Father's Day 2012

I got a couple of e-mails, actually three, wishing me Happy Father's Day I'd like to share; I think these are revealing and in a way reassuring (as I'll explain in a moment):


(1)
From coaching basketball to knowing how many Jonas brothers there are, [he's] a pretty cool dad.

But more importantly, [he] is a wonderful father and partner. No matter what's on his plate, he puts the kids first, and they know how much he loves them.

This Father's Day, I want [him] to know how much we love and appreciate him back, so I hope you'll join me in wishing him a happy Father's Day. . . .

Thanks for all your hard work, and happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads out there.


(2)
Now that I'm a proud father of six (including newborn twins), I've never had a greater appreciation for the job my dad did raising me and my four younger brothers. We were lucky kids, and now our own kids are lucky to have "Papa" as their grandpa. People ask me what he was like as a Dad. I think he was like a lot of dads in many ways, but the few things that stand out most to me were his incredible determination, his sense of humor, and the feeling I always had that I knew he loved and cared for me, my Mom, and my brothers.
. . .
Dad taught us a lot of lessons, including the importance of having fun as a family, but the most important lesson he imparted to us was the joy in helping others. Dad, thank you for teaching us by your example.

And we thank all the fathers who are doing the same across this country. There's nothing more important to the future of our country than the role that parents play in raising and teaching their children the values of hard work, integrity, and love.

Happy Father's Day . . .


(3)
I can appreciate how long the days can be -- and how wonderful it feels to know that, no matter how full your father's plate is, you're the best part of his day and the most important part of his life.

So I'm joining . . . others all around the country to wish [him] a happy Father's Day.
. . .
Thanks, and happy Father's Day to every dad out there.
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Now here's the punch line: It's 2012, and these e-mails were from political campaigns.  I'll let you guess which one came from which campaign (and I'll give the answers in a moment).

But first, here are ENORMOUS hints in the form of links to the campaigns:

http://www.barackobama.com/fathers-day-video  (This features Michelle Obama talking about her husband as the father of their children)

http://www.mittromney.com/forms/happy-fathers-day-mitt (This features Mitt Romney's sons, talking about their father)

What's interesting, and reassuring, is that--whatever you think of their policies--the two men who will be running against each other for the presidency of the United States are both good fathers, even great fathers, I think it's fair to say.

So either way things turn out, those of us who are fathers--and those of us who have fathers--will have a worthy example of fatherhood in the White House.

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NOTE: Here are less edited versions of the messages I started with:

(1) On the President as a father:

Bruce--

From coaching basketball to knowing how many Jonas brothers there are, Barack is a pretty cool dad.

But more importantly, Barack is a wonderful father and partner. No matter what's on his plate, he puts the kids first, and they know how much he loves them.

This Father's Day, I want Barack to know how much we love and appreciate him back, so I hope you'll join me in wishing him a happy Father's Day. . . .

Thanks for all your hard work, and happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads out there.

- Michelle


(2) On Mitt Romney as a father: 

Bruce,

Now that I'm a proud father of six (including newborn twins), I've never had a greater appreciation for the job my dad did raising me and my four younger brothers. We were lucky kids, and now our own kids are lucky to have "Papa" as their grandpa. People ask me what he was like as a Dad. I think he was like a lot of dads in many ways, but the few things that stand out most to me were his incredible determination, his sense of humor, and the feeling I always had that I knew he loved and cared for me, my Mom, and my brothers.

. . . Dad taught us a lot of lessons, including the importance of having fun as a family, but the most important lesson he imparted to us was the joy in helping others. Dad, thank you for teaching us by your example.

And we thank all the fathers who are doing the same across this country. There's nothing more important to the future of our country than the role that parents play in raising and teaching their children the values of hard work, integrity, and love.

Happy Father's Day,

Tagg Romney


(3) Reflections on having been a child in the White House (from Caroline Kennedy):

Bruce --

I grew up in the White House. I remember as a small child visiting my father in the Oval Office while he worked.

But really, we could have been growing up in any American home. We were just children, happy to see our dad -- even if he was stepping out of a helicopter that had landed on our front lawn.

That's why, on Father's Day, I'm thinking of Michelle Obama and the girls, and the time they'll get to spend with the President as a family.

I can appreciate how long the days can be -- and how wonderful it feels to know that, no matter how full your father's plate is, you're the best part of his day and the most important part of his life.

So I'm joining Michelle and others all around the country to wish the President a happy Father's Day.

. . .Thanks, and happy Father's Day to every dad out there.

Caroline
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P.S.: I should probably add that these were mass e-mails.