Michelle Obama Remarks Stir Controversy

Newsday:

Here's a quote from Michelle Obama, via the Globe and Politico, that seems to have trouble written all over it:

"For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country," she told a Milwaukee crowd today, "because it feels like hope is making a comeback."

A lot of Republicans, and Democrats, and Independents will be surprised to learn that pre-Obama, there was no reason to be proud of America. Probably she didn't mean that. But what did she mean?

Read the whole story: Newsday

Comments

[slaphappyinannapolis]

Macaca.

[MajorKong]

Just thought I'd point out that Cindy is John McCain's second wife. She's not the woman who raised his children while he was in a POW camp.

[PuffAndStuff]

Curiously I wonder where that woman, the first wife, is today?

After he traded her in for a new, much younger model when he got back home there has got to be at least just a bit of hard feelings there. Not to mention how the the "morals" crowd of the GOP must think of this: I mean what a very un"family-values" type thing to do.

[ceasenake]

Sitting in a POW camp for 5+ years might put a few strains on a marriage, it would put most people through some changes.

[brushfinch]

I agree with Michelle Obama. I have not been proud of my country for many years: we have started a disastrous war, created Guantanamo,we have engaged in torture, sent our jobs abroad in the nameof profit, let our healthcare and education system deteriorate, etc. But I love my country and care for it deeply..so I have not left it,and I will work to change it...There is a big difference between love and pride, and people seem to miss it!!

[slr51]

Do McCain's people really want us to start comparing Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama? Wow!

One is a pill popping thief who steals from charities she is entrusted to lead, and was a home wrecker who moved in on a mother with disabilities.

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1994-09-08/news/opiate-for-the-mrs/full
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDF1439F934A15751C0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

The other is a self made high achiever with incredible class and dignity.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/221458,CST-NWS-mich21.article

Those fools really should back down on this one. It would be best to put Cindy back into the closet and bring her out only to stand a pace or two behind her hubby smiling blandly.

[TruEngineHearing]

That hits it on the head for me.

Cyndie McCain should make no statements whatsoever. She is so outclassed by Michelle that it wouldn't be prudent for her to put it all out there for voters to see and consider.

[ceasenake]

"The other is a self made high achiever with incredible class and dignity." - who proclaims she had not found any reason to be proud of her country in 26 years until her husband wins a few primaries.

Fine if she wants to skulk around the corprate offices of a law firm somewhere, but not fine for the peoples' white house.

[OETKB]

I am going to parse words here with apologies to Sen Clinton. The phrase was "really proud." This means more proud than usual. She was clearly moved by the display of unity behind a candidate, her husband, who only by an accident of birth comes from a group unfairly marginalized from the mainstreams of American political and economic life. Michelle Obama expressed her intense feelings over that moment.

Shame on Cindy McCain for denigrating, no matter how tactical, for not recognizing this. The Republican party has again shown its streak of racism and it should not be tolerated(Remember Trent Lott's birthday speech for Strom Thurmond). Since the Arizona Senator's wife did respond, where was the follow up by reporters to find out what she exactly meant by her repost. Are we proud of our country's history of racial divide in this country? Give me a break.

[sparkandy]

I think the remark was poorly considered, but I didn't construe it as particularly racist. However, now that I've read your posting, I may have to reconsider just how racist Michelle Obama really is. Thanks for the thump in the head that made me pay closer attention.

[OETKB]

Nice try but no cigar. So what was Cindy McCain's point?

[imsosure]

I hope she says some more things too. What they are trying for is a constitutionally run presidency not more of the same old crap.

[Susan1968]

If you think the media will drop this you're wrong.

A young Hillary said (during Bill's first run for prez) she wouldn't stay home and bake cookies. The right wing came out swinging, "She's insulting stay-at-home Moms!"

Fast-forward, conservatives on TV and radio are screaming, "Michelle wasn't proud of America until her husband started winning votes!"

This is serious stuff to a lot of people in this country, and its got media legs now.

[sparkandy]

It's one of those things that will sicken those who either don't support Obama or are still up in the air about him. In no way will this effect his supporters, who are in the bazillions. We should just consider the source, and move on.

[veracal]

So what, Obama has run a masterful campaign and Michelle's ooops moment will be repeatedly addressed in the coming months. As I and many other posters have already mentioned Cindy McCain has many skeletons rattling in her closet and cannot afford to say much about Michelle Obama.

