Michelle Obama: "Don't Go Into Corporate America"

National Review:

I have a new story today about Michelle Obama's visit to Zanesville, Ohio, where she met with a group of women at a local day care center. According to the U.S. Census, Muskingum County, where Zanesville is located, had a median household income of $37,192 in 2004, below both the Ohio and national averages. Just 12.2 percent of adults in the county have a bachelor's degree or higher, also well below the state and national averages. About 20 percent don't have a high school degree. Nevertheless, Mrs. Obama urged them to foreswear lucrative professions like corporate law or hedge fund management and go into the helping industry, even if the sacrifice is great:

As she has many times in the past, Mrs. Obama complains about the lasting burden of student loans dating from her days at Princeton and Harvard Law School. She talks about people who end up taking years and years, until middle age, to pay off their debts. "The salaries don't keep up with the cost of paying off the debt, so you're in your 40s, still paying off your debt at a time when you have to save for your kids," she says.

Read the whole story: National Review

Comments

[EspritDeVoltaire]

08:20 AM on 03/02/2008

It has become abundantly clear that the line of attack the Right wingnuts will take against Obama is not his race or middle name, but his wife. Unfortunately, she has not perceived the consequences of her comments being taken out of context and distorted.

In a country whose primary thrust in education is boosterism of the godliness of the nation, she will be far too easy a target. The majority of the people in this country bristle at any suggestion that America might not excrete ice cream and pee lemonade.

[thinkb4uleap]

09:57 AM on 03/02/2008

Esprit...,

I agree that Michelle Obama's comments are likely to be exploited for political leverage, independent of intent or context. Some may advise a more judicious attention to her choice of words and phrasings, but now that she has been established by the "press" as a lightning-rod campaign figure, I believe almost anything she says is likely to be distorted for headline purposes or political gain.

Such intellectual dishonesty is what I find most unsettling about our political process. One reason I have warmed up to Barack Obama is that I see little of this form of political strategy used by his campaign.

[texanna]

10:53 AM on 03/02/2008

Espirit, you're kidding, right? You seriously think that the Obama camp had NOTHING to do with all that racism stuff in the media when the primaries were in the Deep South? He is as much a politico as any other candidate.

[CheshireCat2]

06:39 PM on 03/02/2008

Espirit, OH Paaahleeeze already. I might be one of the "right wing nuts" you speak of but this lady needs to take a vacation with Bill Clinton, so both candidates can run their "own" campaign. I grew up in an inner city environment and this lady has HUGE race issues. I can see it from here and I am on the West Coast. She is going to wreck it for her husband.........Michelle Obama.....Hillary's best friend.

[thinkb4uleap]

06:05 AM on 03/02/2008

It is very interesting how the author of this article took great pains to cut and paste Michelle Obama's comments in a manner consistent with their obvious bias. I would be interested to hear/read the full context of her statements. I venture that they would differ considerably with the authors conclusions and assumptions.

There seems to me to be a growing effort by the "press" and others to seize on Michelle Obama's and others campaign comments, however benign, and make political hay out of them. If her words are indeed used out of context, I find this practice of intellectual dishonesty particularly loathsome.

I understand that we all have our political preferences and seek to provide convincing and supportive justifications in the public discourse, but this form of dishonesty undermines the validity of one's arguments and debases the discussion.

[LDW]

07:10 AM on 03/02/2008

The fact remains that Michelle Obama is in "corporate America" so whatever she is saying, it sounds like a whole lot of 'do as I say not as I do'.

A perfect match to her husband's 'I'll say whatever will get me elected, and then do whatever I want.'

CTV has maintained that Obama's camp did contact the Canadian ambassador to tell Canada not to worry about his NAFTA remarks, which were all for show and that he didn't mean what he was saying. In other words, he's lying straight-faced to the people of Ohio.

Obama is another ‘divide and conquer’ guy masquerading as a ‘uniter’. But I guess he adoring fans think that by changing the colour of the skin of the president, somehow a miraculous transformation will happen in American politics.

