Hillary, not Michelle, is the Democrats' True First Lady

The First Lady in the USA is a position of peculiar significance. Among the major Western countries, the only remote equivalent can be found in France with its Première Dame. One need only glance at the lyrics on the delectable Madame Carla Bruni Sarkozy's recent pop album to know that they do things differently there: "I am a child/ Despite my 40 years/ Despite my 30 lovers/ A child", she sings. Laura Bush, this is not (at least, I assume as much).

No, in America, the office of First Lady is an altogether more solemn and yet more public office. So it was fascinating to watch on consecutive days a prospective and former First Lady - the second a presidential candidate in her own right - each strut her stuff at the DNC.

The urge to contrast the two was heightened by identical speech formatting: the same primetime slot, saccharine pre-show visuals, earnest family voiceovers, a loved-one gushing an emotional intro and namecheck banners waved at the cameras.

Michelle, we're told, was calming nerves by showing herself off as the quintessential American "Mom", one who shares your values. She did this commendably - so well, in fact, that I thought that she might whip out a home made apple pie from under the autocue and start handing pieces to the lighting crew. Then the children arrived, nestling at her side, a Big Brother sized Barack was beamed down from the screen (to whom at least one of the daughters declared her love) and it was difficult not to be charmed by it all.

And so seduced were we that we stopped listening to the politics. But the politics were there, clearer when read in the transcript, but there nonetheless.

A sentence or two leapt out at me. Michelle, discussing those for whom her husband cared, expressly made reference to "those folks [who] weren't asking for a handout or a shortcut. See, they were ready to work. They wanted to contribute. They believed, like you and I believe, that America should be a place where you can make it if you try".

Now, had the word "America" been replaced by "Britain", and the vocabulary suitably Anglicized, any compatriot of mine would have been forgiven for attributing the quotation to a female politician of our own: Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher regarded herself as a champion of ordinary people who wanted to help themselves, the hard-worker who wished to buy his council house, the employee who wanted to start her first small business.

Thatcher's opponents said and still do: What about those who cannot "try" because they're victims of wider social ills? So too, a certain breed of Democrat might ask: What about those who need a handout or a shortcut? Was there anyone who would speak for them?

Enter Hillary Rodham Clinton. Liberated by electoral defeat, Clinton gave an unashamedly robust grass roots address to the convention. Her thoughts were directed to "the single mom who had adopted two kids with autism. She didn't have any health insurance, and she discovered she had cancer. But she greeted me with her bald head, painted with my name on it, and asked me to fight for health care for her and her children."

Then there was the tough, express challenge to her victor: "I cannot wait to watch Barack Obama sign into law a health care plan that covers every single American". For her, the proper constituency of Democrats was: "all those who have been invisible to their government for eight long years".

The speech was met by apparently genuine rapture. Bill, Chelsea - even Joe Biden - looked ecstatic. One person rarely seemed happy, however: Michelle Obama. More often than not as the camera passed over her, Mrs O's mouth was locked in a rigid non-smile.

Certainly, Hillary could have been more enthusiastic in her endorsements of Michelle's husband. Maybe after being bludgeoned by the Clinton machine, Michelle found Hillary's easy liberalism a little hard to stomach. But now she must be silent. Michelle was witnessing the liberty that she had lost in a role neither entirely of her choosing nor properly reflective of her abundant talents. What she saw in Hillary was a woman now mistress of her own estate, a woman who could speak her own mind. Michelle's politics and perhaps her personality, at least for the time being, will not fully be her own.

Michelle Obama showed on Monday her willingness to perform the role necessary to be an outstanding First Lady of America. But on Tuesday Hillary Clinton confirmed her status as the true First Lady of the Democrats.

Comments

[maggieh]

Hillary gave a wonderful, inspiring speech. Now let's honor what she said. No, Hillary is not the first lady. Please get over it. We must unite or we will have four years of a "Bush" administration. No to McCain. Cindy McCain for first lady

[Bitsko]

Senator Clint0n better get her house in order here in New York.

[SpoxLogic]

DUH!! 35 years in the public eye...married to the Bill Clinton...­hello...of course she IS the true first lady. Michelle Obama will put her own stamp on the party and surpass Hillary. Plus, she also has to become A first lady...not there yet.
So, I know you love you some Hillary Clinton, but you state the obvious. And to write a piece like this and the way you did it (the apple pie part was not needed), maybe indicates that you are afraid that Hillary may very well get usurped. But, alas my friend (had to throw in a MCCain bit there), the king/queen must die...long live the king/queen.

[MrWinky]

Ahh yes, more body language interpretation from the pundits. What more can we ask for? I guess the standing ovations she gave and the used kleenex in her hand were superfluous. Some people are so bright they can just tell by looking at them exactly what is going in their head.

