It is unfair to judge politicians on how they deal with children. But it is a fact of life for presidential candidates. People take their kids along so they might be able to say at a later day that they put a question to the president, shook hands with him or her or had a picture taken together.
Rudy Giuliani, in spite of the problems with his own children, is one of the best at this.
On the campaign trail in New Hampshire, in Errol, he took a question from a child. There was a long, awkward silence after she asked him what he would do about "The Damages". At least two of the Democratic candidates I have seen so far have either patronised children in similar situations or sought easy laughs from the adults.
Giuliani treated her seriously and asked her what she meant by the damages. She referred him to her friend who said The Damages meant Ground Zero. And he was off. Afterwards, he made time to sit down with the kids. Good move: children don't have votes but their adoring parents do.