Obama is sitting on both sides of the fence on:
-Gay rights, where he tells gays he’s with them, but won’t have a picture taken with Mayor Gavin Newsom, and then reassures that right-wing anti-gay movement that he’s their friend, posing with homophobe Donnie McClurkin.
-Iraq, where he’s going to get the troops out but keep funding the private security contractor army to remain.
-His anti-war position, where his anti-war speech has been on and off his website, depending on public opinion polls.
-He says he’s all for universal healthcare, but won’t endorse a system with mandated participation, thereby dooming millions of Americans to continue with no coverage.

Will the real Obama please stand up? Oh, he will. Just as Dubya did. When you’re really, truly stuck with him.

[thinkb4uleap]

09:34 AM on 03/02/2008

LDW,

Interesting perspective you have... Ponder this:

1. Is what you state true?

2. Are you certain that what you state is true?

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

02:22 AM on 03/02/2008

Don't Go Into Corporate America, just sponge off the Government. Looks like America is going to have to learn the hard way however when these people get to the White House. You people better start buying Euro's and Metals right now because the American Economy is be driving into the ground and all you can blame in The Democrats. 2010/2012 will be the greatest re-birth of the Republican Party. Oh and Al Queda seems to only target Northeast Cities anyway.

[antaeus]

02:00 AM on 03/02/2008

Obama Campaign! Are you listening? Get Mrs. Obama something quiet to do, something behind the scenes. Every time the story becomes about her it does not help. She's smart and capable, but she is too provocative for the campaign trail. Maybe she could have another baby. Mrs. Blair did. I'm sure Senator Obama would like a son. Just, for goodness sake, get her off the stage until November. Signed, Nervous Democrat

[BadChristian]

12:54 AM on 03/02/2008

She's absolutely right.

They move into low income areas and drive out the competition and the local merchants. Next thing you know they're the only ones with enough to pay anyone, and everyone in the area's been through the mill.
They're community wreckers.

[Ramirez]

10:57 AM on 03/02/2008

Right. Nothing destroys a low income neighborhood like corporate investment and job growth. Screws up everything and a year or so later you can't recognize the place.

[ResidentChimp]

12:18 AM on 03/02/2008

It demonstrates how out of touch with reality Michelle Obama is. She thinks her life of priviledge is tough. If she keeps talking like that, she will be the laughing stock on Middle America. It's no wonder that Hillary has the lower income voters for her and the African Americans a rich liberals voting for Obama.

[heywhat]

11:18 PM on 03/01/2008

I'm not a big fan of Wall Street or hedge funds but with these comments Mrs. Obama has once again proven herself to be greatly self absorbed. The Salvation Army, the Peace Corps, doctors and nurses who practice in poor communities and others of this sort are in "helping" occupations. As for how much she has to do and how much things cost, well, I think those things pale in comparison to what many mothers and fathers working two jobs and trying to provide just the basics for their families have to do and pay for.

http://strictlyanecdotal.com/2008/02/26/michelle-obama-crystallizes-my-view-point-about-the-obama-campaign.aspx

[Seattlelite]

10:51 PM on 03/01/2008

I'm speaking from experience here, when you come from humble beginnings as Michele did and go on to be successful you NEVER forget where you came from and what it's like to struggle. She didn't come from wealth she had to earn it. Her parents struggled just like most of the people she was talking to and I'm sure she hasn't forgotten how her parents struggled and what it was like to not always having what you need. So to those out here calling her fake, she has no right talking on this subject, I disagree she every right because she's been there.

[NewRiver]

11:48 PM on 03/01/2008

She's biting the hand that fed her, all for the sake of more class warfare from the left side of the aisle. Instead of carping against "Corporate America", why doesn't she try to "inspire others" and tell them how, even though she had to overcome obstacles, she's still been able to have a successful career and family. It's classic liberalism...never about how you can overcome obstacles as a positive message, always a carp about how much the system sucks and how government can "fix it".

What a bunch of hooey.

[chulanow]

05:20 AM on 03/02/2008

It's obvious from Mrs. Obamas comments that coming from humble beginnings doesn't prevent you from being self absorbed and arrogant.

