The Press to Michelle Obama -- Be More Like Laura Bush!

[SunsetDreams]

August 12, 2010 9:20 am ET by Eric Boehlert

You see, it was really all about “optics.”

The whole controversy about Michelle Obama’s recent private vacation in Spain with her daughter was really just about “optics,” the pundits decided. It didn’t look good. Bad politics, dontcha know.

“In politics and pop culture, optics are all,” wrote The New York Times’ Maureen Dowd, as she embraced the right-wing attack on the First Lady as an out-of-touch elitist. “And Michelle's optics sent a message that likely made some in the White House and the Democratic Party wince."

That “optics” word as everywhere as Beltway sages conceded the vacation in and of itself was not inherently evil, but that it looked bad and that every First Lady has to understand that she’s always under scrutiny and that “optics are all.”

Right. And how were the “optics” when First Lady Laura Bush got a $700 haircut for the 2005 Inauguration? Or when Laura Bush went on vacation with her girlfriends along with an entourage of 25 in tow? And how were the “optics” when the taxpayers spent more than $20 million flying the Bushes back and forth to their vacation retreat in Crawford, Texas?

How were those “optics”? They were just fine because nobody in the Beltway press corps ever cared about Laura Bush’s “optics.” Instead, for eight years she was, without question, deemed off-limits to any sort of sustained scrutiny. First Lady Bush was off-limits in a way that her Democratic predecessor, Hillary Clinton, was not. And she was off-limits in a way that her current Democratic successor most certainly is not.

Yes, the press uses a different, snarkier standard when covering Democratic first ladies. And frankly, all hell would’ve broken loose on the Right if anyone in the press even thought about putting Laura Bush under a partisan lens, let alone questioning her intentions.

The truth is, the press barely paid any attention to Laura Bush. At this point in President Bush’s first term, the Times’ Dowd had referenced Laura Bush in just seven columns. But already Dowd -- deeply, deeply disturbed by the Spain vacation -- has mentioned Michelle Obama in 18 different columns. (Kind of obsessive, right?)

Much more at link: http://mediamatters.org/blog/201008120009

[derby378]

1. Laura's smile always made me think that she was on thorazine

Michelle's smile looks, well, drug-free. :hi:

[CTyankee]

2. I thought Dowd was just hung up on Hillary, obsessively so. But now I think

she has a problem with strong women. She probably didn't give a damn about Laura Bush because she perceived her as weak. But obviously, strong women just unnerve her...

I cannot for the life of me see what wrong Michelle perpetrated on the American people...she and Sasha were gracious and lovely "ambassadors" to people of good will in Spain. What on earth is the matter with the press here? :shrug:

[baldguy]

3. There's not enough JD & cigarettes in the world.

[denimgirly]

4. Its up to the Democrats to compain ad nasueum to the press when Repub do the same else noone will

pay attention. Repubs always make a fuss over anything and so it is no surprise that Michelle is getting the same treatment. THe people to blame is the democrats who should be out in force when republicans do the same. This way the press wil have new talking points for the evening news. From my pov republicans are doing what i expect them to do which is attack 24/7...its time democrats grew a pair and do the same.

[SunsetDreams]

5. Hmmm

IMO it is not the Democrats fault that Michelle Obama is being smeared. Like you said, it is what they do.
Regarding "growing a pair", the Dems have plenty of "pair", it is the Conservative media who ignore those "pairs", and only give airtime to their Repuke friends. To see the Dems "pairs", you need to use other sources, because the media for the most part damn sure isn't reporting on those "pairs".

[Sinistrous]

6. Yeah sure...be more lie Laura...

have the style and personality of a tar ball.

[Kdillard]

7. Michelle could never be that dull.

[Bitwit1234]

8. Well if people remember Laura Bush's interview when Bush

was running....she gave a good one, she approved of abortion and several other things the republicans didn't like. She laughed, she talked, she was human. THEN all hell broke loose and Laura was never allowed to talk to the press again unless she was with George or the items she could talk about were pre selected....I liked her better before Bush was given the presidency. She had wit and charm.

[madmax]

11. Wit, charm but no substance.

She was shut down. They may try that with Michelle but, good luck with that. She may lay low for a bit ;) You Rock, Michelle!! Good job with the girls, too.

There is a line in 'The Mummy', when the girl character is asked what she does for a living, her response. "I'm, I'm -- a Librarian", with a drunken smile across her face - then she passes out. LOL

[madmax]

9. Media - Get a life.

Throughout her tenure as FLOTUS, Larva showed no spine, no interest, and no brains. Walked around dressed in 60's June Clever outfits, plasterd smile and stick up ass.

Michelle is more an everyday Mom type (bare arms, and all). She is REAL. She is passionate and fiesty. Her interests are outside the usual 'accepted' issues box.

Sick of bullshit like this even getting any print. Wake up!! There are more important issues to work on. :mad:

[leftofcool]

10. Yea Michelle, take some prozac then have the secret service wake you when its over.

Yo Press! Shut the hell up!

[SunsetDreams]

12. kick

[Aramchek]

13. it is about optics. they would have complained less if Michelle was white.

[Tarheel_Dem]

14. Most people know what this is about. The media wants to create..

a controversial image of the first black FLOTUS as compared to her caucasian predecessors. Optics aside, Michelle has two young girls to raise, and she and her husband worked hard to be able to give their children things like trips abroad, and a first class education. If that's elitist, and out of touch, count me among them.

The Obamas know firsthand, the challenges of those less fortunate, but if the press didn't stir up this kind of crap, who would really care about a mother taking her child on vacation? Republican first ladies get the velvet glove treatment, and Dem first ladies get the shaft, from all sides. Go figure.

[Phx_Dem]

15. Sorry MSM, boring and frumpy doesn't suit Michelle.

[Arkana]

16. They can kiss Michelle's magnificently sculpted ass.

The fucking cameras were looking the other way when Laura Bush did this shit.

No one cared then.

Now, all of a sudden it's THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS ARGH because Michelle Obama is black a Democrat.