Remember during the campaign when the Republicans collectively decided that the Obama Achilles heel was his wife, Michelle. Remember when we heard loads of nonsense about her “proud” remarks and the Neanderthals in the Tennessee GOP cut a couple ads going after her? And McCain trotted out his wife to tell us she has always been proud of her country? Remember all that?
Like everything else the last few years, this endeavor has turned out really well for the GOP:
Americans have very positive impressions of both President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. But in the latest Gallup Poll, Mrs. Obama receives a slightly better favorable rating, 72% to 69%.
These guys have the reverse Midas touch.
gypsy howell
Even the Queen seems to like her.
Just Some Fuckhead
Republicans jumped the shark.
TenguPhule
We have long remarked on the GOP Anti-midas Shit touch.
Krista
Imagine that – Americans actually like a woman who has brains and warmth, who has a great career, cute kids, a great yet realistic marriage, and who knows how to bargain-shop.
Bizarre…
Dennis-SGMM
You guys are all falling into their trap: they’re going for the pity vote.
Zifnab
HAZ U SEEEN MAH WITEY TAP?
Brachiator
And of course there is Bad Horses Filly’s post from an earlier thread…
Michelle at School for Girls…
LD50
Never you mind, I hear Malkin’s gonna come out with the whitey tape any day now.
jibeaux
How are you not supposed to like a First Lady who dresses in off the rack J. Crew to meet with the Queen of England and looks FABULOUS doing it?
MattF
Well, they tried.
Uppity. Uppity. Uppity. Uppity. Uppity. Uppity. Uppity.
But for some reason, it just didn’t work.
Andre
@Brachiator:
So what’s the etiquette here? Am I allowed to find this a little…hot*?
I don’t know if I’d feel the same if Cindy McCain was screeching "MOAR SKOOLGURLZ!!!! I WANTS MOAR SKOOLGURLZ!!!!!!"
* – Kidding. It’s not really hot unless they’re cheerleaders.
JenJen
The UK seems to be in full-on Michelle Obamania. Hitchens was on "Hardball" with Tina Brown and both ex-pats were going a little apeshit on the British reaction to the charms of the First Lady.
The tut-tutting about Michelle Obama breaking protocol with the Queen is quickly morphing into what really happened: "The Queen was so completely charmed by the First Lady, she succumbed to her affection, wrapping an arm around Mrs. Obama in a spontaneous, unprecedented show." Seriously.
Saturday’s meeting with Carla Bruni-Sarkozy at the Strasbourg Cathedral promises to be paparazzi nirvana (hell).
But yeah, as others have pointed out, any day now, Larry "Flowbee" Johnson will whip out the Whitey Tape, and she’ll be ruined. Soon. Any day now.
geg6
I think they’ve decided to use an election strategy based on which party provides the most entertainment value. How else to explain their long running comedy show? I have yet to meet a woman, even the Republican ones I work with, who don’t relate to and admire Michelle Obama even if they came to that conclusion reluctantly. The garden seemed to put the seal on the deal that began with those adorable girls and her fabulous but affordable fashion sense.
tomjones
For not the first time in my life, I’m really proud of Michele Obama.
GReynoldsCT00
and let’s not forget all the pearl clutching about her sleeveless dresses and *GASP* her sculpted arms…the horror…she actually takes care of herself
Incertus
Well, they all expected her to stand up at State dinners and holler "where’s my motherfuckin ice tea!"
Lola
Yeah, Michelle is pretty cool. NBC News ran a hugely flattering piece on her and showed the crazy-good reaction she got from the British school. It was fun to watch, especially since BriWi didn’t make a snarky comment about it.
geg6
I got to meet her when the Obamas and Bidens came here the day after the DNC. I was,admittedly, star struck but she (all of them, really, but especially her) was very down to earth and charming. If I was the kind of woman who went for other women, I say I had a crush on her. ;-)
James K. Polk, Esq.
Now watch them nominate a black woman for some prominent position to try to catch some of the thunder.
Condeezee, come on down!
chuck
I notice you’re plugging the PetMate Fresh Flow now along with the Furminator. It’s a nice looking design, but the motor on it is weak, hard to get at, and hard to clean. I got the Drinkwell fountain instead, which has given me much less trouble. It’s not quite as nice looking and the plastic feels flimsier, but the motor is stronger, easier to remove, and easier to clean. And the cats seem to like its stream better (it just free-falls and doesn’t run down a ramp).
gocart mozart
More Republican hypocrisy. I thought they believed in the right to bare arms.
