In a classic case of how the battle of politics spills into personal lives, a republican executive took a swipe at the US President Barack Obama by rebuking his daughters Sasha (13) and Malia (16) for lacking "class" and being disrespectful at a public event.
Elizabeth Lauten, director of communications for Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.), ridiculed the two teenage girls for dressing like they were headed to a bar and making faces at a "Turkey Pardoning Event" during the President's Thanksgiving Address on national television.
"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," Lauten wrote in a Facebook post.
"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. Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar. And certainly don't make faces during televised, public events," Lauten continued in the post that she quickly went on to delete later.
Sasha and Malia were dressed in casuals and looked bored, given the nature of the address. President Obama was "pardoning" two turkeys, named "Mac" and "Cheese," who failed to find a Thanksgiving table on the occasion.
But soon after Lauten started receiving calls and emails from the paparazzi, she released a long apology claiming how those "hurtful words" had "no place" in her heart and it was just a "reaction" to an article.
"I 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. Please know that these judgmental feelings truly have no [place] in my heart," she wrote on Facebook.
Lauten took down the apology too and made her profile private later.
Lauten's comments didn't go down well with the Americans. People took to Twitter to express anger over how two teenage girls, who were in the public eye due to their parents' position, should be judged on what they wear or their fashion sense. While some called her "a fool" and a "terrible person," some even wanted her fired!
"Your misdirected anger at Obama to two teenage girls was shameful. #ElizabethLauten should be canned!," one tweet read.
"Dear #ElizabethLauten, Insulting teenagers in an open letter to score points against their father pretty much makes you a terrible person," another read.
But Lauten wasn't the only one taking aim at the girls. Twitter is abuzz with some pictures of Malia Obama's posterior in tight jeans and some tweets are disrespectful.
"Malia Obama is thicker than cheese grits, old peanut butter, a double wide trailer, cold oatmeal," a user posted with a video.
But many came to her rescue.
"Malia Obama was gorgeous before someone got that angle of her and all of you need to think before disrespecting absolutely anyone like that," one Twitter user defended.
