Michelle Obama On "The View": Fist Bumps All Around

Michelle Obama opened up her long-awaited cohosting day on "The View" with fist bumps to all the ladies. Poking fun at the "terrorist fist jab" remark a Fox News correspondent made after her infamous fist bump with her husband, Michelle said after sitting, "I have to be greeted properly. Fist bump please."

Watch:

PLUS: Watch Michelle talk to guest Matthew Broderick about his son's affinity for Barack Obama

-or-

Read more about her appearance, including why she was "touched" by something Laura Bush did.

Comments

[LindaLee99]

So sad, they have to try and make her more palatable for general pubic. Handlers are busy telling her what to say, how to act. Now she has her own 'war room.' Let her be: a strong, African-American woman.

I'm not voting for Obama, but it has nothing to do with his wife.

[ellen63]

Michelle Obama is totally cool. I don't usually write "totally cool" or any kind of "cool," but I don't know how else to describe this wonderfully smart and witty woman as well as superb wife and mother.
She has this athletic gait that sums up her energy. And there's no question she can pack a punch--not just the bump (greeting). Patricia Burstein

[jazzman]

The Republican Fear: Michelle becomes first lady and restores Jackie Onassis type class to the White House.

[JJeff88]

Michelle did good.

She didn't say anything that can be used against her.

She stayed "Michelle."

What's with all this "remake" nonsense?

My (unsolicited) advice to her: "Don't change a thing. Just get out and about more often. The better folks get to know you, the less they'll rely on 15-word sound bytes and the more they'll love you."

I'm not a woman and wasn't a Hillary supporter, so - based on what I've seen so far - I have to wonder out loud: "If you loved Hillary, what's not to like or love about Michelle Obama?"

[Lagrangian]

I still think she should bump fists with "Ali G."

[ifihadahammer]

OMG what a great idea!

I would slap somebody to see Ali interview Obama! I'm cracking up just thinking about it.

[HerbTee]

I watched snippets of "The View" and I can say that BO is one lucky man to have MO. She's eloquent, lovely (fine!), classy, intelligent, well-spoken, humorous and she was really kickin' in that sleeveless dress! I'll be happy when race-baiting idiots like Hannity, Larsen, Limbaugh, Hasselback and their ilk are choking on their words and racist vitriol when MO is First Lady.

I noticed something on CNN this morning where women from the audience were interviewed afterward. Two were older White women and two were younger African American women. The Black women had high praise for MO. They know there are plenty of "MO-like" Black women across the Nation. They know MO is no oddity, but a real person like many Black women they already know.

With the White women, one said she initially thought MO was "haughty", but seems "OK" now. The other woman stated almost the same. Now take those two viewpoints and multiply by several million times and you'll have White America's biased view of MO. It proves when Blacks pull themselves up by their bootstraps to educate and establish themselves, some Whites will find the lower negatives to describe or label us. In spite of progression by many Blacks, some Whites are intimidated when Blacks don't talk, believe or behave in ways they want...subservient or behaving like "Stepin Fetchit". Just goes to show that Blacks will never receive full credit by some Whites. We still have a looonnnnggg way to go!

[Ksisay]

As a Black woman I fully agree with you Herb. Why no other replies? Too touchy a subject?

[iLogos]

No, because he said pretty much everything worth saying on the topic.

[HerbTee]

Give it time Ksisay, as good and decent White folks are opening their eyes and are catching on now. So many decent Whites are now seeing some of this...the blatant ugliness and divisiveness of racial prejudice and bigotry so openly, probably for the first time in their lives. It took the reality of a Black man with a serious chance to become President to bring it to the surface in all of its ugliness. African Americans see racism, hear it, become victims to it (either while fighting it or simply submitting to it) and live with it for much of our lives.

But if we all work together and can guide and educate each other, perhaps we'll make this the best country on earth. And it can be just that when it is finally all inclusive. Perhaps I can see it start to happen in my lifetime, although I never thought it would.

[2cntswrth]

Exactly! Blacks are considered "too uppity" if we improve ourselves, but "too ghetto" when we cave in to the oppression. Mischelle Obama does not need a make-over. She's classy, highly educated, accomplished, great personality, and beautiful. So what would the make-over do for her? She has more going on than most of her critics. It is just a certain segment of people within our society in general that need a major "makeover" about their perceptions of and racism towards black people. So, why not leave Michelle alone, and let her example help to educate those still languishing in ignorance? People like Cal Thomas, Pat Buchanan, Russ Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Joe Scarboro, and Bill O'Reilly are clear examples of how NOT to think, and what not to say. How about... let's start a makover campaign for them?

[Leebot]

As a middle-aged white woman (in Hillary's demographic actually), I must have missed that memo because I admire anyone who values education and seeks self-actualization. I've been an Obama supporter from way back and Michelle is just one classy admirable lady. So take heart -- we don't all operate under that paradigm. Your observations about the bloviators are spot-on, but I fear they are well beyond the reach of any extreme makeover -- you can't put lipstick on a pig so they say.