Dennis-SGMM
A lot of this is probably the giddy relief of not having a fucking moron with his finger on the nuclear trigger.
Mark S.
Of course all of these other countries love the Obamas; they hated Bush at least as much as this country does. If there were a Platonic form of the Ugly American (arrogant, ignorant, moralistic), it would pretty much be George W. Bush.
Comrade Darkness
Did anyone see this "i love this guy" video?
I think da silva is thinking, you cannot possibly be the president following after bush. inconceivable.
scarshapedstar
@Incertus:
I heard that the main course was fried chicken and waffles with a side of rice, wheat berries, and collard greens, served with some finely aged grape Kool-Aid. Dessert, naturally, was a gold-leaf-flecked watermelon.
Seriously, though, I was reading the Politico article about the iPod bullshit and there were some comments along these lines, except they weren’t being ironic:
(http://dyn.politico.com/members/forums/thread.cfm?catid=1&subcatid=5&threadid=2251236&start=181&CurrentPage=7)
dmsilev
@gocart mozart:
No, they believe in the right to arm bears. Just wait until Stephen Colbert finds out.
-dms
Libby
I read somewhere today that the Queen has never actually touched anyone in public before. Whatever they are or aren’t, the Obamas are a breath of fresh air that’s blowing away the old paradigms.
It’s sometimes really does feel like the old Kennedy Camelot vibe, all over again.
valdivia
@Comrade Darkness:
I *loved* that video. I wanted more of the exchange since it went on a while longer.
John Cole
@chuck: I’ll throw the Drinkwell up. I have the petmate and it works fine for me. I just support the idea of pet fountains because I think it makes pets happy and is better for them.
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge
Let’s try the abbreviations:
American style–"President Barack H. Obama"
British style–"President B. Hussein Obama"
It does sound a little more dignified British style, albeit more Arabic. (I know, both Barak and Hussein are Arabic, but most wingnuts don’t.)
H. L. Mencken in The American Language said that when a British novel features some loutish American millionaire named something like "Theophilus K. Hunks," the first-name-middle-initial abbreviation contributes just as much to the barbaric sound (in British ears) as the names themselves.
Mary
The Obamas are hella shrewd. Michelle is clearly wearing her J. Crew to appeal to the common person (me!) while mixing in very high-end and expensive outfits. I had always heard that she was a serious clothes horse but the mixing in of the $400 J. Crew outfit is beyond clotheshorsing. It is absolute genius. She will become a fashion icon beyond even Jackie Kennedy.
libarbarian
OMG!! Even if we we’re wrong before, with poll numbers like this there is no way she isn’t going to be an elitist now.
With that and the millions primed to revolt in defense of their right to clean dishes, I think the end is near for the Obamessiah.
/snark
Tee-hee.
Paula
Hmmm, apart from the racial undertones of some of the worst winger crap on Michelle Obama, the yuckiness of a lot of the negative commentary is the focus on her arms and hips and the only slightly edgy color palette and youthfulness of her wardrobe. People — regardless of whether they are liberal or conservative, men or women — seem genuinely uncomfortable with the idea of a non-stick figure middle-aged woman and mother who refuses to blend into the background and who owns her body, her sexuality, her accomplishments, and her power so completely even under such intense scrutiny.
She clearly stands apart from her husband (that’s saying a lot when your husband is Barack Obama). But because Michelle (like Barack) has some serious skills in regards to balancing different roles and behaviors depending on the situation, she can project a lot of aspects of her personality at once. Even while she runs around doing fairly typical FL things and talking about her children, her intelligence and sense of humor in public project her level of academic and professional accomplishment without rubbing it in. She cannot be forced into either the background (like Laura) or saddled with accusations of doing things she was not "elected" to do (like HRC).
And I think this tends to frustrate people who want to box her in. Which they want to do because because, quite frankly, she is an asset to the administration’s push for certain policies. Her emphasis on her own education, her push for healthy eating, her kitchen garden — these all connect to the abstract notions of sustainable ag, health care reform, education reform, etc that peeps are trying to work through the pipeline right now. And as long as FLOTUS is an admired figure, people will take her as an example, and bring that kind of thinking into their own families and private spaces. The personal is political, after all, and MO clearly understands this.
