In Sweet Video, 'Gilded Age' Star Claybourne Elder Explains to His Son Why a Woman President Would Be Historic

Out Broadway star and cast member of "The Gilded Age" Claybourne Elder took to Instagram with an adorable video in which he explains to his young son why a President Kamala Harris would be historic.

"Trying to explain to Bo the significance of today," Elder captioned the video, which was made on the day President Joe Biden announced he was stepping out of this year's race for the White House.

In the video, Elder, sharing popcorn with his son, explains that sitting presidents usually run for re-election and often win a second term, but that President Biden has chosen not to continue his re-election campaign.

"I think it's important, because I think the best person to be president should be president," Elder tells his son in the video. "And I don't think it matters who they are" - meaning, whether the best-qualified candidate is a man or a woman.

He then explains that the U.S., unlike many other nations, has never had a female head of state.

"Wait... ever?" Elder's young son asks incredulously.

"Ever," the actor confirms. "They should let a woman be president, huh?"

"Yeah, so they are going to," Bo predicts.

"For this moment, though I know there is so much to be unsure of, for this moment I am choosing hope," Elder wrote in the video's caption. "And I'm basking in the hope of this awesome kid who will one day be a grown up who votes."

Fans flooded the comments with supportive messages.

"You really are a wonderful father," one respondent remarked. "You had the foresight to sit with your beautiful son and explain to him, the situation that took place today with President Biden m and n Vice President Harris. I n applaud you my dear friend. 👍😘❤️🧡💛💚💙💜👍"

"This would be a good moment to mention all the countries who have had women leaders," one person noted.

"It's time we had a woman," another posted. "Especially a very smart woman like Harris".

"This is so precious. What a beautiful family xoxo," one person cooed.

The comments thread was, predictably, also littered with misogynistic comments. One troll called Elder a "Beta !!!", a term of contempt used by some on the fringe right for a man viewed as insufficiently masculine. A second said, "Don't turn your boy into a beta male!"

Another responded to the video's theme of there never having been a woman U.S. president with, "Please let's keep it that way".

Others bypassed how Elder had explained that a candidate's gender is less important than their ability to do the job.

"Are you teaching your son the vote for her based solely on the fact that she's a woman?" one respondent scrawled. "You're willing to sacrifice his future to virtue signal to the world?"

"Next level irresponsible," another scoffed. "You vote for a candidate based on policy, position, and competency. Not on the color of their skin, or their gender."

Which was, after all, the point Elder was making.