[HerbTee]

Exactly! Why do African Americans ALWAYS have the burden of changing, but White Americans do not. Blacks cannot always be the persons we are culturally to fit into mainstream society. But many Whites feel they don't need to change...it's the Blacks who are the problems, not them. It's the same old quintessential game of race versus power, entitlement and privilege. Blacks are being told who and what to be just so some Whites can feel comfortable with themselves or to feel superior or dominant over us. It's always about "White comforts, ideals, viewpoints and passions" for who THEY are but is rarely about "Black acceptance, understanding and tolerance" for who WE are.

White Americans, this is what you're seeing when MO is attacked or smeared as "ugly", “uppity”, “being angry", having an "angry tone", needing a "softer image", needing "a make-over", etc. How do you like what you’re seeing White America!!??

Now that an intelligent, eloquent, handsome young Black man is running for President with an intelligent, eloquent, beautiful young Black wife and mother, so many good and decent White Americans are finally seeing the hatred and ugliness that's buried just below the surface of our society. However, this hatred, racism and ugliness is nothing new to African Americans as we see it in many forms, both the subtitle and the overt, for most of our lives. What do you think now, White America? Do some White Americans like what they're seeing? Remember, the whole world is watching!

[prverde]

Why are white people perceived as te oppressor, racists who want to keep Arican Americans in the guettos, prisons

Are African Americans fogetting hat it is the white people who nominated Obamaand that ithout the white vote he would not be running for President. Are youaso fogetting that most of his votrs are white college kids and upper class whies that voted for Obama. 74 percent of Americans are white.

So it is the Whites who are rooting for him. STOP BEING O ANTI-WHITE AND ANTI-ANYONE NOT BLACK. DN' BITE THE HAND TAT FEEDS YOU.

[conniedogs]

You nailed it!

[LauraO322]

I was working in a large urban ER triage one night with a friend and fellow RN who is young, beautiful, extremely well-spoken and intelligent... and oh, she happens to be African-American, as well. (I am Caucasian) Anyway, a 20ish black woman approached the triage desk, yelling loudly at my coworker because of the wait (this is a large trauma center in Detroit - if you're not bleeding to death or in cardiac arrest, you're gonna wait), using profanity (f-bombs galore), yet Angie was polite and reasonable with her in explaining how busy the ER was, etc - but this woman wasn't having any of it, and she screamed at Angie, "You just a M-F Uncle Tom!"

Later on, Angie explained to me that amongst the black culture there is a black on black prejudice against those who try to achieve and do well, or they are ridiculed for "talking white". Angie took it in stride, but I never forgot it.

Another friend has very dark, very beautiful, ebony skin. However, she faces prejudice from other blacks for being "too dark". I couldn't believe it!

Yes, older white women are more apt to be prejudiced because their thoughts are based on pre-1960s beliefs (hello, Mother), but that does not excuse it; but how does one explain the prejudice/bias that exists among African Americans against their own race?

[FJRinLA]

The same explanation: IGNORANCE AND FEAR

Fear and resentment of Black education and attainment....

...fear of being left behind by the Blacks still struggling even more to reach her.....

...fear of competition and loss by the Whites.....loss of white privilege and corresponding loss of the negative myths & stereotypes about Blacks that have made some Whites feel good about themselves or even superior......so in these cases, it's even a deeper sense of loss of their own artifically-inflated sense of self-worth....

So even though the behavior of the ignorant Black person and the ignorant White person toward MO may be the same; they are coming from such different places that you can't equate them or refer to them both as "racist". Neither may be, though both are based upon race-based interpretations and assumptions.

.....sorry to get so DEEP, but you did ask, and it is what it is.

[HerbTee]

Laura, if the skin colors of these people were White, would it have made any difference? Let's face it Laura, stupidity is stupidity, ignorance is ignorance and its resultant behaviors transcend skin color. I am a college-educated, career-oriented African American man and I can certainly tell you this. I've met some of ignorant, vile, vulgar, pitiful, disgusting, criminal-minded and plain old stupid African Americans in my time. But let me assure you, I've probably met just as many ignorant, vile, vulgar, pitiful, disgusting, low-life and plain old racist White American trash in my time too!

Blacks murder and kill Blacks, while Whites murder and kill Whites and vice versa. Yes, crime, drug and alcohol abuse is heavy in urban Black neighborhoods and yes, more Black men are in prison than in college and yes, too many Black women are single mothers either from pre-marital births or divorce. I could go on and one, but you get the idea.

