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How Kellyanne Conway sits on a couch shouldn't matter.

"Does Seeing President Obama's Foot on the Oval Office Desk Make Your Blood Boil?" reads a September 2013 headline at The Blaze, Glenn Beck's website.

Conservative sites like Twitchy, Drudge Report, and others joined in, with some accusing Barack Obama of desecrating the Resolute desk. In many conservative circles, this photo was seen as proof that Obama didn't have respect for the Oval Office. As Joe Biden would have said, it was a BFD.

Official White House photo by Pete Souza.

On Monday, a photo of President Donald Trump's adviser, Kellyanne Conway, sitting with her feet on one of the office's couches sparked its own bit of decorum-related controversy.

And yeah, while putting your feet (and shoes) on a couch is something generally frowned upon by parents nationwide (sorry, Mom), is it really that important?

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP.

There's a lot of hypocrisy and selective outrage in the world of partisan politics. There's nothing new about that, and it's (unfortunately) not going away anytime soon.

Some of the same people who saw fault with Obama's foot on the desk had no problem when past presidents put their feet on the desk and have no problem with Conway putting her feet on the couch.

President George H.W. Bush in 1990. Photo by Carol T. Powers/picture-alliance/dpa/AP.

On the flip side, people who rushed to defend Obama's right to put his feet on the desk are indignant over the photo of Conway on the couch.

So what's this really about? Is the outrage really about Oval Office decorum?

No. Of course not. How Obama or Trump or Bush or Conway choose to sit in the Oval Office is meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Context, however, does matter. A lot of the outrage over Conway's photo didn't stem solely from the fact that she had her feet on the couch but the situation in which she did it. As part of an administration with a less-than-stellar record on race and open support from white nationalists, maybe the president's meeting with leaders of some of the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities wasn't the ideal occasion for Conway to strike an informal pose.

— (@)

But maybe instead of getting worked up about the little things — like whether or not an elected official wears an American flag pin or what type of food they eat (Obama's "fancy burger" or Trump's well-done steak with ketchup), maybe we should focus our energy on some of the other things that happen behind those closed doors.

Let's take some of the energy we put into being shocked about the White House furniture and refocus it on the bills and executive orders being signed by the president.

Whether it's Trump reinstating the harmful anti-abortion "Mexico City" policy, ordering the building of a southern border wall, or gutting safety regulations, the most important things we need to pay attention to in the White House have nothing to do with chairs or desks but rather pens and paper.

Photo by Ron Sachs - Pool/Getty Images.

So go ahead, Mr. President. Put your feet up if you'd like. History won't judge you by whether or not you scuffed the desk but by how you affected the lives of the more than 300 million Americans you govern.

Photo by Andrew Harrer - Pool/Getty Images.

Trump won. Now what?

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

President-elect Trump ran a campaign of exclusion and fear. So until he shows us otherwise, it's smart to hope for the best but expect the worst when it comes to his governing style.

But there is some ... good news. There are 70 full days between noon Eastern time today, Nov. 10, 2016, and noon on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, 2017.

If Trump intends to act on any or all of the promises he made in the past 18 months, there are a few things you and your family might want to do now to prepare for a Trump presidency.

Here they are:

1. If you're working or living in this country on a visa, work permit, or outdated passport, know the status of your documents.

Photo by Rhona Wise/AFP/Getty Images.

Trump campaigned on building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and didn't rule out mass deportations. As news of his election spread, uncertainty and fear took over.

"They are crying in despair," immigrant advocate Gaby Pacheco wrote in a Facebook post. "To those who voted for Trump, know that you have put a target on our backs."

Before Trump makes any sweeping changes to immigration policy, make sure you and your family secure or renew your work permits or visas as needed.

Also, if you're transgender, take this time to secure or renew your passport in your correct gender. That may be very difficult to do under the new administration.

2. Talk to your health care provider about birth control options that will outlast a Trump presidency.

Image via iStock.

Under the Obama administration, Congress worked tirelessly to defund Planned Parenthood and push abstinence-only sex education. With Obama in the Oval Office, their plans stopped cold. He even delivered on free birth control. But that may change.

Abortion providers and reproductive justice organizations remained optimistic in the wake of the news. “He’s not the first Republican president who has wanted to overturn Roe," National Abortion Federation President Vicki Saporta told BuzzFeed News. "Ronald Regan and the two Bushes did, and none of them were successful.”

Even so, if Trump rolls back Obamacare or cuts funding to Planned Parenthood and other community health organizations, many women and families could be left without affordable contraception options. If you're currently taking birth control, talk to your health care provider about options for reversible, long-term birth control like implants or intra-uterine devices. Depending on your plan, or lack thereof, these options may be available for free or a reduced cost.

3. Get loud and serious about climate change.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.

We're about to have a president who thinks global warming is a hoax.

Just one day after the election, stock in the world's largest manufacturer of wind turbines plummeted. The future of green jobs, much-needed regulation, and tough policy looks bleak.

But we can do a lot in 70 days and after that. It's time to get loud. We need to stand by our experts, our academics, our Leonardo DiCaprios and make this the issue of our day. Because it is. In the interim, make small changes around your home and re-think the way you eat, shop, and travel. Small changes can add up, and in the wake of sweeping change, it's all we've got.

4. Support organizations making all of these things possible with your time, energy, or dollars.

Image via iStock.

Helping new residents and undocumented families, protecting reproductive rights, and funding green innovations isn't often easy or cheap. There are people and organizations working hard to do all of these things and much, much more. But these organizations can't persist without support.

Step up to the plate and volunteer. If you have the capacity to do so, contribute money or in-kind donations. Tweet, talk-up, and share the brilliant work these organizations do so those in need can find these valuable resources.

