Michelle Obama: “For the First Time in My Adult Lifetime, I’m Really Proud of My Country”

Well I think it’s fair to ask why it would take her husband running for President to be proud of her country? She wouldn’t be proud of her country if other individuals were running for president instead, or if people were preferring the status quo instead of change?
I don’t see why the word “really” matters that much. She didn’t have anything to be “really” proud of before now?

What I find offensive is that she states in her speach that her mom stayed home to raise her family and implies that her husband can allow this level of prosperity again by more government spending! She needs an economic reality check. Government needs to promise less and reduce spending before we bankrupt the country with inflation.

I get what she meant too.
But it didn’t sound right. This is not a good week for the speechwriters.

To all Obama supporters. I am a Hillary supporter, but I do know that the fact that Obama’s race does not bother a lot of Americans, that people are willing to have a black leader, is a beautiful thing. We all know. Michelle meant what I posted before, this post. I think she shouldn’t be afraid to say a fact about race. Our country has matured in that regard and we all notice it. So chin up America! However, I still think Hillary is the better candidate.

Are you kidding me? What is the bloody difference between what the Boston Globe quoted and what she actually said?
The bottom line is that she has not been proud of her country before this campaign.

This is ridiculous! This election process is turning into grade school BS…calling folks out about debating, he said, she said crap. Taking the most inane words and making them into something their not. “I’m rubber, you’re glue!” I’m waiting for Hillary to go, “I dare you to debate me! I double dog dare ya!” And the media are stirring it all up, like kids playing in their own crappy diapers.

I don’t know what she is so proud of. Her husband talks a lot, but says nothing. Exactly what is he going to change and change to what? He is long on speech and short on specifics.

What the hell is this lady talking about? She was never proud of this country before.
God save us from this phony corrupt Messiah of Hope and his idiotic wife.

What bothered me was she said for the FIRST TIME …..she is now proud. Obama is not the first black who has run for President in her life time. A Diplomat she isn’t.

Yes, her statement should have been phrased differently. But, I think everyone needs to chill and give Mrs. Obama a pass on this one. For the past 7+ years, the Current Occupant has sounded like a blithering idiot on numerous occasions here and abroad, embarassing this great country and hurting its reputation. If Bush’s supporters can stomach and even defend his vacuous and holting butchering of the English language, surely they can overlook Mrs. Obama’s unfortunate wording today. She is so obviously proud to be an American and demonstrates her love for and pride in our country everyday.
My hope is that the legitimate news organizations will treat this as the nonevent that it is.

Mike, I asked these questions earlier. So you mentioned changed, perhaps you can answer the following questions. I’m waiting, Mike. What change? America will still owe 48 trillion, China will still undersell you. Jobs will still be outsourced to India. Iran will win war in Iraq and under Obama Iran will definitely get their nuclear weapons. Resulting in two more middle east wars with nukes in the mix. Japanese vehicles will still outsell American vehicles. America will still be dependent on middle east oil, millions of Americans will still be without health care, the stock market will still be greedy. What change are you talking about? Somebody? Anybody?

Maybe Michelle Obama has a chip on her shoulder. She’s benefitted greatly by being an american citizen. I’m appalled by her statement since she has had so many more opportunities than many other deserving people. What’s the anger about? Sometimes she does appear bitter, and I wonder why.

It’s not the first time Michelle Obama made a similar statements.According to NY Times, on Feb. 3rd at the big really in L.A, she said “our folks’ life has never been really good, no matter with Republican president or Democratic president”. Obviously, she’s trying to make a argument that Obama will be the best president in history, all the presidents in the past are not good. It’s really funny that she made such kind of statement, but it’s funier that no one criticizes her.

Do we REALLY have to analyze and parse EVERY comment made by everyone involved in this campaign in order to make ourselves feel better and more superior than others within our lives? Arguing over the tone, inflection, origin of words (and what they REALLY meant!) is really getting old and tired for some of us.
JT simply places statements and comments onto his blog, steps back and lets the hatred, vitriol and SMALL-MINDEDNESS just spew from your keyboards! Some of you need to just step away from the computer and PLEASE GET A LIFE!!!
The sun will still rise on the day after the last Democratic Primary/Caucus. The big picture is, we have to unite around the nominee unless we want McCain for president. Please do not let race and/or gender divide the Democratic party. Stay focused.
Peace

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that Michelle Obama is patriotic (would she have allowed for her husband to run for President otherwise, if she’s not proud of this country? Why would she even bother to let her family go through all the major inconveniences and disruptions they’re going through right now. Think, people!) She was proud of her country before, and now she’s really proud of it–prouder because change is on the way! If you’re a true Democrat and patriot, you would understand this. If you’re a true Democrat and patriot, you should ask yourself why Hillary hasn’t apologized for her vote to authorize the war in Iraq; why she hasn’t shown her tax returns; and why she is hiding her papers in the Clinton Library. These are just three things among a mile-long list. Let’s talk about real issues that really matter!