Hillary gave a great speech, and from what I can tell so far, the Obamas are grateful and have expressed such. I will go back and look at the tape if I can tell something different from how she moved her arms.

This is beyond dumb

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

well when michelle starts telling us stories of landing under sniper fire, then I guess she will graduate to true first lady.

[renatam]

I wouldn't be so sure. There are women who are not like Hillary ...and, as she told us during her Campaign...we are not like her..."hard working....white Americans."

Recheck the demo of the US and its future trends. While you are at it, check the demo of NYC and NY - where Hillary has wisely not returned or engaged/spoken to us directly since long before WE ended her Campaign more than three mos. ago.

Good PR spin, however. Pls. don't add to Mark Penn (and Karen Hughes, his new hire) bill -- that the Obama Campaign must pay. No more vanity Thomassan videos either.

Thanks. We have a G.E. Campaign to run.

[Fricks]

Ps: That's also a rather attractive photo Mr Hagen. I'd love for you to get in touch so we can discuss US politics a little more in depth…..

[Fricks]

As to the speech, of course it is easy for Hillary, relieved of the pressures of a grueling campaign trail to talk traditional DemocratSpeak- praise of the 'little guy', the one unable to help himself and to challenge Obama to create the health system that all their predecessors, including her husband failed to achieve. I feel her speech was almost like saying, wait up America, I might be back in 4 years time. In a time where the party should be presenting a united front she has refused to swallow her ego once again and offer a genuine endorsement.
Hilary has been the darling of the Democratic Party for too long. She is definitely a remarkable woman on all fronts. Americans despite the many comments here of how they 'don’t like monarchies' seem to be in love with dynasties- Kennedies, Bushes, Clintons, Hiltons etc...Of course Clinton screams 1st lady, she's had eight years of practice. But obviously a brilliant 1st lady was not enough to make a brilliant Leader of the Free World for democrat Americans. And that's how she chooses to define herself now. So she has failed. And she needs to move out of the spotlight, America needs some fresh blood. I presume by saying she was the true first lady you meant a 1st lady is all she could ever be?
I felt like you were trying to provoke some heated responses with your article and it has proven quite successful. Well done.

[Fricks]

Dear Mr Hagen,

I'm intrigued by what I think is the intentional ambiguity of your article. While you seem to show utmost respect for Michelle and her potential to be a remarkable first lady, you are comparing her to Margaret Thatcher, a figure out of vogue for the past decade. (Unless you count her Vogue magazine UK debut this year) However considering your connections with the Tory party could this be taken as a compliment? It doesn't really matter, as you know, she doesn't write her own speech. Or dress herself. It is going to take a while before she also learns to control her smile while she watches the Iron Lady who tried to trample all over her husband for the past year. So forgive her for not pasting a fake smile on her face.
The role of the 1st lady is interesting precisely as it is entirely defined by the individual. She can have her own office and Chief of Staff and campaign on issues close to her heart or she can do the rounds of garden parties and morning shows and set the standard of THE elegant lady and mother of the nation. We don't know which one Michelle will be yet, if Obama is elected. She is still new at this, she hasn't had time to be fully manicured by the political machine and the press.
CONT....

[peorgietirebiter]

Apparently you missed (ignored?) Michelle Obama standing to applaud as her chest filled and her eyes welled. And tellingly, you managed to miss it more than once. Your description of Ms. Obama's speech failed to mention the obvious and genuine rapture of her audience. I'm afraid you failed to legitimize this polemic by wrapping it in a fallacious Thatcher analogy.

[Cakey4814]

Always someone to try and stir up dissension..hope you'll be as observant when John McCain is speaking or Dubya and see the expressions on those in the audience.

[vinny]

Complete silliness:

"More often than not as the camera passed over her, Mrs O's mouth was locked in a rigid non-smile."

I remember Mrs. O with her chin on her clasped hands listening to the Senator in true admiration. Both are remarkable women, and we are lucky to have them our party.

[peorgietirebiter]

vinny, apparently the use of "silly" isn't cause for deletion. must have been something else I said.
but "complete silliness" nails it.

[peorgietirebiter]

“What about those who need a handout or a shortcut? Was there anyone who would speak for them?”

The entire Democratic Party was, Mr. Hagan.

Just as were long before the Clinton Presidency and just as we will be long after the Obama Presidency.

[campgranata]

NO, Hillary is the Democrats' first CO- PRESIDENT, just ask her? Didn't her extensive experience cover the eight years she and Bill ran the country together?

[ReportThis]

I wasn't impressed by the treacly anecdote about the cancer mom with two adopted autistic children. That shameless tactic is s a staple of the lower-lip-biting Clintons. Plus, I'd suggest some verification -- memories of the Bosnian sniper tale are still too fresh.