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

[rwe]

Stop beating up on Michelle for a typical prograssive America hating comment ... She heard it from another lib first and then said it

[johnv]

I don't know what it is, but something about Cindy McCain creeps me the hell out.

[TERRYKEITH4]

LOL! johnv. I knew it was something about her too, but I couldn't describe it.

[urbanscorpio88]

There's something Stepford-esque about her. Its weird

[Silpat]

Honestly, we all know that America has been much more accepting and generous towards those who look like the Cindy McCain, more so than Michelle Obama.

It is disingenuous for any American to dismiss the plight of African-Americans in America, and it is disgusting to think that people would dismiss it for political gain. I have news for Hillary's camp, this really is not the way to convince African-Americans to vote for her now or in the future.

[newpotusplease]

Cindy McCain - former addict heiress of a brewery.
Michelle Obama - accomplished attorney.
You pick.
Michelle said it was the first time she was REALLY proud-NOT the first time she was ever proud - ding dongs-- hello idiots... get a clue!

[leahlex]

Cindy McCain is too good and too smart for Michelle Obama.

[youthrewaspark]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!! OH MY GOD, THIS IS AMAZING! LMFAO!!!!!!!!!

[GenXLiberal]

Cindy MCCain is a coward like her husband. She never defended her daughter against those awful rumors in the 2000 SC primary. Clearly she can't do the right thing and tell Rove and Company to F-Off.Now she is going even deeper to the gutters with this nationalist bs we heard back in the lead up to the Iraq war. Cindy and the GOP crap on our flag every day! We hold our heads in shame to them!

[wolf58]

Ever noticed that ever since GW Bush and his GOP lap dogs took charge that free speech is a thing of the past. You can speak freely but only if you speak the words they want to hear. I guess that s just another thing we should be proud of. Fuck em all

[mrcontinental]

Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers the individual subordinate to the interests of the state, party or society as a whole. Fascists seek to forge a type of national unity, usually based on (but not limited to) ethnic, cultural, racial, religious attributes. Various scholars attribute different characteristics to fascism, but the following elements are usually seen as its integral parts: patriotism, nationalism, statism, militarism, totalitarianism, anti-communism, corporatism, populism, collectivism, autocracy and opposition to political and economic liberalism.

Sound like anyone you know? We are only a heartbeat away. Just read some of these ridiculous post from these "patriots" here over what should be a none issue.

[mrcontinental]

More for you patriots to be proud of. What have you done for me lately?

http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts02182008.html

[ceasenake]

I listened carefully to both versions of the speech and on the second version I heard a distinct loud - POP. That was the sound of Michelle pulling her head out of her ass and realizing that most Americans do not agree that there has been nothing to be proud of in America for the past 35 years - except for her husband winning some primaries.

[newpotusplease]

Cindy McCain - former addict heiress of a brewery.Michelle Obama - accomplished attorney.You pick.Michelle said it was the first time she was REALLY proud-NOT the first time she was ever proud - ding dongs-- hello idiots... get a clue!

[DoninJoisey]

I just learned there were TWO speeches - one with "really", one without.
I think she should come out and say the speech should have had "really" in it both times.

[JadedAggie]

She's 44 years old. I wasn't aware somebody became an adult at age 9. Sheesh if you are going to take it literally and out of context and least pay attention to it.

[ceasenake]

Okay, as you wish - the past 26 years.

[plutorage]

Color me stupid but I thought her reference to "first time I have been proud of my country" refered to the subject matter she was talking about which I think was about americans embracing change.

I'm sure Michelle wasnt embarassed when Michael Jordan brought home the gold from the olympics with the dream team.

I'm sure Michelle can list any number of achievements that made her proud of her country.

I guess this episode will teach her that repubs will jump on anything and twist it to their purposes.

