hat You have to have a thick skin as a public figure. Some people handle the attention and attacks on social media well, with grace, restraint, and kindness. Others act like Donald Trump.
Dealing with the vicissitudes of public opinion is difficult for the most skilled politicians, but they at least set themselves up as targets of criticism by virtue of their ambitions to serve in public office. People who become well-known because they are the children of already notable celebrities have it especially tough because they didn’t ask for the attention. Case in point: Chelsea Clinton, famous by virtue of being the offspring of the only married couple to both win the popular vote in U.S. presidential elections.
Chelsea was somewhat protected from press attention during her childhood since the press generally respects the privacy of presidential children while they are still minors. Since becoming an adult and having worked on her mother’s campaign, however, Chelsea Clinton has been an open target for her family’s many haters, in a case of guilt by genetic association.
Chelsea continues to handle her public role with humor and an almost inexplicable gentleness in light of the ferocity and downright meanness of the unwarranted attacks against her. A perfect example is her response to a recent Trump-supporting Twitter troll who displayed an appalling lack of class and intelligence with his response to an innocuous and non-political New York Times article that Chelsea Clinton posted on the social media service.
Elephants Are Very Scared of Bees. That Could Save Their Lives. via @NYTimes https://t.co/pQWGsavZyk
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) January 28, 2018
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An Airforce veteran and MAGA fan who goes by the handle “‘That’ guy.” professes to value honesty over political correctness in his Twitter bio, and his unneeded response to Clinton’s tweet was anything but politically correct.
What about donkeys? pic.twitter.com/9IHsgXLDkE
— 'That' guy. (@Wil_The_Thrill2) January 28, 2018
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One would think that a crass insult like the one this bully saw fit to send would merit a block or at least a complete ignoring of the hateful content, but Chelsea Clinton saw this as an opportunity to rise above the partisan hatred and set an example that makes our President look like the idiotic fool that he is in his response to online critics. Here’s her beneficent response:
Always grateful for the laughter the below brings so thank you! Have a great day! https://t.co/cPhWQCo7k1
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) January 28, 2018
Not many people would have the forbearance that Chelsea Clinton demonstrates in her tweeted response. If only we had a President who shared that ability to turn a hater’s vile malevolence into a teachable moment. Oh, wait, most of us did vote for someone like that.
