GOP Staffer Elizabeth Lauten Resigns; Former Republican Committee Counsel Says Comments About Obama's Daughters Show Why Women Voters Reject GOP
Republican Party staffer Elizabeth Lauten's resignation following controversial comments she made about President Barack Obama's teenage daughters illustrates why Republicans have difficulty attracting young female voters, a former Republican House committee counsel told The Christian Post.
On Friday the Congressional aide, who serves as communications director to Congressman Stephen Fincher, R-Tenn., came under fire for criticizing 13-year-old Sasha and 16-year-old Malia in a viral Facebook post. Although she apologized soon after posting it, critics demanded that she be fired and on Monday she announced her plans to resign.
Lauten told NBC News that her resignation is already "in the works" and that today is her last day.
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In her Facebook post, Lauten wrote that the Obama girls should have shown "a little class" during Wednesday's annual Thanksgiving ceremony to pardon two turkeys at the White House. She also suggested that they were dressed inappropriately and that they showed complete disregard for the White House during Obama's annual turkey-pardoning event.
"Rise to the occasion," Lauten wrote. "Act like being in the White House matters to you. Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar."
The post, which has since been deleted, sparked a firestorm of criticism. Though Lauten apologized amid the backlash, her regretful words were not enough to appease critics. Many pointed out that the children of politicians should always remain off limits.
"I quickly judged the two young ladies in a way that I would never have wanted to be judged myself as a teenager," she said. "After many hours of prayer, talking to my parents, and re-reading my words online I can see more clearly just how hurtful my words were."
Former GOP House committee counsel Sophia A. Nelson criticized Lauten for being "a mean girl" and said that her post displayed "racist tones." She believes the congressional aide's behavior demonstrates why in her opinion the GOP is not taken seriously.
"This to me signals exactly why the Republican Party has a problem with attracting women voters and minority voters," Nelson (author of The Woman Code: 20 Powerful Keys to Unlock Your Life) told the Christian Post exclusively.
"I know a lot of people will say 'well what she said didn't have racial tones to it,' sure it did!" she continued. "She basically called two teenage girls bar sluts. I have two teenage nieces that are exactly the same age as Malia and Sasha … and they do things just like this. It's what they do, these are normal teenage girls."
The best-selling author's book, which was endorsed by media mogul Arianna Huffington, explores nearly two dozen powerful codes that the modern woman should live by in order to thrive in all areas of life. In one chapter, Nelson denounces the tendency some women have to tear one another down which she says Lauten is guilty of.
"Im bothered as a Christian and as a woman about this kind of behavior. What troubles me about it is it was just mean spirited. These aren't women, they're girls and so for a grown woman whose a communications director to do this is sad at best," she said. "It was mean an it was bullying. It really goes into why we need a woman code. I can't even imagine what the First Lady is thinking about this … as a mother I would be livid."
A "Fire Elizabeth Lauten" change.org petition garnered more than 4000 signatures and a a similarly named Facebook page received more than 2000 likes.
Lauten once served as Press Secretary for Congressman Joe Walsh, R-Ili. She is also the former New Media Political Manager at the Republican National Committee.
