Hillary, Michelle and Big Bird

Could there be anything more telling about the difference between Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama?

Michelle Obama -- introduced by Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations -- tells diplomats and staff at the US mission to the United Nations in New York that she has just come from Sesame Street.

"...I never thought I'd be on 'Sesame Street' with Elmo and Big Bird and I was thrilled. I'm still thrilled. I'm on a high....I think it's probably the best thing I've done so far in the White House."

At the same time in the first term of her husband, Bill Clinton, Hillary was maneuvering to design and implement a plan for national health insurance.

Comments

[RapidRay]

Interesting both ladies of consequence, but greatly different. Michelle hasn't gotten quite as much political mud on her yet.
Wasn't our last President, Boosh, married? I don't quite remember. Selective traumatic amnesia no doubt. Aren't there some delicious similarities and dissimilarities there? Not that it bothers me any, I just like writing dissimilarities without using spell check.
Possibly there could be some Laura vs Pat vs Nancy parallels that would tittilate (another great word). I'd pay to see those.

[dreffein]

R2 - lol. Very excellent points. Happy Saturday.

[amazingdays]

Sounds like the Sesame Street public service announcement (encouraging parents to exercise with their kids) went a whole heck of a lot better. And was far more appropriate for an unelected family member of an elected official.

Although a strong supporter of President Clinton, I was uncomfortable from the start with Hillary Clinton's assignment to head up health care reform. It seemed like the purest nepotism since Jack Kennedy named Robert Kennedy to be attorney general. (Although at least the attorney general position was confirmed by the Senate, and Robert Kennedy had previously held elective office.) Nepotism means favoring someone for who they are related to, and when a very close relative is involved, it also means appointing someone you can't fire, criticize, or supervise. Bad idea.

I am so much happier with Secretary Clinton's work today, her achievements in the 2008 campaign, and her twice-won Senate seat.

[57andfemale]

Excuse me, but Michelle Obama's signature issue is military families. What was Laura Bush's issue? Smoking cigarettes in the Rose Garden?

Michelle Obama has met with the departments of the administration. She is a credit to her husband, his administration and the nation. To insinuate that she is frivolous in comparison to Hillary Clinton is a cheap shot.

And frankly, I think the image of our first African American First Lady speaking to children through Sesame Street is terrific.

To call snark, whimsy? We're not that stupid.

[martina1965]

I know that it is probably not a fair comparison, but I enjoyed it!

[gurukalehuru]

Michelle Obama has also planted a garden. Did Hillary Clinton plant a garden? Thought not.

[Vurz]

Hopefully the Obamas see the lesson of the Clinton's first term.

While I was happy to see Mrs. Clinton take such an active roll in the White House, it just wasn't handled with the amount of forethought that it should have been. You would have thought that in 1992 people would have had no problem with an intelligent, accomplished woman taking care of business.

But a significant enough portion of the population was bothered by it that the Republicans were able to use it to their advantage in the midterm election in 1994.

[JillBidenFan]

I was never a fan of 'Sesame Street' but I think that's so great that she's gonna be on it.
Kids love her, and what's better to have kids watch her on that 'Sesame Street'? haha

[JC1c1]

Michelle Obama has worked in a soup kitchen, reached out to families that have loved ones in the military, she has opened up the white house to children, she has certaintly made it kid friendly. She has talked to high school students about how important education is. She has talked to young girls about having confidence. She told them to believe in themselves.

Her big agenda I believe is really working with military families. Her first trip was going to a military base and listening to the soldiers and thier families. I believe it was what the impact of Iraq war and Afganistan war was having on the families.

Michelle and Hillary Clinton are both role models to young girls and women everywhere. These are two intelligent and strong women. They differ in many way, but in this they are similar.

[butofcourse]

So how did that push for universal health care, go, Hillary?