And for all the ham-handed fighting over "traditional family values" that we’ve had over the past 8 years, what really galls conservatives is that they know that they can’t make any of it stick to the Obamas. They are the substance, rather than the bluster, of real family values — which translate into caring for your community, country, and planet. And MO is the crux of that transition in our national attitudes.
If only she spoke out about foreign policy …
Brachiator
@Andre:
There are a couple of radio comedians who claim that from a certain angle, Cindy McCain looks as though she feeds on school girls.
The sad thing here is that originally, the GOP goons tried to paint Obama as an aloof, elitist country club aristocrat (they were obviously projecting). But they got tired and the worst of the GOP base falls back on tired stereotypes. But even here they fail, since they just can’t grasp Obama’s personal history, which makes him as much a Hawaiian as anything else.
So if they said he liked spam, they would still be stoopid, but at least more appropos.
Libby
@Comrade Darkness:
I had not seen that and I’m glad I did. Thanks.
Canny move on Obama’s part. Lula is probably the most popular leader on earth. His people love him and winning over the Latin American bloc will help Obama in a lot of ways.
Cat Lady
@Comrade Darkness:
I say this to myself at least two or three times a day, in complete fucking wonder.
Someone, not me, but someone, some day, should thank Bush for making this possible. I don’t think anyone else could have paved the way quite like he did. Karma works in mysterious ways.
Calouste
@The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge:
British would just be "President Barack Obama". They don’t do superflous initials over there, whether it is the first or the second name.
Now, in South Africa, they would refer to him as B.H. Obama, or simply "B.H."
Mnemosyne
@chuck:
I like our Drinkwell Platinum, but the original Drinkwell was a gigantic pain in the ass to clean. You had to buy special brushes to get into all of the spaces, and it was not dishwasher-safe.
The cats do seem to like it, and it stays a lot cleaner now that we moved it from the litter box area into the kitchen. I think they were washing their paws in it before.
Litlebritdifrnt
@Mary:
The editor of English Vogue called her "Jackie O with a brain" now I am not sure that is fair to Jackie O, but it does give a name to how they feel, not only is she a style icon but she IS A HARVARD EDUCATED LAWYER for gawds sake, she has a brain and she is not afraid to use it.
As an aside this entire thing pleases me, because the PUMAs who lovingly call Michelle "scoop mouth" must be frothing at their computers as we speak typing lines and lines of utter drivel which PROVES god damn you PROVES that she is a radical anti-american flag hating Jihadist cause well damn she just IS!
big woo
Cindy McCain is just like any other female human.
Cat Lady
@big woo:
Win.
Cindy McCain has reptile eyes. Compare and contrast to Michelle Obama.
Mike in NC
Karl Rove was pushing that line about a year ago, if not longer. Something to do with Obama smoking and sipping a martini and making disparaging remarks as people entered the room. Turdblossom: another unappreciated GOP genius.
dmsilev
@big woo:
That was quite possibly OnionTV’s finest moment. Though this one from last week runs a strong second.
-dms
Leelee for Obama
Like my Mom always told me, without Judas, Jesus was just a carpenter.
Comrade Darkness
@Leelee for Obama, that was his dad, that was the carpenter, and technically he wasn’t that, the translation would be more accurate as "day laborer". I.E, those guys who stand around in the parking lot at Home Depot in California . . .many probably named Jesus, interestingly enough.
Comrade Darkness
@Libby, the man is cleaning his glasses there at the end like he can’t believe his eyes. It’s all kinds of funny. Like others, I wish it went on longer.
The Populist
Hey righties,
Defend this:
Explain to me what rationale person wants Fat Rush speaking for them?
Leelee for Obama
@Comrade Darkness:
That’s interesting-but I was always under the impression, actual making of furniture was involved. I kind of like the irony of this though.
JWW
Again,
You play yourself as stupid! Everyday, men underestimate the power of a woman. It is no different this time, I myself see(with my eyes only) that she will be a large factor in this run.
It is so sorry that you had to read some other BS feed to see it.
