Ladies Choice - What does America Want?

Come January, one of two women is going to be keeping house with the leader of the free world.

The question: what kind of first lady do Americans want? In recent history, the answer came down to style and likeability. How else can Laura Bush's approval ratings remain high in the wreckage of her husband's presidency?

But the rules have changed for the first lady, and the stakes have gone up.

Hillary Clinton, a new generation of working women and the Web have injected gender - and some charge sexism - into politics in ways that push us into unexplored territory. The female half of the ticket - and that is what it really is this time - is going to weigh on decisions like never before.

The two women offer a clear contrast.

It says something interesting about America when an African American daughter of a municipal maintenance worker has to turn to the cover of US magazine and on the View to counter the impression that she is elitist.

Elitist or not, she is a force - and a target. The attack-bloggers are poised over their keyboards like Jeopardy contestants over their buzzers, waiting for a repeat of any statement that says she is less than patriotic, less than a helpmate, and - let's be real - less than enraptured by white America.

The Web-enabled ability to create a crap cocktail out of simple ingredients - think turning a Viet Nam medal winner into a coward - is fact. And proven, I should add, to be effective with the "low information voter" - those who might make a political decision based on a cover of US Magazine.

Not that there is anything wrong with foregoing positions and records and deciding whether or not you might like them as a neighbor. It's how the game is played in an era of media saturation.

In these formative hours of the national campaign, it's all about first impressions.

Reference the sexy-funny-and quite possibly spontaneous fist bump heard 'round the world. And compare it to John McCain's Ted Bundy smile and the sickly green background in his answering speech.

Will she be a factor? That single moment says she already is.

Will Cindy McCain? That depends on what they decide to do with her.

For now, she is Pat Nixon, serenely standing by her man, sometimes seeming to be staring off into the distance, sometimes looking like she would rather give a kidney than an interview, usually speaking only when there is a reason. She was the one tapped to answer Michelle Obama's assertion that this was the first time in her adult life that she was proud of her country. Michelle Obama said she was proud of her country for the first time in her adult life because (media ignored this part) Americans were hungry for change. Cindy McCain just said she was proud.

Voters are going to know Cindy McCain in installments; her introduction to America has a tentative feel.

She is a pilot who reportedly bought a plane and learned to fly to get over her fear of flying. She suffered a stroke and learned to walk again on her own. She is chairman of the company her father started. She founded a nonprofit group that provides medical care to third-world countries in disasters. On a mission to Bangladesh, she encountered a baby girl in one of Mother Theresa's orphanages, and informed her husband that they had a new member of the family. She drives race cars. She kicked an addiction to pain pills. She is 17 years younger than her husband.

Drip by drip, we're learning that no potential lady ever had a resume quite like this one.

Which new-model first lady will shine brightest in the media showroom? Will it be the fiery partner or the ethereal presence?

We'll have our answer in the coming months. And the ride may get bumpy.

Whether or not the first ladies should be "fair game" is irrelevant. They are. Criticizing a first lady's style-sense is worlds different from critiquing a wife's fiery campaign speech or the fact that a candidate is flying free on his wife's airplane.

These are new women; these are new rules. Neither is going to be an accessory. They are going to be part of the result.

Comments

[texanna]

There are too many REALLLLY important things to consider in who to vote for and none of them includes who the First Lady might be. Last I checked, there's only one desk in the Oval Office and I never see a First Lady in any of those Cabinet Meeting photos, so what's the big deal? Besides, if it's Ms. Obama, by her own accounts won't she be pretty much involved with her two, young daughters? If it's Ms. McCain, it'll pretty much be Laura's third term, and Laura isn't the problem with the current regime. Now, can we all just get on to talking about the things that we really should be considering when we step up to vote in November?

[KELLI2L]

I first heard the Obama's being referred to as Elite-ist from the MSM (cable news), however I did not see it that way, and some people would rather say that a better word fit instead is that they have a 'Chip-on their Shoulder'(s).

