President Barack Obama, joined by his daughters Malia, right, and Sasha, center, speaks at the White House, in Washington during the presidential turkey pardon ceremony, an annual Thanksgiving tradition. An aide to a Republican congressman has resigned after her critical comments about President Barack Obama’s daughters touched off a backlash. Elizabeth Lauten, communications director to Rep. Stephen Fincher of Tennessee, commented on Malia and Sasha Obama’s pose and dress at a White House ceremony last week in which the president pardoned a turkey. She wrote that the girls should have shown more class. Lauten later apologized for the comments on her Facebook page that had drawn harsh criticism.WASHINGTON – An aide to a Republican congressman resigned Monday after her Facebook post criticizing President Barack Obama’s daughters touched off a backlash.
Elizabeth Lauten, communications director to Rep. Stephen Fincher of Tennessee, said 16-year-old Malia Obama and her sister Sasha, 13, should have shown more “class” at a turkey-pardoning ceremony last week at the White House.
Addressing her comments directly to the Obama girls, Lauten wrote that they should “respect the part you play,” and added: “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 also urged the Obama girls to “dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar.”
Lauten later apologized for the comments and deleted the original post, which drew harsh criticism across social media.