But here is the rub. It's always easier for White society to fix blame and point out "who" is doing what in Black society, but it's much more difficult to determine "why" some Blacks are doing what they doing. Fixing blame is easy and a clear, dismissive conscience is always the cure. But fixing the problems in our society where full equality and inclusion is not race or ethnic-based and finally putting an end to bigotry, racial hatred and denying their existence is much more difficult.

[klmebane]

i am a well spoken black woman. i grew up in affluent suburbs. my whole adolescent life i'd been the odd (wo)man out. the black kids didn't talk to me because i "acted white". i had family members on my fathers side who teased me mercilessly about how i spoke. one day a cousin was teasing me, and i just looked at him and said something to the effect of "i'm so sorry that my mother had the financial wherewithal and common sense to send me to a school that taught me how to speak proper english. i apologize for the fact that no one will ever look at me and think i'm retarded just because of the way i speak. i'm sorry i don't fit into your idea of what a black person is, but how someone talks does not define them."

as to prejudice among black people of each other.... i think it goes back to the pre-60's as well. back then the lighter your skin the easier time you had in life and the more beautiful you were considered. dark skin was looked at as a negative thing, one that meant you wouldn't have the same opportunities as your lighter counterparts and would be treated worse than them. it only makes sense that black folks would carry that over the same way some white folks have carried their prejudices through the generations.

[uheardme]

Well-spoken, heh? You sound like a typical white person.

[GravitonX]

Michelle knows that we've always had to play this stupid game with white America, else they banish you to the oppressive hellhole of the ghetto. Instead of buck-dancing like a shameless Aunt Jemima, she's gonna bring America along, but she's going to do it little by little.

That sista gest ALL my praise! Support that brotha 'cause you know he's gonna need it.

Double-fist pump!

[MNCurler]

This website has no issue laying Laura Bush to waste on anything they want and now they want everyone to lay off of Michelle Obama? Please, does anyone else see how incredibly biased this is? Sorry- but when you step into the public spotlight all bets are off in today's society.

[JJeff88]

And your point is....?

You're right. When you step into the public spotlight, you should expect scrutiny.

But you'd be dead wrong if you feel that this should somehow give everyone a free pass to hurl false, vicious, insinuating or petty garbage at someone who doesn't deserve it and not get called out for it.

I'm relatively new to this site, but if it has unfairly pummeled Laura Bush, I think that would be wrong.

But it seems to me you are trying to use what you deem inappropriate behavior on this site to justify viciously attacking Michelle Obama.

That's just bogus - those are two issues running parallel-to but independent-of one another.

[Sparty1]

Has she been called W's baby mama?

[frappe]

OMG! Do my eyes deceive me? ...The subversive "fist bumping"?!...And coming from potentially our next First Lady...Oh my...

What a blatant act of terrorism! Are our network personalities now in cahoots with the terrorists?...I'll be waiting for the next Fox News update with bated breath.

[Leebot]

Yep, you'd think that it if WERE an actual "secret signal/terrorist" move, they wouldn't be so stupid as to do that in front of a packed audience and millions of TV/Youtube viewers.

But wait . . . perhaps they are simply being clever themselves, having anticipated that we would all conclude that. But on the other hand, they clearly know that we are not great fools and we would clearly have anticipated that as well, in fact they might have counted on it! But on the other hand, they being criminals are not trustworthy so we could never trust them to do the thing we'd expect. So we can clearly conclude . . .

Aagh! (With apologies to "Princess Bride")

[All4Democrazy]

We just fell prey to one of the two biggest blunders of all time, the first being "Never get involved in a land war in the Middle East", but secondly, never fist-pump with a Sicilian, when a conservative is around!!"

[vocalist]

Michelle, hire that hair stylist and the makeup person.

[Ksisay]

Actually, her hair was a littl all over the place, but she's a lovely woman regardless. She does us proud!

[Pamela1961]

I have no doubt given the thesis Michelle wrote in Princeton, things she's recently said and her attendance at the Rev. Wright's church that she does have a dislike or distrust towards "caucasions" as she has referred to them. She might even have used the term "Whitey" but that is just rumor now. She would not be the only African American listening to the same type of sermons on Sunday morning.

It's too bad that some in the African American culture have separated themselves from the rest of America. I don't see this as a productive or progressive thing. Holding on to hatred be it people of any race to me personally, and this is just my opinion, is detrimental to a more united America. I don't think there should be black churches, black colleges, black police groups etcetera. It only further alienates and keeps the distrust and hatred in some cases alive. You don't call your Grandmother a "typical white person". She was a Vice President of a Bank in Hawaii, was she afraid of Hawiaans? She and his Grandfather gave him a very upper middle class upbringing in Hawaii. He talks about denouncing his mother's race and taking on the identity of his Father's when he was 13. The father who left him at two years old. It makes no sense to destroy his Grandmother's reputation to justify his position and bullshit America. For that I don't think he is at all sincere, but a typical politician.