[mamamay]

Real issue here, some folks don't associate educated folks capable of being the gracious hostess in WH. Folks of color are known to be elegant and gracious hostess for any type occasion. Better than the Martha Stewart type. See displays of B Smith on tv. .Wow, a few of the past 1st ladies were not even close. Folks need to sit back and learn about American Cultural. In the Past, it was the Maid who made the decorations outlandish for WH entertaining Folks of the 21st Century will do just fine. There won't be any trying to please as a Nancy Reagan, Hil Clinton,et al. Many believe that Michelle is more than ready, Poise, and all. I am concerned about CMcC. After seeing the other Mrs McC, Carol, I think JMcSame has already traded in his most eligible,gracious, wife and 1st lady; for a person who appears to not be one expected as a 1st lady, or wife, but more of a nonsignificant temporary type person, perhaps, a Secretary, or just the OTHER woman,in Cindy. I still associate JMcSame as one who may still feel some youthful deprivations lurking around that will cause him bring disgrace to the Oval Office. Obama and family are truly an American family sharing wholesome values and will be an asset to the WH.

[Rubyfoo]

The only important question is, and always was: what's best for the country and all concerned? When we consider what's best for particular constituencies, we polarize and tie ourselves in knots.

[snabby]

Just amazing that the heiress with 8 or 9 houses is the folksy one, and the daughter of the maintenance worker ios portrayed as the elitist. That's our beloved mainstream media at work.

And as Grisson1001 notes, if all's fair, then it is certainly incumbent upon the writer of this blog post to note that Cindy had an affair with a married man, and became a prescription drug addict who stole from her own charity. Check it out at snopes: http://www.snopes.com/politics/mccain/cindy.asp

It would be better if the candidate's spouses were not an issue, but if they are, then fair is fair.

[hilojodi]

If a woman from the south side of Chicago had forged prescriptions for drugs and stolen drugs from a children's charity, she would likely have been incarcerated and would have been forever branded a felon. Cindy McCain, a wealthy woman married to a powerful U.S. Senator, committed exactly those crimes (see current Newsweek cover article "What's Behind That Smile?") and skirted around the punishment to which most other citizens would have been subjected. Just imagine what the pundits would be doing with this if it had been Michelle Obama (from south side Chicago) who had been addicted to drugs and committed theft and fraud? I don't judge Mrs. McCain for her drug addiction. She was troubled and needed help and compassion. I applaud her legitimate charity work. What I do object to is the double standard in our justice system and the self-righteousness of Cindy McCain in digging at Michelle Obama when she lives in such a fragile glass house. I feel sorry for both of these women, but one of them has the promise of being another Eleanor Roosevelt, while the other falls far short of being First Lady material. These women are clear reflections of the men to whom they are married.

[frustratedinohio]

"Michelle Obama said she was proud of her country for the first time in her adult life because (media ignored this part) Americans were hungry for change."

You had me until this statement. This is what she said: "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country."

Why is that so hard to remember? The media didn't ignore anything. That was the sentence.

As a Hillary supporter, I'm trying to go with the flow here. But Obama supporters keep distorting things to their advantage. That really makes me mad.

[jvarga]

You got the quote wrong from Rush Limbaugh. This is what she said "It is making a comeback. And let me tell you something--for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country."

(source: http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/009957.html, it includes a link to the video). Start listening at 15 seconds. YOU HAVE THE QUOTE WRONG. Who is distorting things again?

[jvarga]

Let me add that in another thread you said "Let me tell you what I do everyday Cleveland. I come out to this site hoping that there isn't anything negative about Hillary. There always is and as long as there is, I will be here to defend her. One day perhaps soon, there won't be anything about her. Then I can go on to something else."

So is coming here and making up quotes by Michelle Obama part of how you defend Senator Clinton?

(note that this will make no sense if my previous comment doesn't post)

[jvarga]

http://www.breitbart.tv/html/49244.html

[StillIRise]

After seeing and hearing Michelle's speech replayed, I purposefully wrote down her words. She said, "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country because it feels that hope is ready for a come back." She spoke this in the context and setting of an audience of Americans from all walks of life - all colors, all classes, all religions, men and women, young and old - coming together to support a black man and a woman for president. Her statement echoed the sentiment of many Americans, because it was not only the first time in Michelle's life, but the first time in the history of our country that such a phenomenon was occurring. The distortion of Michelle's words has not been done by Obama supporters, but by the media, specifically by Fox News, and the other MSM who simply picked up on Fox's spin. What really makes me mad is that so many Americans have been more willing to embrace the lies of the media than the truth of what Michelle spoke and what she meant. Both her words and her intent were clear, and neither were what the media and others have attempted to twist them to be.

[jvarga]

I linked to the speech. I was really hoping that after confronting frustrated with the actual video from Michelle Obama, we would get an explanation from frustrated about how it is that Obama supporters are distorting things again.