Michelle Obama has gotten nothing but bootlicking passes from the press on anything offensive that comes out of her mouth. From not being sure “I’ll have to think about it” about supporting Clinton if she was the nominee which is unheard of for a democrat to say about another democrat and incredibly offensive to me, to this comment which is probably more likely to offend white male independents. If noone els does, the republicans will play that soundbite over and over “the FIRST time I’ve every been REALLY proud of my country”. That’s a huge error in any context from an aspiring first lady. As a democrat I’d have to forgive her for the first comment and support her husband if he is the nominee although I really feel like punching her out, and for the second forget it, the white male independents will be outraged even if the press tries to kick it under the rug . Of course the whole messiah thing she pushes so hard about her “special” husband I also find nauseating sometimes. However the prospect of another four years of continued republican trashing of our economy and being bogged in endless wars means I have to vote democrat this time. Others might make a more emotional decision though if Michelle especially keeps up this offensive nonsense and if the press keeps coddling it instead of treating her like anyone else (i.e. the rest of us who aren’t the annointed one’s wife).

Some of the posters here should get a grip!
We’ve had years of people like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly pushing their cult of cynicism into the public mainstream. Skepticism is good, cynicism is destructive.
I’m proud of my country for waking up to what those guys have really been spreading: anti-hope.
I think that’s what Michelle was thinking about. We’ve had an entire generation of cynicism, and this is the first time in her lifetime she’s seen hope (aka positive thinking leading to positive action) spreading all over the country, touching people of all ages and backgrounds.
So what’s with all the hate by the posters here?

Michelle Obama has gotten nothing but bootlicking passes from the press on anything offensive that comes out of her mouth. From not being sure “I’ll have to think about it” about supporting Clinton if she was the nominee which is unheard of for a democrat to say about another democrat and incredibly offensive to me, to this comment which is probably more likely to offend white male independents. If noone els does, the republicans will play that soundbite over and over “the FIRST time I’ve every been REALLY proud of my country”. That’s a huge error in any context from an aspiring first lady. As a democrat I’d have to forgive her for the first comment and support her husband if he is the nominee although I really feel like punching her out, and for the second forget it, the white male independents will be outraged even if the press tries to kick it under the rug . Of course the whole messiah thing she pushes so hard about her “special” husband I also find nauseating sometimes. However the prospect of another four years of continued republican trashing of our economy and being bogged in endless wars means I have to vote democrat this time. Others might make a more emotional decision though if Michelle especially keeps up this offensive nonsense and if the press keeps coddling it instead of treating her like anyone else (i.e. the rest of us who aren’t the annointed one’s wife).

To all parties “offended” by Michelle Obama’s comment:
YOU are the reason why we can’t get anything done in this country. YOU know EXACTLY what she meant, YOU agree with her, and YOU pretend otherwise for political and/or personal gain.
THAT is the very DEFINITION of OFFENSIVE.
NOBODY with a BRAIN is falling for this politics as usual “I’m offended because the sun is shining” BULLSH!T, so save the drama for your mama!
And that goes for all the “ooh, he said she’s feeling down, he’s a sexist” and “ooo, he used the same quotes – he’s a plagarist” idiots too.
If you don’t have any REAL ISSUES to bring up, just concentrate on VOTER FRAUD and stop wasting our collective time. We’ve got a country to CHANGE!
Any questions?

Kim, yes.
As long as we are going to blame hillary for every negative story. Yes.
And as long as we are going to parce each letter in every line she delivers. yes. And as long as Michelle Obama is going to have problems remembering Shirley Chisholm (sp?), whose undershorts she couldn’t hold with golden gloves , or Barbara Jordan, whom Mrs. Obama couldn’t emulate with a script, lessons, AND a teleprompter. Yes.
There are many many many times in her life that she could have been proud of white, black, red, yellow, or purple America, but her comments can’t be taken back and they are not out of context. She is only proud of America when it is black and gaining ground. She reeks of racism and has used it in speeches to rile up her base. And then swear she is not running for anything but a wife defender her man.
She can finally be proud that she has exposed the both of them for the baiting, sneeky phonies they really are and always have been.