[claylandg]

Not to good but wait Obama will try and pass a plan that will be worse for the counrty with out any help from republicans. i agree medical, drug, hospitals, nursing homes, medical insurance all and more are way over priced and this is one this i don't know how but it needs to be addressed. Bring cost down of all down before have universal insurance maybe in stages so the stages can be tweeked to fit until we get it right. So social programs in my eyes must go, to many people living off of welfare, food stamps etc.I would rather take care of the old instead of the young and lazy, hard choices need to be made

[SethBLiNK]

I'm guessing that Michelle was not at the UN to talk about Sesame Street but used it as an ice breaker. Perhaps it was the most fun she's had since her husband took office but that doesn't mean it was the most important thing. If you want to compare it to something Hillary did, compare it to the time she said she didn't bake cookies. We didn't elect either Hillary or Michelle. We elected their husbands. And each has chosen to approach the job of first lady in her own way. Hillary's way had repercussions both positive and negative for her and for the issues she championed. I wouldn't discredit Michelle because she is not approaching things the same way. I think she's a wonderful first lady.

[pollyannish]

Nice intelligent response!

[bonmcgrath]

this is the difference between harvard law (michelle) and yale law (hillary); not to mention that michelle has younger kids than chelsea was at the same time--and therefore, sesame street is still uppermost in her mind.. or maybe michelle learned that hillary bit off more than she could chew--and doesn't want to make the same mistake. sticking to sesame street is easy and safe and won't grow a republican backlash that could set us back a generation.

[wizened]

what is the difference between Harvard and Yale? Sesame Street vs. universal health care?

[OtayPanky]

Blogger: Could there be anything more telling about the difference between Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama?

===

Here's what's more telling: When Hillary was in the White she was feared. Michelle is loved.

"Two for the price of one", as the Clintons promised before the '92 election, turned out to be a VERY bad deal. People who've written the history of the times, like Carl Bernstein, attribute the dismal failure to pass health care DIRECTLY to Hillary's abrasive and tone-deaf management style - a fault that re-surfaced in the '08 primary season.

But thanks for sharing anyway.

[caribgirl]

There is a lot of projection going on towards Michelle. People assume that because she has a very similar academic background to Hillary that she must be the same type of person. But if you examine her professional background she is very different. Hillary is obviously an excellent mother but she downplayed that role so much whereas you can't think of Michelle without thinking about her being a mother. Michelle always talks about her family and one always gets the feeling that they are her biggest concern. This was the case from the very beginning even when nobody thought her husband had a shot and Hillary was inevitable.

Less than 4 months on the job, she's has higher approval ratings than her husband and is only marginally less popular than he is which has only helped to bolster the image of the White House. She's the ultimate when it comes to product placement for affordable fashion. The only issue people can find to harp on is the cost of her sneakers and her love of cardigans and belts yet her husband has signed two bills, the Lily Ledbetter and the Service Act, on issues she cares about deeply plus his plan to reform the student loan program is probably quite popular with her as well.

She seems to have found a model that is working for everyone, herself, her husband and family, the administration, people who like her and those who don't. Keep doing your thing Michelle.

[wizened]

What becomes clear from these comments is that Michelle Obama's approach to being First Lady is a hit with a cross-section of HuffPo readers. Her approach is sane and refreshing and it resonates with people. Maybe it also resonates with Republicans. Does there ned to be more of a point than that? Does Ms. Felsenthal need to hit us over the head with her point in order for us to understand the point?

[OtayPanky]

She clearly has an axe to grind...an­d she's grinding away.

[Carol Felsenthal - Huffpost Blogger]

Just received this response in an email; signed but i won't use the person's name. I meant this post as whimsical and light, not really to fault either woman, just to point out how different they are:

"I don't quite understand what your point is.

Are you trying to say Michelle isn't doing her job as first lady by NOT growing her own political agendas? By not doing what we rely on our elected officials to do?

Or are you faulting Clinton for being so political? For taking a more than proactive approach to her new status?

It almost seems like a non-article to me.

I didn't vote for Michelle, I voted for Barack.

If I had the chance to be on Sesame Street, I would, too."

[JillQ]

Ms. Felsenthal:

If you think people needed your post "just to point out how different they are," you greatly underestimate HuffPost's readers.

I have a sister like you. She makes deliberate remarks meant to get a rise out of others and responds with "I was just kidding." It doesn't work for her any more than it does for you.

Sad.

[Jafo360]

Seems like some valid points/questions to me. I didn't see the point of this, either. From the looks of things, quite a few people might agree. It didn't seem whimsical nor light. Just pointless.