Michelle Obama: Hillary Made Barack a Better Candidate

DENVER--Today's meeting of the Democratic Women's Caucus featured a surprise guest: Michelle Obama.

The potential first lady is making a concerted effort, it seems, to reach out to the different women's constituency groups in the Democratic party, including those closely allied with Hillary Clinton. (Earlier this week, Michelle Obama spoke to a gathering sponsored by Emily's List, the organization that bundles donations to fund pro-choice candidates.)

In today's remarks, Ms. Obama offered Hillary Clinton some major props, saying, "Thanks to her, my husband is a better candidate." The ballroom full of women echoed with cheers and applause. "Thanks to her," Michelle Obama continued, "his campaign is a better campaign. And thanks to her, my daughters -- and all of our daughters -- have the freedom to dream bigger dreams..."

Michelle Obama went on to list the causes dear to the hearts of caucus-goers: health care, equal pay, reproductive rights. She spoke rather poignantly of the tensions of being a mother who works outside the home, saying she often feels she short-changing her daughters when she's at work or on the campaign trail, and feels she's giving the job and the campaign short shrift when she focuses on her girls. "We all known that guilt," she said, "and I know I can get an 'amen' on that." The audience shouted back, "Amen."

Her remarks ended in an appeal to the party's women activists to redouble their efforts on behalf of the Obama campaign. Predicting the upcoming election to be "a tight contest," Michelle Obama told a roomful of admirers, "Women are going to make the difference in this campaign...I am going to need you every step of the way."

Earlier today, I reported this for The Media Consortium:

Crossposted from The Consortium Report, a project of The Media Consortium

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Comments

[standard]

"Hillary Made Barack a Better Candidate"

Better than what? Better than he was beforehand? He started out with a plan and a fall-back plan, seasoned advisors, innovative fund-raisers, a mission and a message. Hillary had no hand in that.

And again: better than what? Better than she was? His skills, like all skills, are chiefly a matter of genetics and judgment, a die cast long before the campaign. She had no hand in that, either.

This sentimental story line--a kindly Hillary helping her junior protege to achieve greatness he otherwise would not--is nice, but it's nonsense. Saying it doesn't make it so. Mrs. Clinton did nothing of the sort, nor was she trying to. Like the Bosnian sniper fire, it makes a good story but it just didn't happen.

He didn't mature during this campaign, somehow morphing from a greenhorn into a veteran before our eyes. She wasn't merely "making the arguments" to toughen him up. Mrs. Clinton fought hard--fought dirty, some would say--and nearly won. He did win, no thanks to any opponent of his. That 's the truth. The rest is just nice words to make us all feel better. Truth is better.

[matthew 270808]

We'll know gender equality has arrived when every political candidate has to suck up to mens' groups as much as they currently have to suck up to womens' groups. Of course those who hold power never give it up without a fight do they?

The implication of what Michelle said is that somehow its harder for a woman to become president. This is rubbish of course -- you'd run over the 250 word limit if you tried to name all the female presidents and heads of state but off hand I can only think of one person in history who attained that office as part of a traditionally despised racial minority group.

[SpoxLogic]

I'd like to think that the reverse is also true: Barack made Hillary a better person and a better leader. At the start of her campaign I think she let her handlers tell her what to do. She never found her voice, she was never her true self (John McCain is going thru that now..."John McCain doesn't speak for his campaign"...it as near the end that she started to hit her stride. Yes, she went over the line a few times, and that I am sure will haunt her for awhile. But, I think that in a few years, she'll look back and realize that by losing, she's actually won.
Maybe fate used her to better Obama so that he could become a great President. And in return, fate will reward her with a long illustrious career helping the people.

I really do hope this is the case.

[FebM]

Yes, I must admit, Hilary's role in the transformation of this America at this moment is ingrained in marble, but maybe it will be more apparent in generations to come