WOW! Racism is alive and well and proud in some of these comments. And that’s American?
I’m understanding more and more what Mrs. Obama was saying today. God bless her! She and her husband will need His protection.

wow, I wish hillary had said this so we could see these Barackians go absolutely Tobasco on her butt. They’d be callin for her head on a slab of lettuce and I know and they know.
Anything these two are gonna do that you will find fault with? It’s like the damn end times here – Anti-Christs gonna say it all, and you’s are gonna eat it up with two spoons. I mean nothing nothin that this man says, or does, or doesn’t do, or his wife says, or does, or hasn’t done. I mean nothing is gonna make you ever say damn, they are screwing up and need to shut up. Like Bill Clinton. keep dragging dead bodies from the past to try and not answer us. Keep bringing up whitewater or crap, like thats some kinda defense for Big Mouth lying, and his wife baiting her speeches.
They are not gods. Stop treating them like they walk on water.

Every one of you on this blog talking about Affirmative Action, as if you really know what you’re talking about, but don’t know how to SPELL, actually illustrate the point being made.
Unless you have lived the life of an African-American in this country, you don’t realize how hard it is to be proud of your country and all it’s outward contributions and charity, while the Lower 9th ward of New Orleans is still a disaster area; while it took 400 YEARS for the ruling group to realize that they were doing something morally reprehensible; while it has been unimaginable to the ruling majority of this country to even think that someone that is not white could actually be a viable candidate to be the leader of this country.
You look at a person’s skin color and all types of negative ideas and emotions just jump right out. I understand perfectly well why she says what she says. You don’t know anything about her or her life. You have no idea, obviously, that not every African-American who goes to an Ivy League university did so because of affirmative action.
It’s really pitiful to read some of this stuff..the term ‘Dark Ages’ comes to mind. An earlier poster asked the question – would any of you trade your life as it is to wake up as an African-American in this country, and experience the last 44 years of Michelle Obama’s life? I think we all know what the answer is, and all the affirmative action programs in the world wouldn’t change your mind.

Here is the truth:
No matter what you do or say – A CHANGE IS COMING! IT IS HERE!
Keep scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for a monkey wrench to throw in the works . . . IT’S NOT WORKING!
The time is NOW! We will not be sidetracked! We will not take the bait!
Not this time!
*Goes to make another donation to the Obama campaign*

The Obamas’ “spiritual leader” Jeremiah Wright, pastor of their racist black nationalist church, preaches that the US invented the AIDS virus. Google him and find out all the other anti-American things he has said. That’s how much the Obamas love America — they follow a pastor who blames the US for the AIDS virus!

For all you Obama supporters REZKO is coming, look out!!!

If Hillary had said this, it would be just as irrelevant as it is now. Just like when she thought the Pakistani election was for President instead of Parliament. Just like when she refuses to release her tax returns and White House papers. Just like when she plants questions. Just like when votes for Barack Obama in New York “disappear”. There are MANY MANY things about Hillary Clinton (can you say Khazistan) that evaporates in the media DAILY. Don’t get me started . . .

hey did Scarey Sinclair pass his test or fail?
I am sure if he fails, it’ll be HA HA HA. And if he passes it’ll fixed by hillary, the bee-ach.
these people aren’t gonna change. they are blind. he could rape babies in the street and they would say its an optical illuision.
he lies about everything and they just keep lifting proof out of his books, like those are the havens of truth? i mean come on already.
we’ve had, ooo I voted screwy 20 times, or forgot to choose one way or other 100 times, or we have insults about hillary as a lawyer and then he lies and says he was some contstituional lawyer – he was a teacher, on leave for godsakes. he says his dad was poor – he wasn’t poor he was in the government.
he says he did all these bills, when it turns out most he didn’t write alone, and secondly they didn’t become law. chicago had that fat ladies store shooting, shows you its the mess it always has been, and then the NIU shootings. I guess all those laws he made about guns only a few years ago, they just weren’t written very good.
face it – these two are fakaronies and if we put them in the white house it’ll be like dumb and dumber asking directions to their own front door.

Michele also said at another time that Americans have lost their souls.
I don’t like that at all.
Americans have their souls, they are great, America is Great. Some issues just need some repair.
Please EVERYONE!!! Vote for HILLARY. We need someone who has ALWAYS been PROUD of our Country. Her heart and SOUL is in this.
Vote for Hillary Cliton. She is clearly the best choice for President.

tax records? you all seen the irs records of what is going on in chicago at that hospital she runs? if you bothered lookin, you’d have seen a lot more.
IRS has hillary’s numbers. that is a diversion to ignore what is up. always shouting hey over there. stop distracting people with old news and face up to now.
rezko is starting the day before the Ohio TX primaries. you don’t think the whole story’s out, do you now? we all know the kinda smooth ride these two have been getting and you think we know it all? cause we don’t. they have been saving all these things up, cause you see, they think hillary is sunk. And the media believe it or not is run by clearchannel. And they ain’t democratic, not a damn drop. so they have already started the slow burn against this guy.
he has so many lies in his record, in his stocks, in his real estate, in his votes, in his books. he is a lieing little bugger and he is about to get frizzled good.
and his wife sounds like a commi who never had to wash a dish in her life, or fight a battle to save anyone. And if there was any fighting going on it was for her own butt. they don’t want the white house to help, you can see their arrogant way they talk. they want the white house for the power and the bragging ha ha ha rites.
take em down wisconsin. send em packing because texas dont have enough dumb people to trick. Ohio, you all don’t have jobs and this fool isn’t finding you any. stop buying this bull and snap out of it

