September 13, 2016

"WHAT'S TRUE: A 1996 photograph was captioned as showing a 15-year-old Ivanka Trump sitting on her father Donald Trump's lap..."

"... during a concert at their Mar-a-Lago estate.  WHAT'S FALSE: The photograph does not in itself document any 'grinding' or other inappropriate physical activity between Ivanka and her father."

A popular item at Snopes titled "Mind the Grind/A photograph showing Ivanka Trump seemingly sitting on her famous father's lap documents less than is salaciously claimed."
We note that this picture captures a fleeting moment, and without additional photographs (or video) of the event, it's impossible to say whether Ivanka was sitting on her father's lap for a prolonged period of time or for just a few seconds (or whether, despite the captioning, she was actually on his lap at all).

While late-night comedians have frequently mocked Trump for having an improper relationship with his daughter, those accusations are all based on speculation rather than solid evidence.
There is female privilege in our culture. Mothers are free to show affection to our children without worrying that our antagonists will sexualize it. 

40 comments:

Sebastian said...

"There is female privilege in our culture. Mothers are free to show affection to our children without worrying that our antagonists will sexualize it." Sure, but not relevant to this instance. It's a case of progressive privilege: Trump gets attacked, Bill gets a pass.

Matt Sablan said...

Creepy Joe Biden gets a pass, so I don't see how this is that shocking.

campy said...

I'm sure the impartial, unbiased media would sexualize a GOP mother+child if they needed to.

Laslo Spatula said...

What if it were a fifteen-year-old Chelsea on Bill Clinton's lap.

We know it would be different.

Because Clinton is not Chelsea's actual father.

I am Laslo.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Rapist Bill and his money-grubbing wife get a pass.

Annie said...

Anything to ignore Hillary's aiding and abetting her rapist husband.

My daughter is 23 and will still climb in my lap on occasion. Well, partially climb since she's several inches taller than me. My niece, who is a foot shorter than my girl, will sit in her dad's lap.
Never thought that picture of Trump and Ivanka was nothing more than parent/child affection. He appears to actually like his kids and doesn't use them or the grandkids as political props unlike someone else.

Now Bill? I'm thinking he was the better parent. At least in the sense of actual affection for Chelsea before she was molded into another grifter. Are there any pictures of Chelsea being loved on as a kid?

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, nice of you to recognize that female privilege actually exists. I see that Matthew Sablan has beat me to pointing out that creepy Joe Biden gets a pass from the media for inappropriate touching, in public no less. Let Joe be Joe, I guess.

Let me see if I have this right. Hillary's husband continues to get a free pass for inappropriate sexual activities from 19 years ago (let Bill be Bill!), but it's a scandal that Donald Trump had his teenaged daughter on his lap 19 years ago.

Uh huh.

Freder Frederson said...

While that picture may not be as creepy as advertised, he has certainly said some creepy things about her. He brought in on himself.

And how about the ass grab at the Convention?

William said...

You can fairly complain that Donald Trump can dish it out, but you cannot also say that he doesn't know how to take it. The criticism of Bushitler seems measured and reserved compared to the absolute frenzied froth of sputum currently emanating from Trump's critics.......Although it is unfair and sexist to speculate on Hillary's health, it is necessary to inform the American public of Trump's creepy, barely repressed designs on his daughter.

Brando said...

I can't link it from here, but there's a great YouTube clip from "Crazy Ex Girlfriend" where her boss does a song called "I love my daughter, but not in a creepy way".

There is a double standard. True, if a woman crosses a certain line with her son (kiss on the mouth, for instance) it'll get called out, but for men and their daughters that line is a lot closer. Society has conditioned us to see men as predators, and the left is okay with this. Look at the ridicule they heap on you if you try to say "not ALL men..."

traditionalguy said...

Closeness in a family romance is the right way to raise children to feel accepted. One more time that crazy man Trump got it right. Other people being jealous is par for the course.



Matt Sablan said...

"The criticism of Bushitler seems measured and reserved."

-- That's because Bush had class and decorum and properly dismissed them as the angry left and the like.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
khesanh0802 said...

A real stretch. The Dems are definitely into desperate territory. "You want to talk about sex, let's talk about Bill Clinton's adjudicated escapades!" Dangerous territory with someone like Trump on the other side.

damikesc said...

While that picture may not be as creepy as advertised, he has certainly said some creepy things about her. He brought in on himself.

Clinton was blown by a girl his daughter's age and has visited pedophile island more than once.

Yet he doesn't bring anything on himself.

Odd.

damikesc said...


-- That's because Bush had class and decorum and properly dismissed them as the angry left and the like.


It was also a mistake in the long run. He should've fought back hard.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

While late-night comedians have frequently mocked Trump for having an improper relationship with his daughter, those accusations are all based on speculation rather than solid evidence.

Am I being overly sensitive, or is Snopes being sly/a bit overly clever here? No "solid" evidence? Isn't it more accurate to say there is no evidence at all of Trump having "an improper relationship with his daughter?"

traditionalguy said...