[atlantajoe]

What change does she embrace, more socialism?
The change we need is for the bed wetters to shut up and get a job. Obama states his experiance as a community organizer, so what.
Anybody can go into a poor neighborhood and rile people up with retoric. Why are the people he has been organizing still unhappy and poor and living in gettos.

[iPolitics]

This just reminds me how little the critics have to go after Obama with. This is the best the Clinton machine can come up with? He's better than I thought

[preatorius]

Of course McCain and Hillary Clinton have always been proud of their country. Their ancestors were not enslaved, subjected to segregation in schools, denied jobs, the right to buy homes, lynched and burned, communities burned, wives and daughters raped, families torn apart and babies sold to the highest bidder.

The history for Michelle Obama's family has been very different than that of Clinton and McCain. Clinton and McCain are proud to flaunt their priveledge!

It is a wonderful thing, that Obama has made so many people feel that they can be part of the process, and that they too can have the American Dream!

[PortiaElizabeth]

Obama's ancestors on his mother's side were slave owners, and his father came from Africa. Does that mean he doesn't understand either?

[AceInTheHole]

I have to concur with your valid obsevation , that Mrs. Obama and most blacks have not had to many things to feel proud of in this their county. And after the past almost 8 years of political chacanery and hubris debauchery, most white people with a thought process higher than a moron, can say the same thing! And in general, loyal Americans of all stripes have not had lot to feel proud about. Hopefully this election will change that predicament. People are just sick and tired of being devided and manipulated and treated like dupes, just so a few miscreants could prosper vulgarly to the point of profanity on their backs. I look forward to hearing more from Mrs. Obama because I'm sure she won't hesitate to tell it like it is and that will be refreshing and very unusal and interesting, in these times where lies are far more commonly told than the truth is.

[degjack]

She's referring to a lot of things wrong in America that we all know about and black people like Michelle know about in greater depth. To pretend otherwise is to bury your head in the sand once again as we are so adept at in this country. Race is the hot potato we simply CANNOT, WILL NOT, MUST NOT, EVER EVER EVER open up and discuss. Peoples feelings will get bruised after all. She touched on that nerve in this statement and this country had convulsions, literally went into a collective hissy fit. I hope she touches on the subject over and over again; I hope she rams it down our throats; I hope she slings it around the room until it smacks everybody in the head. It's time to grow in this country. The Obamas are talking "change" and I hope they mean it.

[lefilmnoir]

Cindy McCain has led a charmed life with her massive inherited wealth from her Bootlegger Daddy ... and now she's jumping on a cheap bandwagon.

And why do I think Billary and their minions are fanning the flames all over this story?

[PortiaElizabeth]

Ah, I wondered how Hillary would get blamed for Michelle's big mouth.
If you own a Rottweiler, you should know to keep it on a leash.

[jimmyjones22]

So, uh, michelle obama is running for president, right?

so this actually means something...?

[democraticjack]

"Words do matter" - Barack Obama

[youthrewaspark]

Yes. As do the critical-thinking skills of those to whom the words are spoken.

[GeoLee]

I may not have always been proud of my government (more often not), but overlooking how the people of the country came together to help each other after the Oklahoma City bombing, the 9/11 devastation, the hurricanes in the south, particularly Katrina, the Greensburg and other tornadoes, the Tsunami, the tragedies at Virginia Tech, NIU, Columbine, the U.S. Hockey team's Olympic victory and other good fortunes and major disasters. I have found much for which as a citizen I could be proud. As for Michelle Obama, get used to it. If she becomes First Lady, I think she will make lots of statements that will, shall I say, challenge the status quo for First Ladies. Some will be good, others not so much. Although some of her bluntness is refreshing, this smart, well educated lady may torpedo things unknowingly. Common sense and brilliant minds are not always equal in people. In a few years or months, she may be the target of all the hostility her supporters have tossed Hillary's way along with the right wing group that has done it for 17 years. We can pretty much bet the latter group is developing talking points about her as you read this. September -November is not going to be a pleasant time in America...she may not have quite the teflon coat her husband does because she is so much more confrontive than he. Many times in my lifetime I have witnessed the overwhelming generosity and goodness of the American people, no matter what race, creed, religion and been brought to tears by it. I am so sorry that Michelle Obama can only find that feeling by her husband's presidential race. It must be either a very inward turning life or one in which she has been way to busy to stop and smell the flowers...or else it is another comment that brings race back into the forefront as if to say as a black woman I have not felt this much acceptance before.

