Why Does the World Worship Michelle?

The reason that Michelle Obama's approval ratings are in the 70s; the reason she is so popular that she joins the ranks of superstars who need only a first name -- former First Lady Laura Bush needed both names in most quarters and Hillary needed only one during her husband's presidency, but that name evoked more scary than positive images -- is because Michelle is not a phony.

When she teared up during a talk to mostly minority school girls in North London and told them that by any objective standard she should not be standing before them as the First Lady of the United States, that she should not have her double Ivy League education, not even the most rabid Obama-haters could say that moment resembled a Bill Clinton-bite-his-lower-lip routine.

Michelle is from a working class family; her father really did tend to the Chicago's boilers; her father really did need to work for the Daley machine as a precinct captain to get his promotions; neither parent went to college, on her father's side, not too many generations back her forbears slaved -- as slaves -- on the master's rice plantation in South Carolina. I spent several months writing a profile of Michelle for Chicago Magazine and on the issue of her background it all checked out.

Think of another top member of the Obama team -- the man who tells everyone he's just Joe and who reacted to a former Senate colleague who used the honorific "Vice President" with the words, "give me a fucking break" -- Joe Biden, whose father had money, then lost it, and eventually sold real estate and managed a car dealership. Biden blew his best shot at winning his party's nomination for president in 1988 by claiming in August, 1987, that his ancestors had worked the coal mines in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He stole the story -- hook, line and paragraph -- from a passionate speech delivered by British Labor Party leader Neil Kinnock, whose forbears had actually worked in the coalmines.

Michelle is just getting started; she will play a huge role in her husband's administration and it will be about much more than fashion -- although what woman didn't smile when Michelle told New York Times reporter Marian Burros, "He's always asking: 'Is that new? I haven't seen that before'"?

"It's like, Why don't you mind your own business? Solve world hunger. Get out of my closet." (When I was writing about Michelle, her friends told me that if there's one thing Barack disliked more than his daughters watching television, it was shopping.)

All Michelle needs to do to truly affect the national agenda and conversation is never, ever lose sight of her roots. So far, so good.

Comments

[LizM]

Why is it so difficult for journalists to understand that Joe Biden, like Michelle Obama, is the real deal? And, why is it so easy for reporters like yourself to buy into the media-conceived national myths about Joe Biden - hook, line and sinker - when you should be more concerned about the truth of the matter and what the Vice President is all about.

I would suggest you delve into the story of Biden's use of the Kinnock speech and you will soon learn that you have penned a wholly inaccurate portrayal of what Biden said. And, you have completely ignored the comprehensive attribution that he consistently made at the time...except for once when he mistakenly omitted the attribution and for this he is accused of plagiarism. The press should know better but, sadly, they do not.

Does anyone wonder why the media - the right, left and center of it - is currently on a steep decline toward oblivion and irrelevance?

[Carol Felsenthal - Huffpost Blogger]

Biden told his audience that day that en route to the speech, "I was just thinking," and then went ahead to steal and adapt Kinnock's words to portray an untrue picture of his own upbringing.

Joe Biden is often call a "serial exaggerator," which is sometimes a euphemism for liar.

[LizM]

During the campaign in 1988, Senator Biden went into great detail in making the attribution to Neil Kinnock. Why do you insist on not acknowledging that fact?

Who often calls Biden a "serial exaggerator"? And, to your knowledge, what has Joe Biden ever lied about?

[LizM]

Well, I can certainly understand why you would choose not to answer the questions I posed below.

Let that be a lesson about throwing out accusations that have no merit.

[imfedup]

Funny. That's what the Repubs say about Al Gore too, and all of his "exaggerations" checked out. Maybe you should do your homework before you start throwing what "they" call Joe Biden around as if it's a foregone conclusion. Very irresponsible.

[Shzron1946]

My thing with the Obama's is not about fashion or "cool". I supported them because he sounds like the essence of community organizing when he talks. Both of their actions are, to me, rooted in a leadership theory that is very popular and very effective among community organizers: servant leadership. Helping everyone be the best they can be and not asking them to do anything they are not willing to do themselves, speaking truth to power and cultivating an atmosphere of respect--these are all skills of strong community organizers and the Obamas have mastered ose skills well--they live and breathe them and that is what matters to me. Its the kind of leadership we need, and it will work if people will let it, it will work not only in our country, but it will also repair, and renew our relationships with other countries.

People need to read more about community organizing and how it works. Then they will stop laughing and get serious about what a great tool it is for helping people do better together.

[2morrowKnight]

The world loves Michelle Obama because she she connects with people across race, region, and even religion. This woman is just getting started!

[jdmba]

People love Michelle because she represents the best in all of us, a generation of empowered, gracious women.

It's about time that women had a real rolemodel in the public eye.

[Ohsherri]

This is too funny.

When Obama was still running against McCain, all the press screamed that
Michelle wasn't "connectin­g"....Mich­elle is "angry"...and is Michelle a "liability"....

And now the world worships her. LOL!!!!
Well then I guess we have to expect the bi-polar press to knock her
right down again in a few weeks.
Trust me...soon enough , she won't be "connecting" anymore.

[DixieMelody]

We have been starved for a hero for so, so, so long. . .

And now we have TWO actually representing US . . .

And holding their own with foreign leaders. . .

Darn right we're OVER THE MOON!

[1will]

I don't know if the world worships Michelle but I will agree that the American Left does worship her husband. I have never seen such blind cultlike devotion from such an uninformed group before.

[Nommo]

The first three words, 1will. That's all you have to say.