The new line that noticing Hillary's severe disease makes people sexist is a great tactic.

Bob Ellison said...

Snopes is unreliable, so this might be a feint.

Darrell said...

Snopes is left-leaning. But they seem to farming out the operation now.

eric said...

My 15 year old daughter has no qualms about climbing into my lap. And if someone ever tried to say we had an inappropriate relationship to my face I'd punch them.

It makes me angry how we have sexualized everything to the point we aren't supposed to show our children physical affection anymore. I guess I should be happy I have three sons and am still able to hug and hold them without people going all creepy on me.

LYNNDH said...

Sounds like projection to me.

Darrell said...

We all died a little bit when Chelsea droned on with her speech at the DNC. A rational person would never show their face in public again.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Ivanka was HOT before she converted.

Cheryl said...

Not just moms. All women and girls have privilege that men and boys don't.

I'm on a local Facebook group where someone said that they came home to find their babysitter's boyfriend with the babysitter. Most of the comments were implying that the boy was interested in the KIDS in the home. Times have really changed. My son loves teaching Sunday School and working with little kids. I've had to caution him about being alone with the kids. No teenage girl has to worry about that.

Captain Drano said...

eric said...
"My 15 year old daughter has no qualms about climbing into my lap. And if someone ever tried to say we had an inappropriate relationship to my face I'd punch them.

It makes me angry how we have sexualized everything to the point we aren't supposed to show our children physical affection anymore. I guess I should be happy I have three sons and am still able to hug and hold them without people going all creepy on me."

Completely agree. It's disgusting how they've sexualized everything.

And I never gave it a second thought when I'd climb on my Dad's lap, even as a young adult. And I would have punched anyone that said anything against my Dad.

Same with how/where Trump puts his arms on his daughter's waist area--exactly what my Dad would do. It's not "ass-grabbing"--in fact it's a neutral area, and is actually very similar to when a Dad picks up his child (same grasp area) and holds them in the air to talk and play with them--you are close, yet you can see your child, and the child you. Direct hugging (which is what I guess people wanted to see at the convention) does not allow the facial emotions to show--and he wanted her to see the love, pride and joy in his face after her speech.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

As the comment section of your next post has been blocked for pornography, I will comment here that "The Incestuous Pedophile America Needs to Make It Great Again" will not be appearing soon as an op-ed headline in The New York Times.

Gusty Winds said...

Trump has somehow been able to turn his enemies' attacks on him, into something worse than anything he's ever said. The Rosie O'Donnell moment at the first Fox News debate was funny. it was witty. That's why he got away with it.

This stuff is sick. It's not going to help Hillary. The biggest mistake they can make is turn Trump and his supporters into victims of hateful liberal aggression. It's fueled by arrogance.

Somehow, not that Trump is playing out Scott Adams' predicted third act, he's going to start looking quite calm and reasonable. The basket of deplorables was a huge mistake that I'm sure the Clinton Campaign wishes it could take back.

And they can't. Because now you have the Clinton friendly media (in today's Washington post, and everyday on Morning Joe) trying to prove that she was right; Trump supporters are deplorable and irredeemable. It seems so stupid.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

Correction: it's the second next post which has been blocked for pornography. So that's been scored by Bitdefender as dirtier than South Park.

readering said...

Too bad there's a shortage of ammunition this year to use against the two nominees.

Yancey Ward said...

Well, you can see what Snopes is doing, surely. How is it "no evidence at all" becomes "no solid evidence"?

Anonymous said...

I would have to agree that the people projecting this out are reflecting how they internally feel about their own relationships.

Commonsense seems to say.

Trump is just a good Dad who loves his kid. Not sure about Biden or Clinton.

Anonymous said...

Trump is looking good in his events. Hillary is looking like an also ran.

Gojuplye said...

"Whats True"? Like the media gives a shit.

damikesc said...

Well, you can see what Snopes is doing, surely. How is it "no evidence at all" becomes "no solid evidence"?

Innuendo is a kind of evidence if the target is a Republican.

But Biden groping underage girls as they look REALLY uncomfortable is just Joe Being Joe, for realz.

I thought "boys will be boys" was BAD when it comes to mistreating women. Seems to be OK if the boy is Joe Biden.

rhhardin said...

Hillary only has to hang in there until there's no chance to vet the surprise replacement for her, who will have fewer negatives with women.

rhhardin said...

Chelsea would be a good candidate replacement.

tim maguire said...

Things like this make it easier for me to live with my impending vote for Trump. Like Sarah Palin, he has all the right enemies.

Unknown said...

What's gross is the other guy in the photo leering at Ivanka. And I do think the comments that Trump has made about her were inappropriate, not because I think he lusted after her but because he seemed to get ego gratification from the idea that other men did. Fathers should be protective of their adolescent daughters, and help them understand the power that their developing sexuality can have (power which they aren't yet ready to wield.)

BN said...

Since Hillary will soon die of her sickness and Trump will be assassinated upon his coronation, isn't it time to start focusing on the VP candidates? What are their names again?

And if they have comely daughters?