“The Sunday Political Brunch” -- May 12, 2013

(Providence, Rhode Island) – Happy Mother’s Day to all! Being a mom is hard work, and we are indebted to all moms. I would imagine being a mom in the world of politics is doubly tough, because you and your children live in the public eye and with a lot of scrutiny. So, today’s column is about the highs and lows of being a political mom, especially in the White House. Five of the six living First Ladies recently posed for a photo at the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library.

“White House Wedding Bells” – In a way, it’s kind of surprising that only nine Presidential children have been married in the White House. But weddings are a very personal matter, and I am sure - for some - the public eye is just too much. After all, it’s not the kids or the moms who ran for the office. The nine who married in the White House are Maria Monroe, John Adams II, Elizabeth Tyler, Alice Roosevelt, Nellie Grant, Jessie Wilson, Nellie Wilson, Linda Bird Johnson and Tricia Nixon.

“White House Babies” – Only one Presidential child was actually born in the White House. First Lady Frances Cleveland gave birth to daughter Esther on September 9, 1893. The best I can determine, the U.S. Presidents and First Ladies have had a total of 153 children. President John Tyler was married twice, and his two First Ladies produced a total of 15 children, not all while he was in the White House, thank goodness.

“Death in the White House” – There is an old saying that no parent should ever have to bury a child. Sad to say, six U.S. Presidents and First Ladies lost children while in the White House or after being elected, but before Inauguration. Those Presidents were John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Pierce, Abraham Lincoln, Calvin Coolidge, and John F. Kennedy. In the movie “Lincoln,” the death of Willie Lincoln figures prominently, and the devastation of Mary Todd Lincoln is palpable. President Kennedy and First Lady Jackie lost their two-day old son Patrick just three months before the President was assassinated.

“The Adams-Bush Connection” – Abigail Adams and Barbara Bush share a unique distinction among First Ladies – being both wife and mother to Presidents. Barbara Bush often said it was harder to watch the criticism of her son, compared to the criticism of her husband. Surprisingly, she is not thrilled about her son Jeb running for President in 2016. “We’ve had enough Bushes,” said the always candid former First Lady recently.

“The Great Escape” – Susan Ford was a rebellious teenager, once giving the Secret Service the slip and escaping the White House in her Mustang. Many Presidential children have been very young, but having a teenager with boyfriends must have been a real challenge for the 38th President and his First Lady. I wish the Obamas well. One of their girls became a teenager in the White House, and the other will be a teen next year.

“The New Deal Marriages” – All five of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s adult children married while he was in the White House (one of them twice). None of the weddings took place at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but Eleanor Roosevelt must have been quite the busy mother of the bride or groom. This is what happens when your husband wins four terms.

“What’s For Dinner?” – President Ford’s son Steve tells a great story about how the family did not move into the White House right away after the Nixon resignation. He said that one night his mom Betty said to his dad (now the President), "Jerry, something's wrong here. You just became President of the United States, and I'm still cooking."

“Kennedy Matriarch” – I am always amazed that Rose Kennedy lived to the age of 104, given the tragedies that beset her family. She raised nine children, four of whom preceded her in death. In her biography, she said: "I looked on child rearing not only as a work of love and a duty, but as a profession that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable profession in the world and one that demanded the best I could bring to it..... What greater aspiration and challenge are there for a mother than the hope of raising a great son or daughter?" Some of the old-timers at WLNE-TV ABC6, where I now work, say that Rose Kennedy would often call our newsroom on weekends from her home on Cape Cod and thank us for broadcasting the Catholic Mass on TV. In her later years, it was her only way to attend services. God bless her!

Have a great Mother’s Day! As always, leave your comments at www.MarkCurtisMedia.com.

© 2013, Mark Curtis Media, LLC.

(Providence, Rhode Island) – Happy Cinco de Mayo to all my Mexican friends. It’s become like St. Patrick’s Day when everyone – whether you are Irish or not – celebrates! Hey, if good food is involved, I’m there, too! There is a lot of politics to chew on in “The Brunch” this week. Here are some of the tidbits:

“We’re Number 10” – Thursday Rhode Island became the tenth state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage, when the General Assembly passed the bill and Governor Lincoln Chafee signed it into law. A crowd of hundreds gathered and cheered on the State House steps Thursday evening. Yes, the law made history in Rhode Island; but, when you are number 10 to do something, it’s not really groundbreaking on a national scale. Still, it meant a lot to the same-gender couples here, many of whom now want to marry when the law takes effect August 1.

