or frame of knowledge to offer such advice to a presidential candidate, she never worked a day in her life outside the home, she never held a position in the workforce, unlike the vast majority of american women, and as a result she doesn't have the experience to offer expertise on women's issues of the day. That's not distain, that's fact. ms. rosen should have followed her statement by asking a question of romney, that question being, what did your wife advise you regarding women's issues. also ms. rosen is not a candidate for any office as your comment suggests.

[Dadding Dudes]

01:28 PM on 04/14/2012

This up & coming presidential election season already gives me the creeps. I'm considering watching only the weather channel until the night of the Nov. elections. It's gonna be SO ugly (considering the resent record of Negative Mitt), and so full of nonsensical discussions of non-issues.
I think it's gonna be so bad, we're all gonna miss John Edwards' and his infamous hairdo.
The Dudes' Dad
Reporting Live From the Heart of Parenting

[TOCB]

12:39 PM on 04/14/2012

This "stay at home mom" controversy was manufactured by the "stay at home mom" of which the pundit never mentioned the phrase "stay at home mom". Ann Romney indeed has never worked a day in her life, at home or away from home. More power to her. But don't claim to be an authority about what working women have to go through, whether they are at home or in the work force.

[tjb22]

03:01 PM on 04/14/2012

If Ms. Rosen had only inserted on more little word into her statement, there would be little to "debate" over. If she had said "Ann Romney has never HAD to work a day in her life", well, who's to argue?

[TOCB]

08:19 AM on 04/15/2012

I think she said that in her elaboration, but I agree that the one word you pointed out would have made a lot of difference.

[edog48]

09:57 AM on 04/14/2012

This article shows that the left is worried about this issue and trying to sweep it under the rug ASAP.

[Liberalbydefault]

03:01 PM on 04/14/2012

And the right is worried that yet one more non-issue might not have enough staying power to carry them to November

[CollectiveNotIndividual]

08:57 AM on 04/14/2012

Nothing is worse for American than stay-at-home moms !! We must increase the size and the power of government. First we should outlaw all private schools. Every child should be educated by an employee of the government. Second...we should expand early education. These children must be instructed by an employee of the government starting at a very very early age. If we start early...we can mold them so that they relinquish their individuality...so that they conform to the collective.....so that they submit themself to the state. Allowing the children to be influenced by their parents does not serve the purpose of the state.

[playflute2]

09:39 AM on 04/14/2012

Big Brother would like that. :)

[Liberalbydefault]

03:03 PM on 04/14/2012

"Paranoia strikes deep"!!!

[vetxcl]

02:05 AM on 04/14/2012

Forgot the lunacy and hysteria that surrounded our current First Lady showing her beautiful skin with a sleeveless dress.

The article can be summed up with the phrase: tempest in a tea pot.

[Angelaaaa]

01:16 AM on 04/14/2012

Surely, if we have an intelligent and nuanced conversation about jobs, social mobility, education and the aspirations of the less-advantaged, we will be in real danger of subverting the new political norm. This mindless, mental bubble-gum IS the regularly scheduled campaign.

[Anneripp]

12:02 AM on 04/14/2012

Amen!

If a candidate's spouse can't make a really good apple pie, though, it's just plain un-American! And you don't ever hear that discussed, now do you?

[cintirich]

11:24 PM on 04/13/2012

I've never seen so many articles appear so quickly in a single publication claiming that the subject in question is irrelevant. Lol.

[mizzjohnson]

10:38 PM on 04/13/2012

nice!! now if only the memo could get to everyone .... but how? but how??

[vetxcl]

02:06 AM on 04/14/2012

I hear carrier pidgeons are a very green solution.

[EmilyRosenbaum]

08:20 PM on 04/13/2012

Lisa, I have to say that I think you've really missed the mark here. Usually, I agree with you, but in this case, you're just plain wrong.
Chocolate chip cookies are central to a President's success.

[barbara jay]

11:43 AM on 04/14/2012

Would love to hear that the candidate's husband can bake them!

[mrscrutty]

07:22 PM on 04/13/2012

Finally!!!! Someone who has seen what all of this really about! Politicians (and their 'helpers') are skilled at the slight of hand trick. If I make enough of a scene with my right hand, you won't see what my left hand is doing. Both sides do it. I love how more and more people are catching on. Talk about concrete solutions instead of trying to blow smoke up my...

[TheEnergyPie]

06:31 PM on 04/13/2012

Couldn't agree more but this type of thing is the "regularly scheduled campaign." Can't have a smart conversation about real problems and solutions... we've dumbed down our politicians and leaders (a word that means so little now) too much to do that.

[Liberalbydefault]

03:06 PM on 04/14/2012

It isn't the politicians that have been dumbed down; it's the electorate. The politicians have become masters at how to manipulate them.

[jenross]

05:57 PM on 04/13/2012

Well said! I think sometimes the candidates don't give the voters enough credit. They try to dumb down the conversations, and we come out knowing less.

[Tizzie Cregan]

08:11 AM on 04/14/2012

Nah, they are just terrified that we DO have minds and that they could never stand up to REAL scrutiny, and so the smoke and mirrors appears and like good Americans we fall for the distraction enmass!