Obama Girls Blasted by GOP Staffer Lauten on Manners and Attire; Apology Soon Follows

Elizabeth Lauten, communications director for Tennessee’s GOP Rep. Stephen Fincher, is taking a verbal beatdown online after attacking the behavior and dress of Sasha and Malia Obama during the President’s 2014 turkey pardoning ceremony.

Yesha Callahan, a writer for The Root, caught a screen cap of the entire post and posted it to Twitter, saying “In her spare time when @DCGopGirl is not doing work for @RepFincherTN08 she shames teenagers on Facebook ”

“Dear Sasha and Malia, I get you’re both in those awful teenage years, but you’re a part of the First Family, try showing a little class. At least respect the part you play,” Lauten began in her since-deleted Facebook rant. That quickly veered into an attack on the President and the First Lady: “Then again your mother and father don’t respect their positions very much, or the nation for that matter, so I’m guessing you’re coming up a little short in the ‘good role model’ department.” Lauten went on to insult what the First Daughters were wearing in a completely inappropriate manner: ““Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar,” and she followed that up with an admonition not to “make faces during televised, public events.”

After deleting the post, Ms. Lauten published an apology saying that she had “reacted to an article and quickly judged the two young ladies in a way that I would never have wanted to be judged myself as a teenager. After many hours of prayer, talking to my parents and re-reading my words online, I can see more clearly how hurtful my words were,” adding that the judgmental feelings she initially expressed have no place in her heart. But the damage was done, the onslaught continued and she deleted the apology and made her Facebook profile private.

Heaven only knows what possessed Ms. Lauten to think anyone would applaud her taking the Obama children to task as a roundabout way to make an attack on their parents. And we’re sure she is mortified at the backlash but it was a huge error in judgment.

Sasha and Malia have accompanied their father on many a turkey pardon. Last year, the President joked that he knew it was Malia’s favorite ceremony while she laughingly said “No!” What we noticed this year was how tall Sasha has grown. And, of course, the fact that Obama always walks over and makes a blessing gesture as if he is a priest while giving the pardon. What is up with that?