Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are running two very different campaigns, but the roles of daughters Ivanka and Chelsea are strikingly similar. No potential “First Daughter” has been such a feature of a campaign for at least a decade. Now, these two women — with remarkably similar life stories — are each supporting their parent’s candidacy in high-profile ways.
Sasha and Malia Obama certainly weren’t making convention speeches — neither was old enough to drive. Mitt Romney’s kids, all sons, kept a relatively low profile. And back in 2008, Meghan McCain was a vocal supporter of her father, but not a major figure in his campaign.
Ivanka and Chelsea are two years apart in age, each raising young children, living in New York, and married to wealthy businessmen. Both were born into a spotlight that they didn’t ask for, but each embraced as adults: Ivanka with a modeling career, fashion brand, and Trump Organization role, and Chelsea with her position at the Clinton Foundation and her brief stint on NBC. Their family names elevated them to wealth and fame, and now they are trying to elevate the family name to the nation’s highest office.
Given their mirror-image backgrounds, it is not a surprise that the two famous 30-somethings have a history of strong friendship. Just last year, Ivanka told Vogue that Chelsea was part of her close-knit inner circle. In that same profile, Chelsea said of Ivanka: “She’s always aware of everyone around her and ensuring that everyone is enjoying the moment. It’s an awareness that in some ways reminds me of my dad.”
How much has this friendship changed given the extenuating circumstances? Ivanka has stayed mum on the subject. Chelsea, however, publicly asked Ivanka to find out how her father would achieve equal pay for women. This doesn’t mean that the friendship is over; days later, she told the Today Show hosts that a “daughters summit” is “certainly something that [she] would consider.”
Each woman faced the daunting task of humanizing their parent to the nation, to soften the hard edges around the public image of Mr. “You’re Fired” and Mrs. “Wiped server.” Ivanka talked about her father’s values, and Chelsea spoke of Hillary’s joy in being a mother and grandmother.
Both daughters deployed charming anecdotes: Donald Trump praised Ivanka’s report cards and believed in her from the start. Hillary Clinton would make up stories with Chelsea about meeting a triceratops, and listened to Chelsea’s ideas at the dinner table. It’s all so wholesome and downright normal that it almost makes one forget about the vitriol between the two candidates. Almost.
There is nothing the media loves more than a catfight. In an election year marked by petty catfights, It’s high time that Ivanka Trump and Chelsea Clinton get credit for remaining civil. The kids are more than alright — they’re setting an example of professionalism that their parents would do well to follow.
