LilSugar

What Secret Service Code Name Would You Give Your Kid?

LilSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:18 PST

The Obama girls' Secret Service code names have been revealed as falling in line with the long presidential family tradition of having monikers that start with the same letter. Barack and Michelle's older daughter, Malia, 10, is Radiance and her sister, Sasha, 7, is Rosebud. It's not clear what, if any, rhyme or reason there is behind the names, but if you were moving to the White House, what would be fitting code names for your children?

The Obama Girls Will Get Presidential Perks, But at a Price

LilSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:00:50 PST

Malia and Sasha Obama have already been promised a puppy by their president-elect papa, Barack, and as America's first daughters, we're sure many luxuries will be afforded to them. But every slumber party thrown at the White House comes with a price says a recent CNN article - the girls will grow up in the public eye and under the watch of their parents and the Secret Service. The piece discussed the media scrutiny and antics that long haunted past presidential kids. To see what they are known for,

Should Chelsea Have Answered the Kids Questions?

LilSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:00:54 PST

Presidential candidates are all about the future, but what about their kids who are the next generation? When Scholastic News student reporters questioned the candidate's children, their inquires were welcomed by most from Cate Edwards to Tagg Romney. But former White House daughter, Chelsea Clinton was tight lipped.

A recent Associated Press article said:

"Fifth-grader Kyle Nowak of Nevada met Chelsea Clinton, the former first lady's daughter, at a campaign event for her mother in Las Vegas. While she did not answer questions, she signed a page in his notebook, "To Kyle, Support Hillary!"

And, the piece said Chelsea denied a nine-year-old's question at another campaign event. It said:

"I'm sorry, I don't talk to the press and that applies to you, unfortunately. Even though I think you're cute," she told the Scholastic News' student reporter.

Do you think these kids should be considered press?

Source

Americans More Open-Minded About Social Issues

Annie Scudder — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:00:22 PST

When conservative ex-presidential candidate Mike Huckabee attacked Natalie Portman for her pregnancy, I'd like to think it comes off as predictable and almost comical to most. Channeling Dan Quayle's Murphy Brown moment, Huckabee said:

"Natalie Portman or some other Hollywood starlet who boasts of, 'Hey look, you know, we're having children, we're not married, but we're having these children, and they're doing just fine.' But there aren't really a lot of single moms out there who are making millions of dollars every year for being in a movie. And I think it gives a distorted image that yes, not everybody hires nannies, and caretakers, and nurses. Most single moms are very poor, uneducated, can't get a job, and if it weren't for government assistance, their kids would be starving to death and never have health care. And that's the story that we're not seeing, and it's unfortunate that we glorify and glamorize the idea of children out of wedlock."

Huckabee must not be up on his Hollywood gossip; Natalie, who is engaged to Benjamin Millepied, is not a single mom-to-be. And anyone who can't tell Natalie Portman has more money than most expecting mothers has bigger problems to worry about. Don't even get me started on the hypocrisy of conservatives praising the ironic abstinence position of teen mom Bristol Palin. Thankfully, new data show more Americans have views on social issues that are more progressive than Huckabee's.

A new survey from Pew found that support for gay marriage and legal abortion is at an all-time high. In 2009, only 37 percent of independent voters supported gay marriage. Today 51 percent do. As for abortion, 51 percent of independents want it to be legal, compared to 37 percent in 2009. Overall, 54 percent of Americans support legal abortion, up from 50 percent in 2009, and 45 percent support gay marriage (while 46 percent oppose), up from 42 percent in 2009.

We can only hope that this shift will make politicians rethink ridiculous "family value" critiques of actresses, and more importantly convince them to stop defunding crucial reproductive health institutions like Planned Parenthood while also promoting marriage inequality.