Our national debt has doubled over the last seven years. Prior to bush clinton stopped the slide from the prior 12 years with a recalcitrant congress. First obama says reagan is great in his transforming the country into a what – a debtor nation via tax cuts for the wealthy? Then bush does the same thing. How I miss having a clinton in the white house. The Obama’s clearly do not understand history or even what a great America looks like. Her comments seem naive at best. I think they are both out of their league. Their message of hope is a hollow one. Mr. Obama needs to learn some democratic principles before he aspires to the presidency.

Mitchell finally used her own words and not someone elses as I noticed, she did a poor poor job at it. I wonder what college she went and what an embarass–ment to the college if he claims she went to one. How should I call this made a fool of herself or just plan dope.

The only thing worse than what Michele Obama said, was that of her husband. Senator Obama and the Govornor of Massachausetts made a mockery of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King et al. They laughed and thought it was “cute” to play with the most important words of our time.
We got it Senator Obama…….loud and clear. Now you can go home.

Mitchelle Obama lost her patroitism sound that way she speaks. lol the ship is sinking for Obama hurrah!! Michigan won again last night on ABC. Go Michigan go Hillary go BLUE!!

one step closer to the white house and she is thrilled! go gurl. yall dont want power. you want change.

want change? yeah, that is what she wants us to have in our pockets leftover when they are done with us.
she is an arrogant, nose in the air, self righteous phony. she was when she made that crack in Iowa. and they thnk it was white democrats that gave him a win? it was white republicans tryin to trick the results and you all fell for it like old folks in a nursin home.
they want don’t want change. they want revenge. it ain’t nothin about change, its all about rubbing it in, pretending to be high society when you are trash like the rest of us. its all about driving the cadillac but you can only afford the pinto. so you sell yourself and you soul and you fake it until you make enough people believe the lies. you invent your own history and call anyone else a liar, who finds out you didn’t do nothin like you said.
these people can’t keep it runnin for long. they are outclassed, outmatched, and out of their minds. they have so many lies that when the bookshelves start fallin over, they are never gonna be able to get up again.

LOL ‘I wonder what college she went’ I just read in this thread. What about Harvard Law School? Does that ring a bell?
In comparison to this woman you’re a bunch of very poor and very dumb losers here, in other words: the kind of Americans that explain how a great country can come up with a simpleton like George W. Bush for President.
I’d LOVE to see real intelligence and integrity in the White House. May Obama restore the quality of our schools! You redneck simpletons clearly missed all the education you needed to have at least somewhat of a succes & somewhat of a pleasure in life. You may be a lost generation, but there’s HOPE that things
will CHANGE in the years to come.

The comments from “GOP” and “Come Here Now” should be removed. The other silly response about Mrs. Obama shows how desperate Hillary’s supporters are for a rebound. You would think Hillary’s supporters would spend more time on positive issues to help their candidate lead 20-30 points. Of course, the more time spent on Barack and his wife just confirms who the threat is. I praise them for spending their time wisely and it looks like things are going according to plan :). It’s good when a person doesn’t realize he or she is their own distraction from success. Keep up the good work Hillary’s supporters!!

The problem for Obama that Hillary has been nice to not address is the Chicago land purchase of the Obama residence. Look I’m not a lawyer or a real estate agent but that land purchase with that guy who’s in jail really stinks bad. Obama says it was a mistake but he’s a lawyer who went to school at Harvard and was president of the Harvard law review. Hillary’s been holding back on this but the GOP won’t be as nice.

I was blind and now I see. Obama and his wife are never to VISIT the White House. Their souls should be ck out by Bush he knows if Obama has a Soul. But it should be done out of sight of the W.H.

I can honestly say, that if the country is full of people that can’t talk nice about other people, then I feel sorry for all of you.
Cut with the lies, study the facts, not falsehoods, think before you speak. Prove what you say.
Some, not all of the articles show how immature people can be, grow up.
We all know some of these people are just jealous because they don’t have what the candidates.
Eat your spinach, maybe you’ll grow up and become president.
AND DON’T FORGET TO VOTE, if you are old enough.

Boy, Jake Tanner needs to quit. He is not capable of unbiased reporting.

Here we have an Ivy league power couple, and they are STUPID and not proud to be Americans. I think these Ivy schools have a lot to be desired.

