European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 25, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Siree Kjuts Media drive steers Clear of Chelsea s world by Susan Baer the Baltimore Sun they thought it was a perfectly harmless joke. But when babe watchers Wayne an Garth of Abc s saturday night live turned their Stone washed wit to Chelse Clinton in a Wayne s world sketch Mak ing wisecracks about her appearance the response was less than excellent. After hearing Boos from the to Community and Public criticism from first lady Hillary Rodham Clin ton the show s producers edited out the offending comments when the show was rebroadcast Mike Myers . Wayne also wrote a letter of apology to the Clinton. We Felt upon reflection that if it was in any Way f hurtful it was t Worth it says executive producer lome Michaels. She s a kid a kid who did t choose to be in Public it did t Stop them from working Over 9-year-Bld Amy Carter in the late 70s, however treating her even a Little rougher admits Michaels great Public protest. But for 13-year-old Chelsea the first school age child to live in the White mouse since the Carter administration life has been less of a fishbowl and More of a private protected Pond. More than most children who have lived in the White House Chelsea Clinton has been deemed off limits. She has been left alone largely because of Public sympathy for a youngster undergoing adolescence and because of the nearly total White House news blackout concerning the first daughter. There does seem to be a shift says Mark Rozell the author of books on coverage of the Carter and Ford presidencies. The attention paid to Amy Carter was relentless Over the full four already attention paid to Chelsea has dropped off precipitously. A computer search turned up More than 1,200 newspaper and Magazine stories mention ing the first daughter in january compared with about 400 in february fewer than 300 in april and fewer than. 200 last month. The disappearing act is no Accident. The Clinton have discouraged coverage of their child and protected her from the Public gaze with far More Vig Ilance than the Carters Johnsons Fords or Nixon Ever did with their children. Although the president wanted to bring his Daugh Ter and some of her friends along to the Tokyo sum Mit a few weeks ago the Clinton finally decided against it White House officials said. The administration in t forgetting the Media mob that swarmed around Amy Carter when she travelled to Japan and South Korea with her father in 1979, or whenever she went overseas. Nor is it forgetting the widely used photographs of a forlorn looking Amy Carter trudging through the Snow on her first Day of school in Washington her head Down to escape the mob of lenses. Determined to avoid a similar scene Hillary Clin ton slipped Chelsea in a Back door on her first Day at the private Sidwell friends school avoiding Media stakeout at front and Side entrances. The president and first lady have made it very Clear they want Chelsea to have As Normal a life As possible says Neel Lattimore Hillary Clinton s Deputy press Secretary. To that end the press office refuses to answer any questions about Chelsea and thus receives few in quiries about the teen Ager. In contrast Mary Hoyt Rosalynn Carter s former press Secretary says she received Calls about Amy on a daily basis about the youngster s dog treehouse violin lessons. We tried to Tell people As much As we thought it was appropriate to Tell them Hoyt says. The Carters were not shy at All about allowing Chelsea Clinton plays soccer on her first Day at Washington s Sidwell friends school in january. Amy to be photographed says Rozell. They understood some of the Public relations benefits of having a very Young child As part of the presidential family. Though they were protective of her they were not absolutely insistent that no one get near her at during the 1976 presidential Campaign Jimmy Carter used photos of Young freckle faced Amy sell ing lemonade for 5 cents a Glass in Plains ga., to help the nation get acquainted with the Little known Southern governor notes Barbara Kellerman author of a Book about first families. The Carters used the family to the Hilt she says. The Clinton similarly used their daughter for image purposes during the democratic National convention after focus groups pointed out that Many americans did t know the Clinton had a child when Chelsea was frequently pictured with her parents especially her Mother. With All the talk about Hillary s toughness it was helpful for americans to learn that she was also a devoted Mother says Kellerman. In that symbolic sense it some presidential parents have even provoked scrutiny of their children with their own words. When president Carter said in his 1980 debate that he had discussed nuclear proliferation with 12-year old Amy his presidency came to a close with his daughter caught in the joke Mill. Similarly first lady Betty Ford s comment during a 1975 60 minutes interview that she would t be sur prised if her teen age daughter Susan had a premarital affair stirred intense interest in the private life of the first daughter. I Felt very besieged by the press says Susan Ford Bales of her Days in the White House. They knew where i was All the time. They talked to my friends people who weren t even my friends. They wrote about romances i was t having. I have scrapbooks full of the stories stories that said i was engaged to Rock Star Rod Stewart. I be got it she says she was devastated by some of the Sto Ries published about her especially one suggesting she would have failed school had her father not been president. I did take it to heart she recalls. It makes you a very Tough very thick skinned person. And it makes you not very trusting of anybody except your Bates believes that teen agers and Young adults in the White House like the Ford children and the Johnson and Nixon girls not Only stir More interest but also Are considered fairer game for the Media. The reagans youngest daughter Patti Davis re Calls that when she was about Chelsea s age and her father was in the California governor s mansion she abhorred being in the limelight. And photos of her at that time Tell the was not a Happy girl says Davis outspoken about her poor relationship with her parents. I did t want my picture taken and i looked like i did t want my picture taken. But Chelsea has a parental support network i did t have. That makes All the difference in the so Strong is the leave Chelsea alone sentiment a slogan emblazoned on to shirts that eve ii new York s a sparingly irreverent spy Magazine shelved a prepared piece on Chelsea bashing after i seemed irrelevant. When you get right Down to it one reason we Haven t written about her is. Why Why would you do it says spy senior editor Larry Doyle. She s. Not doing anything. From a satirical Point of View there s no fun to be had.". July 25, 1993 sunday Page 7