[sd4peace]

"I don't think there should be black churches, black colleges, black police groups etcetera."

Your post is a joke. Maybe you should open a history book. These institutions were formed because we weren't allowed in "white" ones.

[HerbTee]

Thank you, well said. Some people are sooooo ignorant of their own history within this country (eyes rolling).

[ThunderclapNewman]

Your comment is pure fiction.
It's also overtly R*A*C*I*S*T.

But you knew that.

[Lurker50]

Oh, so you're one of "those" typical white people

sigh...

wanted to repond but realized it would be wasted on you

[snarkopolitan]

Are you also against Irish churches and Italian police groups etcetera? Historically, groups who have been excluded form their own institutions for mutual support. Newsflash: there are people still alive who suffered under segregation. My 86-year-old (white)Mom tried to go to the movies with a black friend of hers at the U. of Colorado and she was shocked when they were barred from sitting downstairs; they were sent to sit in the balcony. That was back in the Forties, but there are baby boomers who remember very well having to ride at the back of the bus. We haven't had Civil Rights for very long. And everything wasn't magically all better for the underdogs once the legislation was passed.

I realize this is wasted on you, since you sit hoping against hope that whatever is the smear du jour against the Obamas pans out. You have no foundation for questioning anybody's honesty when you demonstrate your willingness, even desperation, to believe a lie.

[sloan1212]

Pamela1961, I am not going to give you any logic to the historical elements of Michelle Obama's comments and the contextual framework. This is not the forum or the place. All of your comments are very...let's say...chicken and egg. The tone lacked a core knowledge of how this country works for those that are not of the "majority" color. This country was built on putting people in groups and punishing them for not being the right hue, religion, or political persuasion. Your comments are very fear based...{I am referencing the black churches, black colleges syntax at the beginning of your second paragraph}.

I say walk in Michelle's shoes for a day or any other person of color. Yes, we are all entitled to our opinion and {I'm going to stop here...I'm sure you are a good person and don't deserve the rhetoric that I'm about to display in the comments section}.

I hope you have the best day possible.

[Toonbytes07]

Regarding the comments that Elizabet somehow threw Michelle under the bus (odd how that term is used so often these days), did you guys actually watch the Hannity and Colmes interview or are you just 'reporting' what you wish she would have said?

Clearly she did not throw anyone under the bus.

http://www.watchingtheview.com/video-of-elisabeth-hasselbeck-discussing-michelle-obama-on-fox-news/

[Mekarri]

EH irritates me. She is stupid and haven't had an original thought in her life. She just keep repeating the same nonsense over and over. Rev Wright this is all she can think about. But personally for the most part I agree with Rev. Wright. It piss me off that white people have the nerver to get upset with Rev Wright views. For some reason they think they can spend their lives making yours a living hell one way or another and you are suppose to love them for it.
Rev Wright has every reason to feel as he does. America is a racist country and that is just a fact. EH is an idiot so what ever she say I ignore. My dad always told me not to argue with a fool.

[texastrixie]

I saw both the View and Hannity, et al. The thing that makes me most irritated is that I do not believe that Elizabeth Hasselback could truly have any doubts about Michelle Obama's pride in America, patriotism, judgment, etc. What Hasselback is showing is her complete ignorance of the black experience and her desire to be thought of as a conservative commentator.

Millions of Catholics go to church every weekend although they do not subscribe to the Church's denial of birth control or the right of a woman to control her own body. Many Catholics do not agree with the church's support of illegal immigration. Should all these people desert the Catholic Church?

If you have 1000 members of a predominately African-American church, you are going to probably have 1000 different views of this country. Some will be more negative or hostile to the US based on their personal experience (education, driving-while-black, etc.). Some will be more positive. Just because one faction of a church may feel one way, does not mean everyone in the church subscribes to that idea.

[shinybear]

She gets her talking points every morning from Sean Hannity.

I imagine she's rather like Kevin James in that respect. Saying things she doesn't really fully understand.

[klmebane]

the catholic church supports illegal immigration?

[bitterspinster]

Anyone who wants to comment to the View about E.H's remarks about Michelle Obama on Hanity and Colmes can send them a message here:

http://abc.go.com/daytime/theview/ask

[Suthngal]

Thanks

[cd123]

EH should go work at fixednews

[Suthngal]

I am conflicted about EH comments on Hannity and Colmes.

[Dane1911]

It was a great show today on the View, but whats great is that Michelle treated EH with respect and kindness. My mother always said the best way to get back at someone that talks about you and treat you unfairly is to kill them will kindness. EH is just as phony as she can be and its pretty disgusting for her to take that roll as a woman.

She is on Faux news just showing her true colors. SHe is talking down M. Obama like she was some stuck up fake person. She just lost all the respect she gained today. She is all blushy eye with Hannity. Those two make me sick and i hope they grill her tomorrow on the show....