[GeoLee]

Perhaps both spouses of both Democratic candidates should just zip it up so they don't get the right wing much more stirred up and out to vote in November. The division between the democrat candidates is already going to tamper down votes no matter which one wins...we don't need spouses tamping down more, thank you.

[preatorius]

Michelle is proud, because Americans have shown that they can come together for change. You may not know this, but America has not always treated Asians, African, Hiispanics and Native Americans well.

Of course McCain and Hillary Clinton have always been proud of their country. Their ancestors were not enslaved, subjected to segregation in schools, denied jobs, the right to buy homes, lynched and burned, communities burned, wives and daughters raped, families torn apart and babies sold to the highest bidder.

The history for Michelle Obama's family has been very different than that of Clinton and McCain. Clinton and McCain are proud to flaunt their priveledge!

It is a wonderful thing, that Obama has made so many people feel that they can be part of the process, and that they too can have the American Dream!

[wndrwrthg]

Got news for you, america has not always treated whites well. Just depends on where you are.

[AceInTheHole]

I think Mrs. Obama is proud because evidently, the American people have shown that they are fed up with all of the BS that they have been fed in the last 8 years and are not willing to take much more of it and are willing to vote for a black man because of the content of his character and his ability to inspire them to stand up for themselves against political and financial injustice, to help themselves overcome this injustice.

History has shown us, that it takes great men to make great changes in the world and America learned from Dr.King, who showed us that greatness can be found in men of color, as well as white men. And with all due respect, there has been no better time in the history of America, to be thankful for our diversity.
GO DEMOCRATS - GO OBAMA

[priorzola]

What she might have meant to say is that if the American electorate chooses to make either a woman or an African-American man President it would be the first progressive act that the US has performed in nearly 40 years. The last truly impressive commendable thing that America (working as one) has achieved is quite possibly the moon launch and I am not even old enough to remember that moment.

In the past three decades, the second that a President or our federal government tries to do something even remotely progressive, special interests who do not want change step in to stop it or water it down. Still, electing one of two bought and paid for Democratic moderates (no matter their gender or race) would, in the end, only be a token progressive gesture. Truly progressive policies would lead to an outcry by the powers that be, the same people who make huge campaign contributions to both Clinton and Obama. If either of them feel the need, once elected, to step away from the influence that huge corporate donations tend to lead toward and actually are capable of sending America on a path of true independence (from regional foreign quagmires that have nothing to do with us and economic policies that only embolden the very wealthy) then that would something to be proud of. A token gesture means little without it leading to substantial change.

[GeoLee]

By the way, I was also proud of my country when they voted in 2006 for Democrats to take back the houses of Congress. Also I have been told over and over recently that "words count" by Senator Obama. Why should this be an exception? "Just words?"

footnote: words from Deval Patrick and Barack Obama spoken in 2006, 2008 and who knows when else. Authorship unable to verify.

[PortiaElizabeth]

priorzola, it's noble of you to try to explain what she "might have meant to say", but this woman wants to be an unofficial ambassador for this nation as First Lady. She's an attorney, for heaven's sake! She makes her living by words and their nuances. She had better learn how to say what she means or keep her mouth shut.

[iPolitics]

The McCains attacked Mrs. Obama today after complaining that Romney went negative in the Republican primary. If I'm Obama I take the gloves off and destroy McCain in the general election. He supports a policy that led to the death of 4,000 American soldiers and he'll allow more to die there over the next 100 years.