Michelle Obama on Her Campaign 2012 Schedule

Feb 11 2012 Published by under salt

“The greatest honor of my life has been to be America’s First Lady.  I can’t describe to you what a privilege it has been to meet so many Americans in every corner of this great nation of ours, and to welcome them from every corner of the country into the people’s house here on Pennsylvania Avenue.  My husband and I could not be more committed to seeing those who have suffered through this terrible recession made whole again.  I know what’s in my husband’s heart.  I know he loves being President as much as I love being beside him as First Lady.  There’s nothing we both want more than to see America well, and healthy, and prosperous. I believe Barack has laid the foundations to see us to that brighter day. Of course, my job being Mom is always first, but whatever support he needs to be so honored with another term, well, of course, I want to do whatever I can to help that happen”

OOPS!  That’s NOT what she said.  Here’s what Mooch-elle Antoinette ACTUALLY said:

“My approach to campaigning is: This is the time that I have to give to the campaign, and whatever you do with that time is up to you, but when it’s over, don’t even look at me. Don’t look this direction. No calls, no anything… It’s been a tough row to hoe, but I want him to be my president for another four years, as a citizen… So I’m going to do what I need to do. But Malia and Sasha always come first.”

Asslessclay Itchbay… but that’s just me.

h/t Politico, quoting WSJ

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We’re not Them.

Dec 22 2011 Published by under salt

Unlike the Democrats who enshrine their classless ad-hominem attacks in pre-meditated form in teleprompters & advertising, this one was spontaneous and stupid and thoughtless and I’m glad to hear Sensenbrenner will confer a gentleman’s apology. It was awful that he did it and he should correct it. Glad he is.

Don’t ever let it be said I don’t call out “my own” when they screw up!

From The Hill:

Wisconsin congressman to apologize to first lady
The office of Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.), overheard by Fishbowl DC saying that first lady Michelle Obama had a “large posterior” while complaining about her healthy food initiative, said an apology was in the works, Betsy Rothstein reports.

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Obama’s Excellent 2012 Adventure

Nov 21 2011 Published by under salt

It occurs to me that Michelle Obama being booed at NASCAR is just the beginning.

You’ll note that the Obamas’ appearances of late have all been very tightly choreographed.  They almost always pack a crowd with friendlies, then keep the camera from doing any wide shots, thus betraying how much the crowds have shrunk since 2008.

You can’t campaign for President only in front of friendly crowds.

I know my Tea Party friends will comport themselves with dignity.

I will remind them to please always bring a video camera and have someone with you taping everything, because you will be set up to be the fall guy for some crank the other side tries to plant as Tea Party.

Keep calm, and carry on ;)

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Does Michelle Obama Listen to Herself?

Nov 21 2011 Published by under salt

By now, you’ve doubtlessly heard that Michelle Obama was booed at NASCAR.  Personally, I think the proper way to handle that would have been to just not clap.  Not clapping is a choice of omission – and the message is elegant in its silence.  Booing is a choice of co-misson, and no matter how you feel about Michelle Obama, she is The First Lady and and we do our system of representative government a disservice when we fail to confer a minimum of respect on the title she holds, even if we can’t stomach the woman holding it.  First ladies come and go, but we honor “first ladies” as a general principle; or at least we should.  Other countries paint murals of their leaders’ visages all over the countryside.  We fly flags.  It’s the office we revere, not the person.

Further, and at the risk of sound elitist (God help me), NASCAR isn’t The Boston Ballet, and I suspect the booing wasn’t so much a choice as an impulse. America is so tired of these people it seemed more reflex than rude-on-purpose.  Still, it shouldn’t have happened.  Our bad. NASCAR should send a note.  You invite someone to your “house” you’re not rude to them once they get there.  Thems is the rules of civilized society.

What’s been vastly underreported is the sanctimonious scolding she gave the crowd over how she’s going to lead the way in showing us how to show love to the military.  This, to a NASCAR crowd who, it could be argued, is more disposed to love of military than a Boston Ballet audience… or a Chicago radical…  Read it, and then I’ll comment below:

Obama and Biden also spoke at a barbecue for military families before the race.