[Osmona]

You wingnuts ARE a cult. We respect our president and are loyal to him. We know he is a man with faults be we don't hold those faults against him. If you want to call that "blind cultlike devotion" then so be it. No matter how badly President Obama performs, he will ALWAYS be better than George Bush.

[sunshineonmyface]

It is obviously very cult-like obsession. Look at the headline of this story.It is scary.I like and admire the woman but I cannot and refuse to worship her or her husband. I have a heavenly God Whom only I bow and worship.

[EvasDaddy]

Where were you during the last eight years?

[denicci1977]

Not as much as the ignorant right wingers still believing there were WMD's in Iraq we won the war. The same demented right wing who believes Sarah Palin will make a wonderful President LMAO !!

[TomFox]

You honestly think we of liberal/de­mocrat/lef­t persuasion are uninformed?

How did we get uninformed? Was it by getting an education? Do you think we just believe every bit of crap someone tells us without checking it out? Liberal means we read everything whether we like it or not or agree with it or not. We aren't afraid to do actual research.

Maybe you should go back and re-read the bumper sticker that says "Question Authority". We aren't uninformed at all sir. However, listening to the absolute drivel that comes from your leaders such as Savage, Limbaugh, Beck, Ingraham and Bruce I'm not surprised at your ignoramus comments.

[bernie12]

so michelle shines, in the mind of the author, because hillary clinton is bad. say no more. another well thought out piece from people who love the banter about michelle's clothing and her fashion sense and her ability to take her princeton/harvard background and sweep it under the white house doormat. i assume the author believes "high approval ratings" is all any woman should aspire to. michelle's high marks are both the test and the proof that she is america's sweetheart! and pleasing others is one awfully lofty project, right? . oh, to be in 1950 again!

[partyofone]

One reason Michelle shines because she is genuine, authentic, herself and because she is at ease with many people and many situations, she puts others at ease. She seems to find simply but powerful ways to connect.

The contrast to Hillary is valid. She is cold, calculating, always presenting herself as something she is not.... like qualified to lead by experience, skill or sound judgment.

[yman2]

More free psychoanalysis from partyofone.

Guess it's true about something only being worth what you pay for it.

[imfedup]

You don't come right out and say it, but apparently it has been established that Biden lied about his "ancestors" (a word I don't usually associate with a generation or two back) being coal miners? Could you provide a link on that? This paragraph sounds snarky, it's full of innuendo and disdain, and it provides no support. I expect that from the peanut gallery -- not from a professional journalist.

[kuhler]

I think people are so taken with Michelle because she embodies all the best qualities of some of our past first ladies. She has classic elegance and her own unique fashion style (Jackie Kennedy/Nancy Reagan); an ivy league education and successful career of her own (Hillary); no-nonsense common sense (Laura and Barbara Bush); combined with her warm nurturing nature. As for the comparisons to Princess Diana -she's so obviously devoted to her children, openly displays her affection for them and her husband, and she is a woman from a humble background thrust into the world spotlight because of her husband's position. Plus, she has made the transition appear effortless, while establishing herself as an international icon in her own right. There's just a lot there to admire.

[Benjine]

Well, after I shook the hand of the President yesterday in prague and wished him GOD SPEED, it was then turn for my time with Michelle. I was expecting her to shake my hand but, no, what did she do? She just stroked the sleeve of my jacket for about 3 seconds. It was totally unexpected and totally genuine and melted my heart. Why? Because it felt so utterly unforced. She just is a very very tactile person and it looked like she was doing this and making other gestures to other people right down the line.

The Diana, Princess of Wales of our times. Except she's married to the greatest President (potentially) of our lifetimes and a nice guy - unlike Charles he he

[winstonian22]

Worship? Really? I think a better headline would be:

"Why are so many inexplicably ogling over a woman who, at best, is very successful and has good taste in fashion?"

[rsprags]

Exactly sweetheart - that's why we admire her so much! LOVE FLOTUS Michelle and POTUS Barack!

[LaughingMan]

........and what's YOUR best? Does it include any non-Legacy double Ivy League University education? Or perhaps The Bar exam? Maybe the Vice-presidency of a major hospital health service?

No? Because the dismissive tone with which you seem to dismiss her "best", seems to indicate that and explain the whole "inexplicable" bit of your headline when it seems like the rest of the world gets "it" about Michelle. Personally I would just guess it's jealousy on your part, but that's just me.

But don't worry though, there's plenty of time enough, for you to earn that Law degree from 2 Ivy League schools and do all that other stuff that would justify your dismissal of someone, whose personal achievements you can't even begin to match.

[DeloresT]

Thanks for this article. Michelle Obama is the bomb! I am so proud of her. She is Barack Obama's gift to the world. I like Laura Bush, but she was somewhat inhibited by her husband's ignorance. I look forward to more articles about this dynamic First Lady.

[madatnewsmedia]

And you know what? I really like Laura Bush; she just happened to be married to a knucklehead.

[sippewissett]

I 'get' that you need sensational headlines, but this one is sexist.

Most of us don't "worship" Michelle; we do however admire her a LOT. She is smart, articulate and dedicated to social justice and other causes that make her stand (literally) above some previous First Ladies. I wish her a wonderful 8 years in the White Hosue, during which time she can be a role model to many. I'm thrilled that she's there and outlining which causes are important to her...and to the nation. Go, Michelle.

[luvangelHussein330]

How is saying that you worship someone, sexist,,,realy?!

[generationyes]

Hey FONEBONE: Here's what you do. Get off your chair and take a look at the 2 foot stick that is serving as your preparation H applicator. Now, remove it and burn it. There, doesn't the world seem like a much brighter place now?