Obama reminds me of George Bush alot, inexperienced, smooth talking, a nice guy, who also were helped by an elite faction within their political parties.

Nothing of this was mentioned in MSNBC.
They all are trying to protect Obama from loseing in Wisconsin. I hope these people in Wisconsin are smarter then the Virginians.

Only in America as Don King used to say. Only in America can the wife of the leading presidential campaign say something like this and the Obamabots lap it up. Only in America. Dear, God, have we sunk so low?

Looks like the lunatic fringe is all over the ABC boards.
Reading some of these racist and ignorant comments make me ashamed to think their writers might live next door to me.

course you ain’t gonna see this on CNN or fox or msnbc. that would spell the end of the dream. and we can’t have that. I mean there are actually news sites that have been removing peoples remarks cause they upset the orange cart for Bammie. they can’t have him fileted until hillary is beaten. then McCains gonna be looking like a huge hero next to the skinny, out of his league, B team hapless strike out artist.
and all of you folks just keep excusing everything. have you noticed, its getting to be every other day, something new, small, but new, and they just keep saying is that all? is that all? well is ANYthing gonna do it? whats it take? to make you question him, and then, yourself? I mean pretty soon this guy is gonna try parting the seas and stuff and you all are gonna buy it if he does!

ABC’s “Late Show With Jimmy Kimmel” and the rest of late shows should give their writers the night off (may be the week off ), since Barack and Michelle Obama provided them with plenty of material for their jokes.

Do you imagine she’ll be just as proud when her husband sits down with Hugo Chavez in the Whitehouse?

The shocked outrage about this woman’s attitude is a little amusing. I pegged her and her phony, corrupt husband for what they were months ago. The only shock (and joy)I have is that she was stupid enough to say it out loud to the nation. Does she really think that we all worship her false god husband so much that we will stomach anything she says about us? Because she IS talking about us- the Americans who make up this country she has obviously despised for most of her life. She wants to be First Lady for the power, not because she cares about America. The Obamas are spoiled, shallow and corrupt rascists who will be disastrous for America, if they manage to get past the Republicans.
I am a lifelong independent who has always voted Democratic, but if he gets the party nomination, I hope McCain eats him alive.

An unpatriotic First Lady and a plaguerizing unqualified President.
Is that where we are headed as a country?
OMG

She’s proud that black people are voting for a candidate based solely on the color of his skin? Doesn’t seem like something to be proud of to me. Kind of pathetic actually. There is absolutely no way a first term Senator with no other experience should be running for the office of President of the United States. Hillary Clinton is eminently more qualified and the best candidate in the running.

I think this is very offensive. Beacause her husband has got people fooled by his copied speeches oh brother help us all Does anyone out there know about a petition for michigan and florida I am one voice one vote and I want it heard not from this oprah want a be

Bill’s only fault is that he ruined his wife’s campaign.
I believe this post said nothing about Hillary. I believe her campaign is finished. She may destroy the Democratic Party but she won’t win the nomination.
Wil, Michelle is quite an accomplished lady. She does not need either one of us to defend her.

She didn’t feel proud when the country came together after 9/11. She didn’t feel proud when we liberated Kuwait. She didn’t feel prod that a black woman can graduate from Harvard.
She is an unpatriotic disgrace.

Front of the Line,
Will the spin never stop? Senator Obama said that his life as the interracial child of a mixed marriage was made better by the March on Selma and other’s like it. It was not a literal statement that he was conceived on the freaking bridge. Grow up.

She hates America. You can see that very clearly. She resents us.
Michelle Obama is a sad lady and Barrack is a thief, stealing lines all over the place and acting like he’s authenitic.

Valerie the problem with the Clinton supporters is that we are too busy trying to put food on our tables keep the roof over our head to go out and write songs. You guys are all dreamers. I have been proud to be an american forever and if ms obamma is having problems being a proud american maybe she would like to try out kenya I heard Bush is there today and he is getting the place sprayed for mosquitos……..

Front of the line,
Thanks for posting those Selma quotes – it makes my point better than I ever could. There’s grasping at straws . . . and then there’s clawing at dust . . . I’ll let you figure out which one you are doing.
Obama ’08