“Everyone around the country is focused on you. And this isn’t just an effort today,” Obama said. “ Jill and I through Joining Forces, we want to make this a part of the dialogue in this country forever. Whether Jill or I are here or not, whether this administration is here or not, this is about the way we want this country to talk about our troops, veterans and military families forever. We want you to feel that appreciation and that gratitude so that you know your sacrifice is not in vain.”

She’s admonishing us to think nice thoughts about our men & women in uniform?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Quite apart from the implication, again, that she thinks we’re a bunch of pr*ck oppresors, she’s the one who “pals around with terrorist” Bill Ayers, who “wishes he did more” in the way of bombings – you know, the Pentagon – the military place????!!! He’s unrepentant.  He’s said, on the record, “Guilty as hell.  Free as a bird,” that he’s not rotting in prison by virtue of a technicality. He’s utterly, shamelessly, disgustingly unrepentant.  He’s hated military / police / “pigs” his whole life – to this day – and all through his close relationship with Barack and Michelle.  They’ve been thick as thieves with him since the 1980′s!  Barack launched his Chicago senate bid in his house, fercryingoutloud.  And he’s just one anti-military, America-hating violent scumbag friend.

Do you know anybody like this in your life?  Would you be friends with anyone like this?  Let your daughter date a member of the family?  I wouldn’t.  If they were remorseful, maybe.  But these people are soulless monsters.  His wife, Bernandine Dohrn squealed “Farrout” when she heard Manson’s hippies stuck a fork in just murdered Sharon Tate’s 8 1/2 month pregnant belly.  That’s from a wire service news story from United Press International.  Not some internet rumor.   And the Obamas saw nothing wrong in launching a political career in their house!  “Just a guy around the neighborhood?”  There’s not one other house in all of Chicago in which they could launch a political career?  Were all the banquet halls and Holiday Inns in Chicago booked that day?

She and her husband have been up to their eyeballs with anti-military radicals for 25 years and she wonders why she gets booed at NASCAR.

Do they just move their lips to whatever is in the teleprompter or does anyone, including the first lady, think about what they are saying?

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TRICK or TREAT a la Michelle

May 08 2011 Published by under salt

This Let’s Move P.S.A. (Public Service Announcement) aggravated the hell out of me when I saw it.

There’s so much wrong with it it’s hard to know where to begin but here’s the guts of it: It takes courage to parent properly. You have to be willing to be honest & unpopular – not lie & skate.  It’s hard to tell a kid they have to do X, Y, and Z, but YOU DO IT DAMMIT. You don’t humiliate them by manipulation and purposeful deception – like in this disgusting P.S.A – no matter how benign or noble the underlying intent. The ends do not always justify the means.

A proper way to handle this situation? Have a discussion with your child  ~ We need to incorporate more physical activity into our lives and in order to do it we’re going to do simple little things a few minutes at a time here and there so that they add up to be meaningful but taken separately, are barely noticeable, only 5 minutes here and there – as simple as doing 5 up and 5 down on the stairs if you want money for the mall – or whatever. ~

That would work in my house. You know why? Because my husband and I did the hard work when our girls were 1, 2, 3 and 4. Now at 14, 12, 12 (twins) they know that no means no. And here’s the part NOBODY ever mentions about that glorious principle: They also know the wonders of yes meaning yes! They know that if we arrive at terms of a deal and they do / don’t follow through, there will be / will not be money, mall, computer, or whatever. Their parents have attached consequences to their choices since they were able to make them. They know that with age & freedom come responsibility. We have miles and miles to go so this covenant of trust could vanish – and our girls know how precious & fragile it is – so all involved know years of trust GONE is just one lie away, but 14 years in, at least at this moment, we have the comfort of knowing that if something hard has to be said, it will be said… and followed with a hug – CONSISTENTLY.

A family’s covenant of trust is precious. YOU DON’T TRICK CHILDREN. It’s the COWARDLY way. If you can’t have a reasonable discussion with your child about reasonable goals regarding her health, it’s YOU that has the problem NOT THE CHILD. It’s YOUR FAILURE, not the child’s.

Grow a set, develop some backbone, tell your kid she’s beautiful and you want her to stay that way so X, Y, Z but DON’T TREAT THEM LIKE WITLESS CIRCUS ANIMALS who only move for a treat aka your deceitful, cowardly TRICK.

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