Also, many people do not like when spouses get bashed. It is seen as unfair piling on. The McCains must be subtle about this (as they were last night). They must know that if Michelle is fair game, then so is Cindy.

My guess, it's only a huge issue to FOX and their viewers...­people who were not going to vote for Obama anyway.

[KidMeNot]

Repugs love to run against women..If Hillary doesn't win the nomination, the next best thing is to try to turn Michelle Obama into the target of their hate. She needs to be very careful. However, these kind of attacks didn't work against Bill Clinton in 1992 and it won't work against Obama.

[Silpat]

Bill and Michelle have a lot in common, they are both starved for attention.

[PuffAndStuff]

Bill and Teresa Heinz-Kerry have a lot in that regard. But Michelle Obama? .. I disagree ..

I sincerely doubt that she would ever have selected politics as her own career and in fact, I don't get the impression that she seeks the spotlight personally at all. In many ways I see her as the reluctant politician's spouse. Though, she clearly loves her husband and would naturally support him in his chosen career. Since she is typically a very good and effective speaker, as well as an intellegent, educated, and accomplished individual in her own right, her support/help to him is pinch-hitting during his campaigning.

I don't think this is anything different than most politician's spouses, it's just that some are more effective than others and Michelle is typically on the 'more effective' end of that scale.

Where, I think, it can get a bit dicey -- she's clearly been assigned the 'appeal to the black voters' role. And when she is speaking with that in mind, intentionally reaching out the African-American voting base, she's speaking in terms that are directed to 'touch' them -- not necessarily whites or other groups, and these others may (and unfortunately, *do*) misinterpret her words.

[dajay]

Bill is starved for attention. He was the president of the US, he can hardly be compared to Michele OBama or T. Kerry.

What are you people talking aobut? REJECTS

[homovivens]

The media has mountaineered (based on 'electioneered') a Michelle out of a molehill. This is the second attempted "coup de vocable" against Obama (in matrimoniam, Michelle) in this weeks' news cycle. (The other -- a ludicrous charge of a two-word plagiarism).

A little math might clear things up: from Michelle's 44 years, subtract 4 years of Bush, Sr.; minus 8 years of Clinton; minus 8 years of Bush, Jr. Her comment, "For the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is making a comeback," would be just about right (early 20's), and if your allowed to handicap an additional 8 years of Bush, Sr. as VP, Michelle would have been 16.

Michelle's words reflect the zeitgeist that is looking beyond dynastic duos and two tired families.

[AnotherTry]

Sorry, but America and Americans have done a lot to be proud of as well as a lot to be ashamed of.

This quote will come back for the general. Obama, still not ready for primetime no matter how much the MSM tells me he is.

[uheardme]

Only dumb and bored people care about this quote. This "who is more patriotic than who" is some manufactured frivolous rightwing bullshit. I guess it's too difficult to talk about Pakistan, national security, trade, and the banking crisis.

[researcher]

bet mc cain is so proud of all those women and children he bombed in that other illegal war called vietnam.

most americans are war mongers for calling this guy a hero. bet the germans called their soldiers heros for bombing women and children in london and russia. wanna bet.

nationalism has killed more people in the history of the world and with the muslims many are still in a tribal mentality.

ignorance abounds in the world.

[Susan1968]

McCain wasn't bombing anyone while he was being tortured by Viet Cong captors for the years he was imprisoned.

I'm not crazy about McCain either, but if Obama supporters start insulting our miltary, you WILL lose Texas and Ohio.

[hiriumi]

So what? This is so non-issue.

[FdeBear]

