Many people, especially in politics, think the bad things that happened to the other guy (gal) aren't going to happen to them. "That was different," they reason. "That was then and this is now."
Well, politics is, as Michelle Obama has observed, "a game and a sport." And while there are new moves all the time, some tried and true ones are evident in every political campaign. One of those is about to happen to Michelle Obama unless she heeds her own counsel.
I've written about "slippery criteria" applied to women and minorities. Since they're often relatively new to high levels of organizations and less privy in most cases to how others got there, much of what goes on behind the scenes to block them is not accessible. Usually they're sent off on some wild goose chase seeking one additional accolade, one more element of proof that they're the best person for the job or promotion. And just when they achieve that goal, the game is changed -- new criteria emerge.
In an interview, Michelle Obama noted this about her husband's campaign. "The pundits said there was no way Barack could raise the money and that was the test -- raising the money -- until Barack raised the money and then that wasn't important." She described how they said "he couldn't build the political organization to outmatch opponents who'd been building theirs for years. He did and then that wasn't an issue."
Hillary Clinton tried to get ahead of constantly changing criteria. It cost her. Now Anderson Cooper (June 17) tells us that Michelle Obama is going to be remodeled. Based on what? According to whom? Not again!
I'm all for tweaking and even an occasional dramatic change in order to get where you want to go. We should all be constantly learning. But being someone other than who you are to please, especially media commentators, only displeases you. Besides, we are who we are, and our gestures and micro-expressions belie our lies. When we act as if we're someone other than who we are, we are on shaky ground and it's noticeable. It's also impossible to lead for long from such a precarious perch.
When women or men start reinventing themselves based on the latest "criteria" -- it's risky. Change is what Obama's campaign is largely about. But changing his wife shouldn't be -- not beyond recognition or even close to that. She has much to offer and has said she's looking forward to changing the lives of women for the better -- the women who don't have the back-ups she and Barack have, who work long hours for too little money and are just too tired to think. That will, in turn, change the lives of thousands of children at risk who are shamefully overlooked in our society.
I don't get the sense that Michelle Obama will sell her soul to help her husband become president. But she'll do some tweaking, learn to think even more before she speaks, reflect upon the various interpretations of her words, and, as she has said about big decisions, "go down every dark road" before doing or saying something potentially dangerous. That's just using political wisdom. But once they start trying to make her a composite of first ladies of the past -- a woman who looks lovingly spellbound at her man - perhaps someone who does cute, adorable things (to soften her image), then change will have gone too far.
Michelle has said about politics as a game: "We have to focus on not doing that. If you want to change it, you can't become part of it." Good words to remember. Very good words to remember when they start sending her off to become one more thing, then another -- to get it right.
More about "slippery criteria" at bardscove.com
This is what I understand: Michelle was slated to appear on The View as a guest around the time of the writer's strike. Her appearance was re-scheduled because she didn't want to cross the picket line. After Cindy McCain co-hosted The View (and around that time Laura Bush also co-hosted The Today Show), it was agreed that Michelle would also be asked to co-host rather than just be a guest. And that is what happened. Now this is being sold as some grandiose plan to remake Michelle. If we could just get our stories straight! But then again, if we did, a lot of people wouldn't have anything to write about.
Her far left views are already out there on paper and on tape.
The Obama's may be "nice" people, but America will see through their far left leanings.
Not likely.
And your stupidity. I bet you think Michelle Obama actually did have "whitey" video. We're still waiting for it...
She had a new reason every couple of days, about what she had to do or die, and then it would happen and she'd die, (South Carolina: Must Win! Texas: must win! .... Iowa: Must Win!) You get the picture.
Michelle has been changed already. She is not the same person she was. Anyway, she will change because her husband has and so many times has changed his position on a number of items.
Remember, he loved Rev. Wright like his own grandmother, but well for political expediency or the typical politician that he is, he denounced Rev. Wright and left the church.
She will be made over and well... all who think not are very naive.
Get over it already.
It's not a big deal. Nobody's try Miching to turn Michele Obama into Nancy Reagan.
She's being "introduced", which is pretty standard stuff. She's also probably learned on her own that she has to be a little less strident, and a little more careful. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.
She screwed up a little, and A LOT was made out of it, so it's better if she doesn't screw up again.
Sean Hannity will just have to run the old footage for the next 5 months.
She is loved by most and feared by others because she is intelligent, deeply caring, and REAL.
Please don't turn her into a First Ladybot.
I love listening to her!
She came across as a graceful, intelligent, caring and strong woman. For those who heard one misstated sentence and judged her, they were given the chance to see her as she truly was.
Those of us who were smart enough to see beyond the rhetoric already knew how wonderful and inspiring she is.