Thursday, 21 January 2016

Battle of the bumps: Chelsea Clinton vs Ivanka Trump

by

Stacie Lewis

posted in Celebrities

Before this post spirals out of control, let's make it clear: the babies of Chelsea Clinton and Ivanka Trump will not be wrestling for political domination in 2016. But, whether their pregnancies will have an influence on the presidential race is up for debate.

Chelsea Clinton is pregnant with her second child. Ivanka Trump is expecting her third. Both will give birth months before the election -- Chelsea in the summer, Ivanka in the spring.

chelsea vs ivankaA recent article in on eonline.com, investigates the possibility that the Clinton/Trump babies may influence voters. In the article, Time Magazine's Washington Correspondent, Jay Newton-Small, muses over how this will "fold into the idea of [Trump] as a family man... grandfather... a relatable, normal person -- for a guy that's a billionaire." Whereas, for Clinton, "You think of grandmothers, you think of little old biddies—you don't think of presidents."

Having said that, he continues, "There's nothing sort of more touching than the cycle of life and the passing of the torch from generation to generation. Voters love it and there's every reason in the world for the campaigns to play that up."

But, will they?

Recent reports in tabloids like The Daily Mail, claim Chelsea is "drawing attention to her growing belly" when she asks to sit while listening to and delivering speeches on the campaign trail.

Fox News host, Eric Bolling, went further in a segment on The O'Reilley Factor. "Who knows," he says below, "they are good at timing on the Left."

Bolling also called Chelsea's pregnancy the Clinton Campaign's "Trump card" to his co-host's amusement. The implication is that Ivanka Trump is more dignified in her pregnancy. At such, media focus on Ivanka's pregnancy tends to draw attention to her "bump-hugging, floral dress" and of her "showing off her baby bump in swimsuit".

What is more sexist? That Chelsea is so scheming she scheduled her pregnancy to win votes and draws attention to it by daring to sit down? Or, that there is no point in Ivanka campaigning at all, as the whole focus of attention on her will be about how pretty she looks despite her bump.

Also, although they are reportedly old friends, the two are frequently described as competitors. I couldn't find one bit of information that would imply they are fighting; despite this: "Chelsea Clinton and Ivanka Trump call truce during campaign" according to the New York Daily News, and they are described as "the dueling daughters" on ABC's Good Morning America.

All of this says more about the media's attitude towards women and politics than it does about Chelsea and Ivanka, their relationship and pregnancies -- or frankly, even their parents.

Do you think Chelsea and Ivanka's babies could influence the election?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Who else will be having a baby this election year?

Read Stacie's blog Mama Lewis and the Amazing Adventures of the Half-Brained Baby. Follow her on Twitter @Stacie_writes | Facebook Mama Lewis

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