I heard her speech and felt such pride in her statement! I am excited about the possibility of her being First Lady. One in the tradition of an Eleanor Roosevelt. Not some empty-eyed Stepford wife or a lying political hussy biting her lips and doping up in secret. As a black woman of accomplishment myself, I can tell the same story of being dismissed, erased, relegated to the back of the bus.My belly was split open by lynch mobs in the south. My mama warned me about this as I was growing up.Finally - someone who can truely speak to my experience. It's a dream come true. I'm so sick of empty platitudes and historical anmesia. Americans want to be so selective about our history. They don't want to be held accountable for it. Fact: this country has been a mean to place for black women. Inspite of that we were among the first to die in Iraq, among the first prisoners of war (an army cook that white men disparagingly called Sargeant Aunt Jemima), have led countless souls to freedom, have given our lives and children because we have hope that that would make our lives better. Michelle expects to get trashed. That's what it takes and damnit we have to take it because Americans are dillusional. They obsessivly deny the pain and suffering caused by our stupidity and arrogance as a nation. She has my full support. She is my sister. She's everything I am - and she looks good too. So what are you going to do to me that you haven't done already, America. I AM NOT OPRAH. I AM NOT CONDI I AM NOT SOME ENTERTAINING LITTLE NEGRO GIRL. I am a courageous and honest woman. The nappy-headed 'ho who faced the mob to go to school in Little Rock, wins at Wimbelton, Marian Anderson, Fannie Lou Hammer and the girl trying to clothe her family at the dollar store. SO RIGHT ON MICHELLE. tell it like it is! They'll never get use to it, but do it any way. God bless you.

[uheardme]

Great post.

[Ginzaman]

Where do I start with this? First, what did she say? For the first time, I'm proud of my country because it feels like hope is coming back.

Now, please explain to me how this is in any way offensive, racist, homophobic, socialist, evil, blah blah blah. Instead, this proves how f****d up the whole system is.

The only reason the neocon MSM is spinning this to the max is because they're ultimate dream of Hillary willing is over. These drug company, HMO and defense industry CEO's will never publically acknowledge this. But damnit, these rich (mostly white people) have put a lot of money into Hillary. So they will fight to save their investment.

Meanwhile, all neocon people of color "commentators" who criticize Michelle Obama should be embarassed, apologize and then fired. If she's so "unpatriotic", then doesn't that means that all of Obama's supporters are "unpatriotic" as well? No. It means that these media hacks will do and say anything for a check. They're so desperate that they'll deliberately spin the hell of out anything to create "debate." What do I care? Screw the audience. Nobody's gonna do s**t to me. We can do and say anything we please.

What are you gonna do when Obama wins and you have to put up with her as First Lady for 4 YEARS?

[Chacha]

I really wish that Michelle Obama keeps a low profile now. She was needed early in the primaries to highlight the 'blackness' of the light skinned Obama. Now she can do only damage to Obama's candidacy with her frank and not carefully thought out remarks.

[FdeBear]

Chacha: Why are you and others like you so obsessed with Obama's so-called biracial background. Don't you know all black people in this country are mixed-race? Does it matter whether your parent came from Africa 45 years ago or 200 years ago? Is it significant now whether you are a mulatto, quadroon or octoroon? (if you don't know the meaning of these terms, take a history class). It's a tactic being use to try to distance Obama from the African-American community: he's smart and appealing so he can't possibly be black - its the white part showing. It's not working. I'm the same color as Michelle and like Barak, I still have trouble getting a cab. Your remarks are goofy..

[iswearington]

get em fdebear. since 1776 americans have voted a white man into the oval office in each and every election.h­as any white person ever asked him or herself how they would feel if for their entire lives..onl­y black men were allowed to be president? what is wrong with you people. this nation was built predominantly on the blood sweat tears and dead bodies of black africans.s­lavery was the biggest industry and source of wealth in the entire nation at the advent of the civil war. then after the slaves were freed they were kept under racist bondage until this very day.to add insult to injury...w­ave after wave and boatload after boat load of racist immigrants were allowed into this country and sent to the head of the line in front of us.were it not for our sacrifice.­..either voluntary or involuntar­y...they would have had no asylum to come to.one need only look at the irish ...italian and russian and the batista mafia and somosa gangs that castro drove out of cuba...and who now infest american politics like cankerworm­s...voting against the hopes of blacks and the poor in every election..­.just because castro put and end to their corrupt lifestyles. without their criminal excesses..­.there would never have been a castro or communism in cuba nor the 50 year enslavement of those who could not escape.to understand what michelle meant...kn­ow your history...­for christsake­.she was talking about blacks and whites...n­ever have much to be truly proud of.

[AnotherTry]

It matters if you support policies that would have made it illegal for your interracial parents to marry.

Snap!

[TheScarletPimpernel]

wont she make a great first lady...Pre­sident Obama would be the first President pussy wipped by a maxist America hating wife..I cant wait.

[FdeBear]

You wish you had it so good. You betray your nome de plum. The Scarlet Pimp was gallant and respectful of women. Obviously you're far from that.