When the Sins of the Children Are Visited Upon Their Parents

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2007 — -- The recent revelation that all was not well in the Giuliani household seemed to surprise many political observers. Perhaps their reaction was a little premature. A review of past presidential elections reveals that in virtually every case, embarrassing family revelations had little impact at the ballot box.

To set the stage, this is what happened over the weekend.

Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani's 21-year-old son Andrew told The New York Times that while he supports his father, he is "too busy with golf" to be part of his campaign. Andrew, a student at Duke University, told ABC News that he does "not want to hurt" his father, but he's also not about to keep quiet.

The strain in the father-son relationship apparently is due to the former New York City mayor's decision to divorce his wife, Donna Hanover, and marry Judith Nathan. "There's obviously a little problem that exists between me and his wife," Andrew said. His father, in Los Angeles on a campaign stop, told reporters, "My wife Judith is a very loving and caring ... mother and stepmother. She has done everything she can. The responsibility is mine."

Almost immediately political pundits pounced on Andrew's revelation and said it could seriously hurt Giuliani's campaign. "It's a real first strike against the candidate, puts them in a deep dark hole right off the bat," presidential historian Douglas Brinkley told ABC News.

History may reveal a different conclusion.

Ronald Reagan's daughter Patti Davis took drugs, posed nude for Playboy Magazine and penned erotic novels. Embarrassing to her father perhaps, but it did not derail his bid for re-election.

President Bush's daughters Jenna and Barbara tried to illegally order margaritas at a Texas restaurant in June 2001. Humiliating for their father who had his own history with alcohol, but not destructive at the polls.

The list of first family follies goes on and on.

Roger Clinton accepted an invitation to North Korea. Billy Carter exploited his "first-brother" status to sell Billy Beer and arms to rogue nations. Amy Carter flunked out of Brown and was known as a spoiled brat who went on to get arrested at several anti-nuke rallies. William Henry Harrison called his son "the destruction of my hopes."