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Message: <blockquote data-quote="moreluck" data-source="post: 942990" data-attributes="member: 1246">Report: Team Obama To Exploit His Children As a “Political Asset” During Campaign…What an unbelievably scummy thing to do to your kids. Is he that desperate to be reelected that he would drag his two young girls into the muck?<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/first-family-is-front-and-center-in-campaign-ad/2012/02/17/gIQAkH70PR_story.html?wprss=rss_politics" target="_blank">(WaPo)</a> — A new Internet ad by the president’s reelection campaign features a portrait of the first family asking supporters to “help the Obamas stand up for working Americans.” The appeal, a departure from the typical Obama messaging, provides an early glimpse of the role the president’s wife and daughters are likely to play in his campaign. In the months to come, political strategists expect to see the first family used as a political asset. “The value of the family is enormous,” said Democratic pollster Celinda Lake. “The more you know this family and the more you think of Barack Obama in these terms, the harder it is to vilify him.” During his presidency, Obama’s children have rarely been featured in such an overtly political way. He has been pointed about leaving family members, especially his children, out of politics. But with the first lady enjoying high popularity, his family may become an important factor this year. Seventy-three percent of Americans hold favorable views of Michelle Obama, according to a recent Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll. There is no polling on his daughters, but by some indications interest in Malia, 13, and Sasha, 10, is also high. A portrait of the family published by the campaign last year went viral, according to a study by Socialbakers, which analyzes social media trends. Michelle Obama has said she is “all in” for her husband’s reelection and plans to campaign about three days a week once the general election starts. She recently indicated that her daughters are up to the rigors of the campaign too, telling reporters who traveled with her last week that Malia and Sasha enjoy campaigning. </blockquote>

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