First Children
The creepiest, toughest and wildest presidential kids.
by Liza Featherstone
November 3, 2008
Worst Alcoholic
Sadly, there is too much competition here to name a winner. Other than death from childhood diseases — which, of course, used to be common throughout the population — the biggest danger to presidential children seems to have been alcoholism, to which Doug Wead — a former aide to George W. Bush — found that they succumb at much higher rates than the general population. According to America's Royalty (another good source on presidential families), Martin Van Buren once wrote to his son John — a notorious partyer who eventually died of kidney failure in 1810 — "What you may regard as an innocent and harmless indulgence may take you years to overcome in the public estimation . . . I was told you were twice carried drunk from the race course." Looking at the long list of casualties, one can't help feel a pang of empathy for presidential-son W.'s own struggle with booze.
What a crew, right? But don't expect so much dysfunction and mayhem
from America's next First Children. In recent years, presidential kids
seem psychologically healthier, partly because their parents have been
more careful to shield them from media scrutiny. Contemporary White
House parents may also — mirroring trends among other well-educated
parents — be more sensitive about letting the kids find their own
way, compared to past presidents who obsessed about kids' impact on
their own legacy. Poor George Washington Adams, son of John Quincy
Adams, was driven to alcohol (and eventually, most historians think,
suicide) by his father's relentless bullying; among other conflicts,
the poor fellow wanted to study literature and poetry at Harvard, and
Dad dismissed this pursuit as too trivial and girly for a presidential
son. It's hard to imagine Boomer parents like the Clintons or the
Bushes pressuring their kids in this manner — not surprisingly, their
kids are turning out better. Chelsea Clinton positively glowed on the
campaign trail for mom this year, while both Jenna and Barbara —
apparently past their DUI years — seem to be leading happy lives
filled with worthy public service. All this bodes well for 2009's
incoming presidential children.
Now check out our list of all the presidents, in order from best to worst parents!
©2008 Liza Featherstone and Babble
About the Author
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Liza Featherstone is a contributing writer to The Nation. Her work has appeared in Nerve, Salon, The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Teen Vogue and NYLON. She's the author of Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Wal-Mart (Basic Books, 2004). She lives in New York City with her husband and son. |
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