5. Embrace kindness.

Support people who don't feel at home in Trump's America.

Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images.

This one isn't just for the next 70 days; it's forever.

Trump succeeded because he used hate and fear to divide and activate the electorate. He was openly hostile to Latinos, Muslims, blacks, the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities. And while that worked for his campaign, that's no way to run a country. All of us dedicated to goodness, truth, and kindness need to stand together and stand up to white supremacy, misogyny, and discrimination.

Let's stand together, no matter what. Embrace kindness. Listen to and uplift underrepresented voices. Don't look to Canada; look right here. Let's make the country we want. Bigotry will not win the day.

We have — at most — 70 days before Obama hands the White House over to Trump.

But we have a lifetime to work toward a common goal: creating a nation and government that works for all of us.

It starts today.

In just his third time addressing the country from the Oval Office, Obama set out to calm a country on edge.

On Sunday night, President Obama addressed the nation to discuss last week's attack in San Bernardino and the broader threat of terrorism. In his 13-minute prepared remarks, the president outlined the administration's ongoing strategy to take on ISIS.

"As commander-in-chief, I have no greater responsibility than to the safety of the American people."

But what stood out most in his speech was the amount of time the president dedicated to reinforcing one of the most core American values: religious freedom. While both the husband and wife who carried out the San Bernardino terrorist attacks were Muslim, the president urged the American people to resist the urge to ascribe the motivations of the attackers to Muslim-Americans as a whole.

In the first half of tonight's speech, President Obama unveiled a four-point plan to fight terrorism, but what he said after that was just as important. Photo by Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images.

His message was especially important since anti-Islam rhetoric has grown increasingly hostile after the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino.

And it seems to be having a very real and dangerous effect.

Since the Paris attacks, the rate at which London Muslims have been physically attacked has tripled.

Last month, armed "protesters" began keeping watch outside an Irving, Texas, Islamic Center, with the goal of stopping the "Islamization of America."

On Friday, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., urged students to arm themselves so that they may "end those Muslims."

The truth, however, is that whatever ideology the attackers in Paris or San Bernardino subscribed to, it's not that of mainstream Muslims. Wrongly painting all Muslims as "terrorists" puts innocent lives at risk. It's important to not paint with too broad a brush, especially given the outpouring of support the Muslim community has shown for victims and their families.

Three Muslim women arrive at a candlelight vigil held at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino. Photo: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

This speech was a big deal. The Oval Office is typically reserved for only the most serious matters of national unity.

It's been the setting for huge moments in our history. It's where President Reagan discussed the Challenger disaster, where President Kennedy called on Congress to pass what would become the Civil Rights Act. This was only the third time President Obama addressed the nation from the Oval Office — the other two times in 2010 to discuss the BP oil spill and to announce the end of combat operations in Iraq.

That's how essential the topic of Sunday's speech was.

Oval Office addresses have been a rarity, especially during Obama's presidency. Photo by Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images.

It's an important conversation to have. Here are the best moments from the president's speech.

On religious freedom:

After the attacks in Paris, some politicians floated the idea that the U.S. should turn away Muslim refugees. The president publicly opposed that idea, and he renewed that sentiment again.

On the San Bernardino shooting:

While the president stressed that there's no indication the perpetrators of the San Bernardino shootings had any formal ties to terrorist organizations, they are terrorists, and what they did was an act of terrorism.

On gun control:

Prior to the San Bernardino attacks, the president called on Congress to block people on the terrorism watch list from purchasing guns. During his speech, he renewed that call. Last week, the Senate blocked that move.

On American values:

"The values that we are fighting against ISIL for are precisely that we don't discriminate against people because of their faith," Obama said after last month's attacks in Paris. "We don't kill people because they're different than us.

That's what separates us from them. And we don't feed that kind of notion that somehow Christians and Muslims are at war."

We need to be strong, and we cannot give in to fear.

oval office

A viral photo of Kellyanne Conway sparks a debate about respect in the Oval Office.

How Kellyanne Conway sits on a couch shouldn't matter.

"Does Seeing President Obama's Foot on the Oval Office Desk Make Your Blood Boil?" reads a September 2013 headline at The Blaze, Glenn Beck's website.

On Monday, a photo of President Donald Trump's adviser, Kellyanne Conway, sitting with her feet on one of the office's couches sparked its own bit of decorum-related controversy.

Let's take some of the energy we put into being shocked about the White House furniture and refocus it on the bills and executive orders being signed by the president.

When Trump takes office in 70 days, the risk begins. Here's how you can take control now.

Trump won. Now what?

But there is some ... good news. There are 70 full days between noon Eastern time today, Nov. 10, 2016, and noon on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, 2017.

1. If you're working or living in this country on a visa, work permit, or outdated passport, know the status of your documents.

2. Talk to your health care provider about birth control options that will outlast a Trump presidency.

3. Get loud and serious about climate change.

4. Support organizations making all of these things possible with your time, energy, or dollars.

5. Embrace kindness.

We have — at most — 70 days before Obama hands the White House over to Trump.

In a special Oval Office address, President Obama laid out how to fight terrorism, with freedom.

In just his third time addressing the country from the Oval Office, Obama set out to calm a country on edge.

"As commander-in-chief, I have no greater responsibility than to the safety of the American people."

His message was especially important since anti-Islam rhetoric has grown increasingly hostile after the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino.

This speech was a big deal. The Oval Office is typically reserved for only the most serious matters of national unity.

It's an important conversation to have. Here are the best moments from the president's speech.

You can watch President Obama's full address below.

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