"...there is no magic to me sitting here..."

[Amerigo Vespucci]

First lady Michelle Obama reads a book to children at Mary's Center in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/10/michelle-obama-visits-dc-_n_165822.html

WASHINGTON — First lady Michelle Obama says it is important to think about where you've come from and how you can give back.

That's one of the messages she carried with her Tuesday on a visit to a local social services center, where she got down on the carpeted floor to read with toddlers and, separately, chatted up a group of teenagers who later said they were surprised to have received such a high-profile visitor.

Asked why she came to Mary's Center, Mrs. Obama said she was raised to believe that "what you get, you give back." She said she wants to do that in Washington, as she did when living in her native Chicago, now that the District of Columbia is her home.

She touched on her middle-class upbringing and told them how each of her successes helped her become a more confident person.

"I have in some way been where you are," she told the 13 teenagers who sat with her in chairs arranged in a circle. She said she thinks it's important for young kids "to see me, not the first lady, to see that there is no magic to me sitting here."

[Betsy Ross]

1. It looks like magic to me! She is wonderful. n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. Is it easy to be a truly great lady, Michele?

You make it seem so. :loveya:

[babylonsister]

3. She's humble, to boot, and another educator. I have so much respect

for Mrs. Obama, too.

[Raine]

4. I LOVE her

actually I LOVE the whole Obama family. :loveya: :-)

[Minimus]

5. Can you picture Laura Bush sitting on the floor with the kids like that?

Now try picturing Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan sitting on the floor.
:rofl:


Michelle is an awesome first lady!

[Captain Hilts]

8. Actually, yes, I can. nt

[Jennicut]

9. Laura WAS a librarian.

She did read books to kids. But she was not as intelligent as Michelle.

[Captain Hilts]

10. In the brains department that's NO contest. nt

[Jennicut]

11. Thats for sure. "Hurricane Karina".

[chollybocker]

6. She also said that it's not "a miracle."

The article has been edited to placate Christian Freeperville.

Michelle got it right the first time.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

7. New York Times

A few things about your post:

1). Michelle is quoted in The New York Times, below with link, saying "There are no miracles that happen." The article is by By Rachel L. Swarns.

2). The Huffington Post link I provided uses an Associated Press story by Darlene Superville.

3). If you have proof that Darlene Superville "edited" Rachel L. Swarns' New York Times piece "to placate Christian Freeperville," you need to post that proof. Otherwise it's just a baseless accusation.

We're waiting. Go ahead and post it.

“There are no miracles that happen,’’ she continued. “There is no magic dust that was sprinkled on my head or Barack’s head. We were kids much like you who figured out one day that our fate was in our own hands. We made decisions to listen to our parents and work hard, and work even harder when somebody doubted us. When somebody told me I couldn’t do something, that gave me a greater challenge to prove them wrong.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/michelle-obama-visits-dc-center/