I guess honesty is too much to ask for from some of Senator Clinton's supporters.

[WorkingClass]

I was born in 1944. I'm still waiting to be proud of my country.

[barbaraw60]

Nothing against her, but the echo of the words, "For the first time in my life I am proud to be America." Guess the 20 years at Rev. Wright's sermons were catchy huh? Maybe that is old news... people forget so quickly, HUH?

Like all the turn abouts in this campaign... people forget that Mr. Obama lied many times... I will not forget these:

Claims to have no lobbyist ties, but changed his nuclear regulation bill to favor nuclear companies under pressure from his money men at Exelon

Claims to not accept oil money, but in fact has major money bundlers who are oil executives

Claims to have no lobbyist ties, but several registered lobbyists have raised over a million dollars for his campaign, sometimes having their wives write the check to conceal his ties to them

Voted against his own economic package

Of McCain, Clinton, and Obama, only Obama backed the Bush-Cheney energy bill that put taxpayer money in oil companies" pockets and helped gas prices skyrocket, yet he calls Clinton "Bush-lite" and McCain "a third Bush term"?

Claimed he would not run for President until he had the requisite experience

[Countdown09]

You have a right to your opinion barbaraw60 but you don't have the right to make crap up- To set the record straight, Sen. Obama said for his "run for the Presidency" he would not accept money from PAC's and lobbyist and he hasn't. He didn't claim nor say he hand not taken money them in is his Senate Campaign. Please provide proof where he said he wouldn't run for President until he had requisite experience and that he's received money from oil bundlers.

[StillIRise]

"Guess the 20 years at Rev. Wright's sermons were catch huh?"

Guess the 20 seconds of Sean Hannity soundbites were pretty catchy too, huh?

[Former]

What Michelle REALLY said--emphasis on REALLY--was for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am REALLY proud of my country. Does that one word REALLY matter? I think it does. And I'm upset--no I'm REALLY upset with Peggy here for editing it out.

And, for the record, I haven't been REALLY proud of our government for most of my adult lifetime of 64 years. Sometimes. A little bit. But not enough to blow up little wads of black gunpowder or anything.

[Anthrofreak]

I think the whole idea that we are focusing on these women is ridiculous. Again, America doesn't care about issues. Americans love image and perception. Both of which are primarily manufactured to either idolize or demonize a candidate... or in this case, their wives. Grow up, America!!! Stop watching the news and research facts and real issues.

[barbaraw60]

Thank you soooooooooo much for this comment.... Intelligent women are what this country needs!

[jvarga]

"She founded a nonprofit group that provides medical care to third-world countries in disasters"

I wonder if the media will also ignore the rest of the story of her non profit? :P

[kevinw]

Actually, the hungry for change part was added to the explanatuion of the proud comment later. There was nothing wrong with her original comment. She just needed to explain the position to the general public. She was witnessing the system working like it was promised to be working.hat has a large impact on a person. The gibberish the campaign has come up with about being proud about America hungry for change sounds like a clean up.

[Menemshasunset]

Michelle has been in our face as the outspoken wife who went to Princeton with her own career and credentials- Just as Barack Obama has been marketed big time so has she. On the other hand, we've all met people in life who have to tell you everything they've done right off the bat and others who surprise you with an unfolding and impressive story- I prefer the latter- Cindy McCain may look like someone we wouldn't choose as a friend but her cover may not do justice to the book inside.

[StillIRise]

To suggest that Michelle and Barack were "in our face" about their accomplishments is twisting reality. I don't believe Michelle has offered, without provocation, to tell us very much about her accomplishments at all. It was the media that chose to disclose her story. And what we will learn about Cindy McCain will probably come from the media as well, if in fact there is anything for them to tell us about her.

Actually, before the media disclosed Michelle's many achievements, I knew very little, if anything, about her; and I still don't know anything about Cindy McCain. It would seem that if there was very much substance to "the book inside" we would have gotten at least a glimpse of it by now.

[spiderweb]

Each woman is under the microscope but it behooves those who wish to cast a stone and have it rechocet back or be a bommerang. That especially goes for the most opinionated media. It's great to have intelligent citizens who can read between the lines and understand the workings of the news that hit out TV tubes, radio, and Internet. May the best woman win and may we accept her with open arms.

[opines]

I think I get it. Since they can't vote for Hillary for President, women will make their choice for President on the basis of which wife would be the best first lady.

Yeah, that's the ticket.