Reading The Pictures: Obama Lover, Michael Powell

Conservative columnists accuse her of being unpatriotic and say she simmers with undigested racial anger. A blogger who supported Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton circulates unfounded claims that Mrs. Obama gave an accusatory speech in her church about the sins of "whitey."

--From second paragraph of Michael Powell's NYT feature on Michelle Obama

Seeming to formalize a problem where there isn't one, today's NYT piece on Michelle Obama (penned, yes, by "Obama lover," Michael Powell) frames Michelle -- because, I assume, she's been adding staff and is about to host "The View" -- as being embattled and in need of a relaunch.

I guess with Hillary out, Powell needs some pot to stir, subtlety reinforcing "the angry Michelle" meme by describing her as a "less mutable" black woman who "burns hot."

With the photo framed under the title: "After Attacks, Michelle Obama Looks for a New Introduction," the clapping reinforces the idea of introduction, but the complex facial expression -- with Michelle distanced from the viewer behind the shoulder of the man in front of her -- only raises more questions about where she is coming from. On top of that, the first line of the story -- although addressing an unrelated circumstance -- ends up editorializing on the image by describing Michelle as sporting a "trained smile" as she is asked to consider her "complicated public image."

In point of fact, the photograph was taken back in March while Michelle Obama was listening to BHO's speech on race, a bold and politically risky effort in the midst of the unrelenting media storm over Jeremiah Wright. Given those circumstances, it makes perfect sense that Michelle's complex of emotions emanates from the heat of the moment, not some alleged personality issue or supposed present-day public relations problem.

After Attacks, Michelle Obama Looks for a New Introduction (Michael Powell - NYT)

For more of the visual, visit BAGnewsNotes.com.

(image: Jessica Kourkounis for The New York Times. Philadelphia. March, 2008. nytimes.com)

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Comments

[Moose49]

I find "'the angry Michelle' meme" just as offensive as you, but you're blaming the wrong guy. Remember, reporters don't pick the photos that accompany their articles, just as they don't write the headlines. And sometimes, even the lead is more a product of the editor than the reporter.

No one is perfect but looking at his body of work, overall, I think Michael Powell is one of the best reporters anywhere. He's smart and incisive, his writing is beautiful, he's fair without falling into the "he said-she said" crap, he usually is able to get beyond the BS and into real substance, and he's a lot less likely to buy into the conventional wisdom than most. I'd take him over 99 percent of other reporters any day.

The Times has hardly distinguished itself lately, but in recruiting Powell from The Washington Post and assigning him to the Obama campaign, in my view, they could hardly have done better, for all the flaws of this particular article.

[diogeron]

I've read the NYT for 40 years, but I have to admit that they seem to be slipping a notch. Hiring William "Chickenhawk" Kristol was just about the last straw for me.

[Moose49]

No doubt about that. If they were determined to hire a conservative columnist, almost anyone would have been better than Kristol, whose columns have been full of factual errors and regurgitated insipid party-line pap.

I'll reiterate my previous point, though, that I think Powell was an outstanding hire.

[MPeter]

NYT has been at the foree front of making bad judgments for the longest of time. It is a divisive, tired paper full of angry, old-style reporters who feed on racial polarization. This is the same paper that carried water for the Clintons for so longer, it forgot how to report honestly. Look at how the paper dished out its endorsements. Few people at NYT have credibility.

[MaryT63]

The Obamas will be fine. They have achieved greatness just for what they've done so far. But what of America - it's moral fiber. Has any of America's racist, superiority views changed from the 1700s thru the 1960s, only to get swept under the rug w the perception of integration after the 1970s. Will the ugly side of America, lurking just under the surface continue to creep out w incidents like Gitmo, Adbu Grib (sp), New Orleans flooding, the smears against the Obamas for the world to see. Who out there among our highly paid 'talking heads' of MSM (tv, radio, print) that shape public opinion is willing to stand up and speak daily to our higher selves. Is there anyone besides Obama speaking to our higher moral fiber. It's time for a change. We can not allow this ugliness to shape this great candidate for president. Not this time......­.

[mspost]

People like Powell needs lots of prayers!

[mari2JJ]

Michael Powell's hit piece on Michelle is just that. Totally a trip he makes in his head to frame the subject within his hate filled reference point. Remember, this is a woman born into a family with few means, but who refused to let that ruin her life. So she studied hard, worked on the side, did her homework, gave up a lot of fun stuff to get ready for college and then went on to do well in college and in Law School, passing the bar and having a very worthwhile career of her own. Then she met and married Barack and they have further sacrificed for him to be a community organizer. Anyone who bad mouths this wonderful , bright, successful attorney, mother and wife is simply jealous or a racist person who has hate written all over them. It is not coincidental that his hate is directed to a black person either. A hit job reflecting the right's need to bad mouth those who make it up the ladder. For me, their story is one of inspiration. Only a curmudgeon would be so negative about this sweet story of sacrifice, hard work and great success. That is why this former registered Republican plans to vote for her husband and it will be my joy to watch this very talented lady function so well as our first lady. So you go Obamas and ignore these racists who only want to tear down at every chance they get.

[HBeachbum]

That's right ... everybody who doesn't like Barack and Michelle are racists. It has nothing to do with that fact that Obama has zero experience in national and foreign affairs, or that Michelle got a $100,000 "raise" after Barack arranged a huge state contract for her employer. Nope, it's all about racism.

[BatedBreath]

Still on that clinton bandwagon? Have you happened to notice that it hasn't moved in a while?

[cariintexas]

And what were the final grades of the Mc Cain kids after mommy and daddy donated hundreds of thousands to THEIR school. The contract was for a HOSPITAl where everyone who used it benefited. But healthcare for those who have none is not high on the list of all you rightwingers is it.

[Melissa]

If you dislike her, you are a racist?