Seems like this guy isn't particularly qualified to recognize "class."

The unholy trinity of the Internet, monetized conservative media and gerrymandered state and federal legislative districts has created a nation of political cliques. As in high school social cliques, the like-minded self-segregate and create a feedback loop of peer pressure and one-upsmanship. Each member of the group takes whatever the last member said or did and refines and amplifies it. Inside the peer group, each new amplified iteration of whatever meme has gained popularity is eagerly accepted and lauded. Outside the peer group, these things are seen as ridiculous and in many cases egregiously hateful and antisocial.

It is only when a member of the peer group accidentally aims an overamplified meme at an external audience that they are shocked by the sudden interaction with reality as it exists outside the group. Often the buildup of unchallenged antisocial behavior has been so gradual and so consistently rewarded by the peer group that the perpetrator has almost no idea how utterly outrageous and awful their behavior has become.

In the adolescent school setting, this is how bullying and even sexual abuse and assault end up happening. Peer group members so distort their moral sensibilities that they don't even realize how unmoored they have become.

In current political discourse, the same happens, with perceptions of reality lost to fictional narratives cynically created by monetized political media, and readily accepted by willing members of the peer group.

Lauten's disgraceful remarks were never meant for a general audience, and she likely had no idea just how inappropriate they were when she wrote them. Within her peer group it has become normal and expected to regard the Obamas with contempt and disrespect. The starting point is to hate them first, then look for reasons why. Extending that to the Obamas' children is only a small step further.

And yes, liberals do it too, just not nearly as well. Failure to successfully monetize liberal media probably has a lot to do with it.

Lauten seems to miss the difference b/w being the spokesperson for a US Congressman or a producer for Rush Limbaugh - the latter being more lucrative I'm sure, though she killed any chance by apologizing. Ann Coulter would never apologize. She really f*cked up any shot at catty mean girl stardom with that prayerful apology nonsense. Sheesh, amateur.

There's no equivalence. The right warns the left to steer clear from personal issues, especially when they're indirectly related to the subject politician, and the left pretty much does. Of course some noise from both ends of the spectrum always exists. But for the left, these things rarely extend beyond the far extreme. The mainstream right, OTOH, seems perfectly comfortable with these kinds of political tactics in its playbook. This incident goes hand-in-hand with the socialist/birther crap and the Obama in witch doctor garb posters. It is of course racist, as well.

This is also no different from the way Amy Carter and Chelsea Clinton were treated, both model children. Yet, when the Bush twins hit the party rails, hardly a peep was heard from the left. Their behavior was so bad, someone needed to speak up.

There are endless other examples.

Note that one of the bottom photos is said to be a spoof, but does it matter which?

Just saw that on Facebook. How is this "Gorilla Pig" person on the same level as a congressional aide? I have no idea who they are, but I would bet they're not on the same level in the Dem party as the mainstream GOPers who do this over no bad behavior whatsoever from daughters of Democratic presidents, and that they do not have anywhere close to the same size megaphone as Limbaugh, et. al.

Do you think "Gorilla Pig" is equivalent to Limbaugh, Coulter, O'Reilly, FoxFriends, et.al. (the list of GOP heavy hitters is nearly endless)?

And again, how is the behavior of the Obama daughters equivalent to that of the Bush twins?

See, you've proved that there's a false equivalence. Sorry you're hypersensitive about it.

This woman wouldn't know class if it bit her on the ass.

At least they didn't say the daughters we "uppity"

That's progress.....

Democratic messagers, repeat after me:

"This is an outrage! It's one thing for Republican attack dogs to lie and demean an American President, but it is beyond vile for them to attack these beautiful children, who frankly have been a wonderful example to all."

This woman should lose her job immediately. Call for it! Every Democrat should be on message.

GOP Staffer Who Attacked Obama Girls Was Arrested During Her Own "Awful Teen Years" | The Smoking Gun

Lauten, pictured above, was arrested in December 2000 for misdemeanor larceny, according to court records. Lauten, then 17, was collared for stealing from a Belk department store in her North Carolina hometown.

Because Lauten was a first-time offender, her case was handled via the District Court’s deferred prosecution program, which resulted in the charge’s eventual dismissal after the future scold stayed out of trouble for a prescribed period.

Since Lauten was just another teenager caught shoplifting at the mall, it appears unlikely that she was publicly pilloried for her lack of class, nor were her parents criticized as poor role models.