Yes if you get an education you will probably have school loans to pay off. However, uncomfortable that might be it doesn't compare to the situations many adults are suffering throughout the world. Many of them are denied the privilege of going to school simply because they are females. Others are not allowed to go to school because they are not gifted with the ability to attend a public school funded by the government.

So please stop whinning and take a step back to see just how fortunate you really are to live in America, where you are afforded the luxury of an education.

[nellie]

10:38 AM on 03/02/2008

I don't even think it's necessary to step outside this country to find suffering. To me, her speech didn't make a lot of sense. Her message would have made much more powerful if she had advocated for raising the salaries of "helping professions" and lowering the cost of college. That's what's going to bring real help to average families. And to hold her own family up as an example of hardship just rings false. No matter what her childhood beginnings, she's doing well, now. She needs to express a little humility and gratitude. And stop preaching to people. Nobody needs to hear her opinion on everything.

[eddiestardust]

10:46 PM on 03/01/2008

Just another one of those rich lawyers I'm afraid!

[DavidMG]

10:43 PM on 03/01/2008

Bravo - people are entitled to have meaningful work - not dead end jobs -- I gave up the possibilty of a lucrative law career (and had no savings) to write books to help people in their lives - the result - a decent income and great satisfaction.

[Seattlelite]

10:30 PM on 03/01/2008

This women is a class act and she's "trying to be real with people" and this is what she gets for it, people calling her foul names, why because they are jealous of her. Reading some of the attacks on this post you would think the women was a serial killer or worst. She's done nothing to deserve being disrespected like this. But not to worry you morons, thanks to these kinds of attacks I'm sure she'll soon be giving the plastic phony speeches soon. Amazing some people can't accept anything other than someone blowing smoke up their ass.

[NewRiver]

11:52 PM on 03/01/2008

RE: Amazing some people can't accept anything other than someone blowing smoke up their ass.

No, what's amazing is that you can't see that she's doing exactly that...blowing smoke up people's asses. In her corporate gig in 2005 she made twice what her husband made as a US Senator. Yea, Corporate America really sucked for her, didn't it?

[zona9]

02:09 AM on 03/02/2008

There's nothing classy about dumping of other people's careers. Hard careers that required a lot of school work and determination. And, where does Queen Michelle think most of the people working for 'corporate America' came from? The middle class, of course. How dare she bash people who have worked their asses off to get where they are and make a good living for themselves? I love that she sits on many corporate boards...she's a stinking hypocrite to boot. Oh, and next time she needs a new car or drug for her sick kids, she should completely avoid evil corporate America...and pick up a pair of good shoes and let her kid's fever take it's course.

[OkieMon]

10:17 PM on 03/01/2008

why isn't obama held accountable for his racist wife whose racism is real like hillary was held accountable for bill's fairy tale racism whose racism was made up by obama and the MSM?

[martinchill]

10:23 PM on 03/01/2008

i give up.

why?

[Seattlelite]

10:33 PM on 03/01/2008

What a moron, what exactly has she said for you to call her a racists? You certainly win the idiot award on this post, "a black women is racists", I've hear it all now.

[FreedomCorpse]

08:54 PM on 03/01/2008

Michelle must have had a complete brainfart. Like anyone in Zanesville was really itching to go into hedge fund management and corporate law except perhaps the richest person in Zanesville son or daughter. Stupid

[NewRiver]

11:55 PM on 03/01/2008

Actually, I think it was an attempt at a clever left-handed jab at Shrillary and her daughter. Shrill was a corporate attorney and her daughter works for a hedge fund. Notice the key word there was "an attempt".

[jbohio]

08:27 AM on 03/02/2008

So......you offend all of the locals for the purpose of a political jab against the Clintons?
This explanation is almost worse to me than Michelle being totally unaware of what life is like in this part of Ohio.
If this was the actual purpose of these comments...

Sounds like politics as usual.......................

[blahber]

08:42 PM on 03/01/2008

wow , i really dislike democrats

[Mattie]

09:41 PM on 03/01/2008

she's not a democrat, she's an obamabat!

[Kundera]

08:05 PM on 03/01/2008

BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO! BHO!