“Be Careful What You Wish For!” – The most memorable line from the floor debate came from State Representative Deb Fellela (D-RI). She got up and spoke in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, saying marriage is a privilege. “Even though - in my situation - maybe right now it isn’t a privilege,” said Fellela, whose husband was arrested twice in recent weeks. The chamber erupted in laughter. “That may be the best line of the debate,” openly-gay House Speaker Gordon Fox said, to even more laughter.

“An Economic Issue?” – Since the day of his inaugural address in 2011, Governor Chafee has been touting same-sex marriage as a way to boost the economy of a state that has one of the worst economies and unemployment rates in the nation. “With marriage equality becoming law tomorrow [Thursday] night in Rhode Island, we are sending a clear message that we are open for business, and that all are welcome,” Chafee said on the eve of signing the law. The economic theory is "iffy" at best. Rhode Island is the last of six New England states to legalize same-gender marriage; and bordering New York has it, too. It’s hard to fathom that people or companies are going to flock here over just one issue. Friday I called a number of people who work in the catering, photography and floral industries to see whether they are getting a rush of August same-sex wedding business. “Not yet,” said one, “but we are hopeful.” The benefit to the wedding sector may be the only economic boost.

“Massachusetts Leans Red???” – Many Republicans in Massachusetts lamented that former GOP Senator Scott Brown passed on another U.S. Senate Special Election. They may not need him. Tuesday night businessman Gabriel Gomez – who has never held office – won a three-way Republican primary against two actual politicians. Gomez will now face longtime Democratic Congressman Ed Markey on June 25. Markey, in fact, has been in Congress, for 37 years. So it’s an insider vs. outsider race, with the public in an anti-incumbent mood. Plus, Gomez is a retired Navy Seal and is Hispanic. The first poll from Public Policy Polling has Markey ahead by just 4 points. This could be another GOP upset, just like Brown’s win in 2010. The key is winning the lion’s share of the 52 percent of voters in the Bay State who declare their party affiliation as Independent.

“South Carolina Leans Blue???” – If Republicans have an unusual advantage in Massachusetts, then Democrats have an equally odd advantage in South Carolina. Former Governor Mark Sanford, whose tenure was marked by a sex scandal, is trying to win back a Congressional seat he safely held for six years. He is running against Elizabeth Colbert Busch, sister of TV’s political comedian Stephen Colbert. The latest PMI poll has it tied 46 to 46 percent, with 7 percent undecided. The Special Election is Tuesday. So, two key races are turning conventional politics on its ear. As I always say, you can’t make this stuff up.

“Spousal Privilege?” – In hindsight, Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, of North Kingston, Rhode Island, may not view her marriage to deceased Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev as a privilege, but it may entail key legal benefits. As discussed in this column last week, Katherine (pictured above with her lawyer) may face charges of obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting a terrorist. This much we know: She and Tsarnaev had a phone conversation after the Boston Marathon murders, following the FBI’s release of suspect photos. "The Washington Post" reports that there was terrorism information on her laptop computer (which, of course, her husband could have downloaded without her knowledge). But whether or not Katherine can be compelled to disclose anything may fall under the legal principal that says one spouse cannot be forced to testify against the other, or be forced to disclose confidential communication, even if one is now dead. Will she be charged anyway? Stay tuned.

“Hillary Hot Water” – Keep an eye on Congress this week, as two “whistleblowers” in the State Department will give testimony about what really happened in Libya during the September 11 attacks last year that killed four Americans. Also under fire, long-time diplomat Thomas Pickering and retired Admiral Mike Mullen, who led the investigation. Critics are curious why they never interviewed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about the attack and its aftermath. Clinton remains the odds-on-favorite to be the Democratic nominee for President in 2016, but this troublesome Libyan issue is likely to hound her right through the entire election process, which – truth be told - is already underway.

As always, please leave your comments at www.MarkCurtisMedia.com.