She should be very proud to be an American, she is not living hand to mouth, she lives in a million dollar house, has a good job,went to Harvard so in what way was America or the system bad to her? She is living a better life than some folks so exactly what is her problem. As for her husband well he is a disgrace to Harvard because to be a graduate of Harvard I would hope that they would at least teach you to write on your own and not copy from others, I am sure he did not learn that in Harvard

this is among the more innocuous of michelle’s comments, so this is the one that gets written about. she’s gotten a truly free ride from the press. when she speaks to african-american audiences, she brings out the overt racism, basically saying it’s our turn now and you have to go out and vote for one of us, and the press never reports on that. the press are so strongly anti-hillary that they cover up obama’s faults. if they were treating him the way they treat hillary, they’d spend hours repeating michelle’s racist comments, his lies, etc., and analyzing how he and michelle are trying to con people into thinking they’re uniters. and i’m surprised people haven’t noticed how little of her public speaking is presented on tv – they just show fluff piece interviews making sure she’s reflected in the most positive light possible. and they never point out her work for treehouse, associated with walmart, or her HUGE pay raise from the chicago hospital as soon as her husband made senator, etc. i’d be willing to bet the repubs have recorded those talks she’s given with the blatantly racist remarks and will be using them once the general election starts, along with all the other stuff. of course, she’s just the wife, but they do it to bill, who’s just the husband (in hillary’s campaign), and he’s kidding himself if he thinks her scandals won’t come out along with his.

Michelle sounds like one of these people that has it all but feels entitled to more. There’s no excuse here but at least people know how she really feels. How many scores will she set out to settle? She has been truly blessed in this great country,that’s second to none. She most likely said what she meant to say. So, its a good thing that it is out in the open. She shouldn’t be forced into retracting or being p.c.

I think both Obamas need to go on Oprah again.
Then she can ask them like she did that Frey guy – why’d you all make so much stuff up? why did you have to invent a life, wasn’t yours good enough? did you have to exaggerate almost everything or are you just a born liar?
Mr. Frey ain’t got nothing on these two, Oppie.
A Million Tiny Pieces? More like A Million Tiny Lies.
sounds mean, I am sorry. It is just tellin it like it is.

What I have learned today:
Barrack Obama has a Xerox machine and knows how to use it.
Michelle Obama is unpatriotic and arrogant.

Oh Please who does he want to fool with that nonsense of people walking over a bridge, so this march is what made his white mother marry his black father, yeah right ok!!!

“I’ve seen people who are hungry to be unified around some basic common issues,”
Like what? Kumbaya?
If Barack doesn’t talk issues much,
it’s possible he won’t fight for them
much.

To Mr. Jake Tapper: What a nice surprise to read an article like this.
What a balanced point of view! Both sides are being discussed!!
I tried to post CNN@The Polical Ticker, Chicago Tribune@Swamp, MSNBC, and the Houston Chronicle@blog(Texas on the Potomac,) never made it. Especially @CNN, I tried dozens of times at various ticker news comment sites, any anti-Obama comment written by me has never been posted.
Again thank you for your open-mindedness.

I’ve been proud of my country for as long as I can remember, no matter what. Sure, I’ve been disappointed in some things, but never to the point that I was ever ashamed to be an American. This is the greatest country in the world, and NOBODY can convince me any different. For someone to get on a national stage and make the statement that they are finally proud of the US, after having benefitted from it’s bounty all their life does not deserve to be in a position of power in this country. For close to 230 years people have fought, and died to keep America free, and now we have someone who wants to be the first lady of this, the GREATEST nation who has admitted to us that she is not a PATRIOT, while at the same time asking us to vote for her husband. That’s shameful, but what is even more shameful is anyone who would vote to disgrace our nation by electing her husband. God Bless America! All of us will need all the blessings we can get if Obama is actually elected president.

to ‘front of the line” in response to Kim,
A WHOPPING ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR A POST CLEARLY WRITTEN IN A SENSIBLE, WELL THOUGHT-THROUGH POST… WITH NONE OF THE SLIME USUALLY SERVED UP BY TOO MANY OF OBAMA’S SUPPORTERS.

JT
Some conservatives out there (HERE for instance) seem to find Mrs. Obama’s quote offensive, wondering why a 44 year old woman never felt proud before today — but their anger seems based on an erroneous early version of this quote first reported in the Boston Globe, inaccurately stating that she said “for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country, because it feels like hope is making a comeback.”
The Globe has now been corrected, though oddly there’s no note that an error had been made or a correction given.
Asked for a response to the remark, Obama campaign spox Bill Burton said, “Of course Michelle is proud of her country, which is why she and Barack talk constantly about how their story wouldn’t be possible in any other nation on Earth. What she meant is that she’s really proud at this moment because for the first time in a long time, thousands of Americans who’ve never participated in politics before are coming out in record numbers to build a grassroots movement for change.”
Boy, that early Globe version is quite different than the later fuller one…But others still might find it controversial….What do you think?
*********************************
I think the Globe should apologize.

