Just because you can ask it doesn't mean you should

I've been thinking about the question asked of Chelsea Clinton at a campaign stop at Butler University. A student named Evan Strange asked her if her mother showed weakness during the Lewinsky scandal and whether that made any comment on her ability to be a strong leader. Chelsea was taken aback and said that in all her campaign stops at university campuses, this was the first time she had ever been asked about Lewinsky. Then she told the questioner it was none of his business, and the audience applauded.

So - was it none of his business? Did that student have a right to ask the question? After giving it some thought, I believe he did have a right. It is a right I would not have personally exercised, but he had the right. The asking of the question tells us something about him, and the way it was answered tells us something about her. I believe there are some who think she should have handled it differently, perhaps defended her mother's standing by her husband. I have no criticism of her handling of the question because I don't know if I could have done better.

If someone asked me something painful about the misconduct of a parent, I cannot imagine how I would respond. Or if someone asked my daughter about something wrong I had done, what a painful moment that would be. I always put myself in the place of the person. How would I want my daughter to be treated? And then I choose to treat her with the same respect I would want my daughter treated.

I do not think that student would like his mother or daughter to be treated the way he treated Chelsea Clinton that day. But that's not what he was thinking about. He was thinking about challenging the candidate - something he absolutely has a right to do.

But just because we can do something, doesn't necessarily mean we should.