if it was because he was trying to make himself look good there would have been sound bites and political spin.......and I don't know how many times I have to tell you this (I guess you're very lucky and have never witnessed a bitter divorce) it's not that uncommon for one reason or another for one parent to turn the kids against another parent....even if it's unjust. Kids are very naive and easy to manipulate. Hitler didn't have a middle-aged corps.....he had a youth corps that he was brainwashing.