I respect all relligion. However, Mr. Obama seems to be ashamed of his Muslim background. It is well known his father was a Muslim and his stepfather was a Muslim.
“Under Islamic law, children sired by a Muslim are Muslim and must be raised Muslim. Since Obama’s father was a Muslim, he was registered as a Muslim when he entered schools in Indonesia.”
It is like, if mother is a Jew, her child is a Jew. Automatic.

still ewwwww michelle obama ewwwww

Well in the middle of this “war of words” I found something very interesting… The name for the new campaign that Hillary is using “Solutions for America” is pretty similar to a Campaign booklet in 2004 from John Edwards “Real Solutions for America”… isn’t that funny… everytime she tries to say something bad it comesback like a boomerang… LOL

it would be such a sacrifice for her to be the first lady, so we had better vote for her this time around. she’s not going through this again ya know?

ryaple… You got that Right…
Hillary looks desperate… She’s always crying about something… Sniff Sniff!!

“For the first time in my adult life” sounds very clear to me. What don’t you Obamabots understand about those words? Those are her own words. And no she did not add any of the “new” and “improved” words you bots make up for her. Live with it! I’m sure Michelle’s new version of her words will be in the news tomorrow. But if I were to advise her, as Hillary supporter, leave it alone. Don’t give it anymore legs. Move on and it will die away over the next day or so.

Obama will ruin this country. The people who are behind Obama are insane. You get upset when you report anything unpleasant about Obama. We don’t need a cult, we need president next year. Mark my words, we will have riots if Obama doesn’t win. We will have riots if he wins the presidency and congress disagrees with him. And will have riots if the country falls in to a recession because Obama will be blamed for destroying the country. Either way, I hope either Hillary or
Mccain wins. God save the us…

Real solutions Obama, for real please send or post them for me,, i hear speech after speech looking for his solutions,, and still waiting, I have read Hillarys and those who say she lacks substance right just goes to show your a follower, of the popular star dust voter,, vote Obama he has real plans he borrowed from Clinton,,,,

Vimed I’d hate to think what our military would think of someone so devoid of our men and women fighting for freedom on foreign soil. God almighty, Michelle can’t even be proud of our troops. I’m so angry I have to stop typing because I’m starting to shake or type something I’d regret.

This is truly idiotic and close-minded. People, the United States has bigger issues that what a potential First Lady said or may have said. I live abroad and when I look across the ocean I really worry about my country. We have problems and we need a Solutioner-in-Chief. I think that person is John McCain but if it is Obama or Clinton I will wish them the very best because I care about the country, not the politics. Let’s stop being short-sighted and worry about what really matters.

This is getting ridiculous. When someone can’t find something negative to say or write, they pick up on every little thing that is said. It is so much easier for people to be negative rather than positive. Get a grip people and realize how idiotic you sound.

I am not a Democrat I am not Black, I am not voting for Obama, but for heavens sake get over this silly stuff. The woman made a off the cuff statement, anyone could make it without thinking about every single word that could be missconstrued.
At least she doenst have a scripted answer for everything.

The mainstream media needs to stop giving the Obama’s a free pass. She said “adult life”. I don’t care how they spin it, there’s no way that means ‘right now at this moment’, or even ‘a long time’.
But ‘Frencchy’s comment below moved me the most. It’s worth quoting/repeating:
“Hey, as a Frenchman who’s lived in the US for a few years I have to say that I find those comments despicable.
The US is the greatest country on earth. It’s a lot better than my country, especially as far as pursuing your own dreams goes.
I wasn’t born here, yet I love my adoptive country a lot more than the Obamas. I am a naturalized citizen and let me tell you something, I WILL ALWAYS pledge allegiance to the flag and the constitution of this country and I WILL NEVER be ashamed of it.
This country’s given me everything and I won’t be ungrateful.
It’s also given everything to the Obamas; yet they despise it. Where else could they have gotten where they are now?
He always wants to play the “poor black man ” card. Give me a break! The guy was raised in Hawaii (it’s not the ghetto) in a wealthy family: went to private school, prep school… the whole nine yards.
I lived the socialist nightmare in France; I don’t want to go through that again here.
Well, actually it seems that most European countries are moving right, because they’ve finally understood that socialist ideas don’t work. And now the US is willing to take that chance? SCARY!”
THANK YOU!

I watched the clip, the whole clip and I was offended immediately. She just changed my vote. I’d rather cross party lines than have someone like that in the White House. Clinton or McCain will surely get my vote now.
She said for the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country, and I’m sure that wasn’t an off the cuff remark, maybe she should have someone else write her speeches. She’s been an adult for 25 years, she has the dream life, she has an excellent education. This country has provided a life that no other could possibly provide… and she’s never been proud of her country? That is disturbing.
I have fought for my country and at 31 I find reasons to be proud of my country every day.

