The dawning of an election year is certain to bring more attacks on Michelle Obama from the far-right press, which for years has unleashed an unprecedented barrage of name-calling assaults on the First Lady; assaults that in the past would have been deemed unthinkable by even partisan opponents who routinely avoided targeting First Ladies and their mostly ceremonial duties.
But conservatives like Michelle Malkin have trampled that common sense tradition and now routinely, and gleefully, uncork all sorts of sordid smear campaigns against Michelle Obama.
But to hear them tell it, it's all the First Lady's fault. Conservatives become unglued because Obama's so busy pressing their buttons with her nutrition activism, which apparently drives them bonkers and causes staffers at Fox News to fabricate fairy tales.
According to the haters, what kind of conservative wouldn't be offended by the Nanny State rhetoric emanating from the White House, with all that big government hand-wringing about people eating too much food, when everyone knows the answer to obesity is to just eating less food, and that exerting a little personal responsibility can cure this problem overnight.
Indeed, the guttural response to the First Lady 's nutritional efforts has been so strong the right-wing media now practically campaign in favor of obesity, applying the simple, albeit deranged, rule that if Michelle Obama supports healthy food and exercise, it must be bad.
The First Lady's incessant critics insist intrusive nutrition activism goes way too far and invites their angry response. I mean, just look at this goody-goody health rhetoric:
We're just too darned fat.
And
Overweight and obesity are among the most pressing new health challenges we face today.
And
The fight against obesity begins at home.
And
America needs to get healthier one small step at a time. Each small step does make a difference, whether it's taking the stairs instead of an elevator or snacking on fruits and vegetables.
And
Americans need to understand that overweight and obesity are literally killing us.
Can't you just hear conservatives complaining about how meddling and annoying the First Lady is?
Right, except all those above quotes came from Tommy Thompson while serving as President Bush's Secretary of Health and Human Services. Except that it was Thompson who once urged every American to lose ten pounds as a patriotic gesture, and suggested Congress pass tax credits for people who thinned down. (Talk about a big government approach!)
Except that the previous Republican administration, like the current one, loudly rang the alarm about the nation's obesity epidemic, while beseeching kids to eat healthier and to exercise more.
Flashback:
In 2004, the Bush Administration and Republican-led Congress passed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, requiring USDA to update the standards to align school meal patterns with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
And yes, even former First Lady Laura Bush often spoke out about child obesity, highlighting proactive public policy solutions: "Our government is working to address one of the greatest dangers to America's young people: childhood overweight and obesity."
Another flashback:
In an effort to reverse alarming and escalating trends of obesity and overweight, David Satcher, MD, PhD, and more than 30 national organizations, today launched an unprecedented initiative to improve nutrition and fitness among the nation's children. Laura Bush is serving as honorary chairman of today's Healthy Schools Summit: Taking Action for Children's Nutrition and Fitness, and Dr. Satcher, opening speaker at the Summit, is chairman.
But what was the right-wing media's response to the Bush push for healthier kids? It was crickets of course, as it should have been since who would oppose health officials, as well as First Family members, highlighting a deadly health epidemic sweeping the nation? What is there to possibly complain about in terms of trying to draw attention to a dire public health issues effecting children?
During the Bush administration there was no possible reason to complain, so most right-wing media pundits stayed quiet. But insert a Democratic president and substitute Michelle Obama for Laura Bush, and suddenly all hell breaks loose within the GOP Noise Machine because Democrats are advocating against childhood obesity!
This is pure Obama Derangement Syndrome.
Because many of the far-right Obama-hating pundits who routinely whip themselves into a frenzy denouncing First Lady Michelle Obama for her efforts to cut down obesity among children were the same ones who didn't say boo when key players from the Bush administration did much the same thing.
The routine, partisan trashing of the First Lady now on display represents a sad new chapter in American politics. Her critics claim she's to blame for pushing an activists health agenda. But history shows us that nutrition doesn't explain the unhinged conservative attacks on Michelle Obama.
Cross-posted at County Fair, a Media Matters blog.
Follow Eric Boehlert on Twitter: www.twitter.com/EricBoehlert
Leigh Vinocur, M.D.: Mom, of Course It's All Your Fault... Again
Silken Laumann: Mom, Why Am I Fat?
It is something that many of us have never had. I'm very happy to see that.
Total facepalm, dude.
And you should expect that if you're a liberal first lady... my whole life they've been doing it. Barring a few bad apples, liberals are thankfully more mature than that.
Hating on her for trying to get our kids to make some healthy food choices and encouraging them to exercise? They wouldn't do that with to a white FLOTUS.
1. having the WH chef plant a garden and use the produce for the family meals
2. exercising with kids
3. promoting healthy eating
I wonder if these people have any common sense. Am I the only one who SEES with my own two eyes the number of OBESE (not just overweight) kids? Am I the only one who reads the news stories that tell me there are record number of overweight children in the world and more kids being diagnosed with adult conditions (heart disease, high blood pressue, diabetes) than ever before? The First Lady didn't make this stuff up - she is truly trying to help solve a problem that is growing daily.
It's time for us ALL to take personal responsibility for our own health and I think as a mother Mrs. Obama is showing how EVERY parent can set a good example for her children. The fact that she and the Prez monitor and limit their childrens' TV time is another example of GOOD parenting - something that seems lacking in much of our culture (e.g. reality TV). Sadly many parents today have no good role models due to single parent homes and poor they received. If even a little of the First Lady's health approach rubs off - I am thrilled! It can only be a good thing.
My take on it is, the right is extremely intimidated by the first couple.
Mr. Obama was positively brilliant in law school and his classmates (left- AND right-leaning) would routinely seek out his opinions on all kinds of topics. One question he posed in class was used by a professor on their final exam. He was a star. My bff said that when they voted for him to be the President of Law Review it was a great statement about his leadership and brilliance. This suspicion of Right wing intimidation was borne out by the demeanor of McCain when he debated Obama before the 08 election. Remember, he had done all that talking, but when they met face to face, McCain looked defeated before the debate began?
They HAVE to attack them, because in all honesty, they really admire him. The fact that his race is different just gives them another tool to use against him.
Seriously, though, you can't hold a double standard where it's okay for Bush to overreach, but we must crack down on Obama for HER more minimal overreach, and then act like it's NOT a race issue or at least a partisan politics issue.
the logical next step is to overhaul everything about food in this country.
Big Ag won't have it.
Then, they were warned, they were leaving their lawn too tall before mowing. Then, they were warned, they left children's toys in the yard. Then, they had too many cars parked in the driveway during a holiday family get together. Then they had a political sign too close to the curb.
Then the board was changed.
And all the problems went away.
I'm just saying, some folks can only see the color of your house.
Unfortunately, some of our fellow Americans are simply blinded by their own bigotry.
However, hhe will our FLOTUS, for the next 4 years!