Cheeky and charming, or dumb and dumber? The national television debut of President Bush’s 22-year-old daughters is drawing decidedly mixed reviews. It also served to remind a national television audience of first family traits that the otherwise disciplined campaign has managed to play down.

“When we were young and irresponsible, well, we were young and irresponsible,” quipped Jenna Bush, apparently reveling in the reputation for youthful indiscretion she shares with her father.

“We’ve traveled the world. We’ve studied abroad,” said Barbara. But, “since we’ve graduated from college, we’re looking around for something to do for the next few years. Kind of like Dad!”

A commentator for the conservative Web site RealClearPolitics.com said his “jaw dropped” at the remark and called the overall performance “juvenile and inappropriate.”

“The twins reflected badly on the President, reinforcing the worst possible stereotype of the ditsy, slacker daughters of a C-student fratboy from Yale,” the blog stated.

“‘We’re lazy rich girls’? Did they write these jokes themselves or something? Christ,” asked political blogger Ana Marie Cox, editor of Wonkette.com.

A former White House communications director, Karen Hughes, helped the young women write the short Tuesday night speech, according to the campaign.

“She just wanted to be able to capture Jenna and Barbara’s personality, get a personal introduction to their father, and produce a little humor for the audience,” said a Bush-Cheney campaign spokeswoman, Susan Whitson.

“The whole thing was intended to be a little bit of poking fun,” she said. Joking around is “very typical of their relationship with their father,” she said.

But some judged their flippant comments as particularly inappropriate at a convention emphasizing a nation at war and commemorating a city recovering from terrorist attacks.

“I hope they did their own writing, because it’s hard to believe anyone got paid for that adolescent patter that sounded like outtakes from a bad awards ceremony,” wrote the mystery writer and playwright, Roger Simon, a blogger invited to the convention by the Republican National Committee. “Next time a little more gravitas, please.”

The presidential candidate of the Constitution Party, Anthony Peroutka, issued a press release saying, “Is it just me or does anybody else believe that the remarks of the Bush twins at the Republican Convention were foolish, embarrassing, dishonorable to their parents and grandparents, and not funny?”

The twins poked fun at their “Ganny,” former First Lady Barbara Bush, who believes ‘Sex in the City’ is something married people do but don’t talk about.” The comment appeared out of synch with the numerous young women in the audience who wore T-shirts referring to the show’s man-obsessed character, reading, “Carrie doesn’t speak for me.”

Notwithstanding their degrees from Yale (Barbara) and University of Texas (Jenna); the twins made such queries as, “Who is this man they call Dick Cheney?” It might have been a reference to all the time Mr. Cheney spends at an undisclosed location, but if it was, a lot of people apparently missed the joke.

Despite the campaign’s efforts to portray the president as ‘just folks,’ Jenna reminded the country, “I think I know a lot about campaigns. After all, my grandfather and my dad have both run for president.”

And Barbara may have told Americans a bit more than they wanted to know when she disclosed that their parents’ nickname for each other is “Bushie.”

“Those two girls were ditzes. I’m surprised they were allowed on the program,” said one political commentator, Morton Kondracke, in comments on the Fox News Channel that were picked up by Washington Monthly magazine.

Ms. Whitson said the campaign had received “positive feedback” on the performance, but said no decision had been made as to whether the twins would give any more speeches. Democrats may be hoping they do.

“I felt a collective cringe in the room. … It couldn’t have been more lame if they were triplets,” said one speech consultant and humorist, Mark Katz. The speech “violated Rule # 6 of comedy – don’t go after your grandmother,” he said.

“They reminded me more of the Hilton daughters than the Kerry daughters – disconnected politically and slightly mean-spirited,” said Mr. Katz, a Democrat who was invited to the convention by a friend.

“I think watching them at 22 might have given you a window into who George W. Bush would have been at 39,” he added.

But young Republicans who gathered for an event on the convention floor yesterday were more forgiving.

“I think they did a good job trying to show the lighter side of their parents. They presented themselves articulately and maturely,” said Chris Pizzo, a 20-yearold Republican from Fort Lauderdale.

“The purpose was not to give a keynote speech, but to talk to young people in their own terms,” said Leah Joseph, 19, from Scranton, Pa., who did not interpret the twins’ admission that they are looking for something to do as a commentary on the state of the economy. “Most young people struggle with what to do after college,” she said.

To some observers, the twins’ “down to earth” banter helped Mr. Bush avoid the elitist image of his opponent and fellow millionaire, Mr. Kerry.

“They don’t seem like an untouchable group. They seem like every other American family,” said Atlanta Republican Gannon Manning, 31.

In an encore performance at an event for young Republicans yesterday, the twins continued to tweak their grandmother, referring to her as “The Enforcer.” They praised their father as a “down to earth” man who ran a marathon at age 45,reads the Bible daily, and made all their friends feel welcome and comfortable at the White House, “except the occasional boyfriend.”

Commenting on Mr. Bush’s habit, while owner of the Texas Rangers, of watching losing baseball games in 100-degree heat, Barbara said, “He can take the heat, literally. That’s a critical quality in a dad and in a president.” And, perhaps, a useful one for his daughters.