Faux News
Hmmm…let’s see. Chimpy McBush left office with a 28% favorable rating (wignuts for sure)
Americans have given The First Lady, Michele Obama a 72% favorable rating.
One wonders just WHO are the 28% who don’t like Mrs. Obama?
It’s a mystery for sure.
JWW
I should have noted to your dumb ass. Women love her and men are likely to follow.
The Voices
Yes.. yesssssssss.. Now tell them about the secret signals being broadcast from our teeth… We sport potato pants and all the dogs love us for it…
Tattoosydney
@JenJen:
When Michelle has won over the Daily Mirror:
The Sun:
AND the Times:
you can pretty much say that the Republicans are on a loser.
Republicans look at Michelle with her arm around the Queen and see an opportunity. Everyone else in the world just thinks that that nice Michelle Obama is even more adirable than they thought.
rikyrah
Someone, not me, but someone, some day, should thank Bush for making this possible. I don’t think anyone else could have paved the way quite like he did. Karma works in mysterious ways.
When I wrote my endorsement of Obama right before the Iowa Caucus, I DID thank George W. Bush.
He was so bad as President that America would consider a BLACK MAN as a legitimate choice.
Yes, the Lord works in mysterious ways.
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge
Their ire is understandable, though. If Obama were just an uppity nigrah, they could deal with that. On top of that, he’s educated, cultured, and urbane, after the repubs have spent at least the last 28 years demonizing just those very qualities.
How far do you have to go back to find a president to compare him to? Most of us would probably say JFK, but he had a large Boston catholic working-class constituency that he couldn’t get too hoity-toity for. Even FDR (sincerely, I think) cultivated a certain folksy quality to offset his old-money-New-England-blueblood origins. (This is the same problem the Bushes have had to deal with, much less felicitously.)
Just think how loutish their candidate in 2012, whoever it is, is going to appear next to Obama. It must really be griping their cookies, because even if they had somebody who wouldn’t be an embarrassment, they wouldn’t dare run them, or their lunatic base would squeal. This is going to be fun!
Chris Johnson
Aha! This must be Laura W of comment threads :) cheers, I am defeated with your TEN dollar ad bid :D now I’m gonna have a look at this mosaic site…
Laura W
@Chris Johnson: You are a worthy and formidable adversary, Sir!
Cheers back.
Bob In Pacifica
"King Midas In Reverse" by the Hollies. I think this was the song that pushed Graham Nash out of the band and into the arms of David Crosby. Figurative arms.
Ash Can
Don’t forget that, besides being highly educated and highly intelligent, Michelle Obama is also a regular Chicago neighborhood girl (a south side middle-class black neighborhood, too, none of this Gold Coast/Streeterville stuff). As the Londoners are seeing, it’s an optimal combination.
Gemina13
Sing it with me, GOPers–"We’ve Got The Fecal Touch!" YEAH!
asiangrrlMN
I have never bought the meme that Michelle Obama was a hindrance to the campaign. Again, it’s one of the things the traditional media pushed without actually backing it up.
I greatly admire Michelle Obama. I want to be her when I grow up. I think part of the Obama appeal is that each is comfortable in his/her own skin. Politicians often look at polls and twist their personalities to follow the trends. Neither Obama seems much inclined to do this. They both seem like real people–ones with whom you can actually converse.
Granted, Michelle had to focus more on being a mother later in the campaign, but she never once muted her beauty or her strength. I love her ‘edgy’ style (yeah, edgy my ass) and the fact that she does her own thing. Plus, you can tell that the Obamas truly love and respect each other (as well as their children). They embody the so-called family values that the right supposedly espouses without making a big production about it.
It’s not hard to see why the Obamas are such international hits. They bring out the best in people, for the most part. I fully expect sixteen years of Obamas in the White House.
canuckistani
From your keyboard to the FSM’s tentacles…
bob h
There’s always Sasha and Malia.
JosieJ
After the dowdy style that most FLs are forced into, anything different would be considered edgy! Especially look who Michelle Obama is following: Laura Bush, whose inspired-by-upholstery outfits did nothing for her, and she was not a bad-looking woman.
ksmiami
This is excellent news for McCain
DougJ
The excellent movie “The Limie” contains this song — “King Midas In Reverse“, that I thought would be a good theme song for George W. Bush.