How are people offended by this. Let me ask you this to those who are offended by this.
Where you proud of America for the near 4,000 deaths in the war on Iraq, a war we started on false causes.
Where you proud of America for voting President Bush in for more years to the White House in 2004 in helping jolt his war on terror agenda, which has brought American into record national debt.
Where you proud of America for its slow aid response to assist those victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
If you weren’t proud of those moments then how come you are so disgraced by one citizen saying for the first time she’s “really” proud to be an American because she believes people want change.
I feel this blog is a non-news story, and for some of you to say that you’re changing vote on this, is a obvious transparency that you weren’t going to vote in that direction to begin with.

It shames me as a retired military member that we are so timid by this. It shames me that our country allows military members to sleep on the street. It shames me that we have over 5 million American children going to bed hungry. It shames me that every vote that an American casts is not counted. It shames me that my Commander-In-Chief lied to the american public and my fellow military members into a war. When will we as a country stand by the constitution again. It shames me.

Daniel, don’t say if Clinton made this remark, Michelle is not the candidate running for President. If Elizabeth Edwards had said that when Edwards was still in the race I doubt anyone would be ranting on a blog about this. This non-issue.
Michelle Obama never said she was NOT proud to be an American, she said she was REALLY proud to be an American.
Some of you are over-analying empty space with this story.

There’s plenty in the Bush administration to be ashamed of. The war in Iraq. The PATRIOT act. Hurricane Katrina. We need a new person in the White House, not a Bush (or Bush follower) or Clinton.

I’m a proud American and, although I’m sometimes not proud of specific actions our government takes or of specific leaders, I remain a proud American. This statement by Michelle Obama is outrageous and I can now never vote for Obama. He’s lost my support.

On some level, I’ve been ashamed since Nixon resigned. You don’t have to tell me that’s a long time. Too long.
I have watched our culture slowly slip off it’s path into some unimaginable dysfunctional nightmare. And while I dare to be hopeful (thank you Senator Obama) that we may have finally hit some kind of civic bottom, that we really are rejecting the destructive, blame others and shirk responsibility ways that make us look like addicts who could justify any selfish or rude or morally devoid thing, I admit I don’t as yet feel proud. I am still holding out for something more tangible.
So I think Michelle is being a little premature.
I want to see Obama elected. And I am dying to solve serious problems. But mostly I want my nation back … you remember don’t you? The one where ethics and intelligence mattered?

I’m all for HOPE!! Yes, I HOPE this woman NEVER makes it to the White House. Can’t be any clear. It’s the whole racist undertone behind her words. Get ready America for the ‘afro-cracy’ if Obama wins the nomination. It’s all about him, his black friends, black celebrities supporting him, his black pride. I’m sick of it.

That’s the thanks you get for all those that ran on this Obama’s wagon. Hurry up face the weather and go out and support Obama because he is the best thing since slice bread.
Now you heard it for yourselves his wife is still not proud a yet, she is sitting and waiting on ALL of you to make her proud, make her husband President and then maybe be will think about it.
Until then all you are doing is giving him a chance to become President she wants more so give, give more, make their time come, maybe then she may be willing to become a proud American and appreciate all that this country as given her, to borrow a line ask not what your country can do for you, rather what you can do for your country guess the Obama’s have a different view to that line.

he looks familiar. Seems I ever saw this photo on a celebrity and millionaire dating site called “Searching Millionaire Dot com”. a few weeks ago.

It’s an unpleasant thing to say, particularly in public, prefaced by “and let me tell you something,” which is what people say when they are speaking from the heart.
I expect and encourage the Obamas to have specific criticisms of US policies, but to not have an abiding pride in America – well they’ve lost my support forever.

Well all I can say is that I wasn’t proud of my country when Bill Clinton was doing whatever he was doing with Monica while he was President! To attack Michelle Obama for saying she is “really proud of her country” is ridiculous. I can say one thing, I’m not proud of the way the media ia acting during this election. Let’s focus on the issues, not petty nonsense. The American people deserve better.

Reading this compelled me to go straight to the comment secetion for my comment. Without reading anyone’s comments before mine. But here I go: Ms. Obama, your comments are nothing short of unpatriotic, racist and downright shameful. I have never wished ill on someone for their comments/remarks and I will not stoop to that level now. But, you madam, have gone too far with that remark and you will suffer IF, and that is a big IF, anyone is listening and sees the true mean of the hateful words from you mouth.
Makes me want to vomit to know that you and others like you are in the same mix of people I sacrificed some of my life and physical abilities for in the name of freedom and for the love of MY COUNTRY! Shame on you and your media snatching husband.
An American Disabled Veteran

All I can say is that Michelle Obama looks like a man.

Yes, Elizabeth makes a great point about people being very hungry for change. However, I would attribute that to the last 8 years of failed leadership in the White House. We lost a lot with poor economy, loss of lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hurricane Katrina, and etc. We all want a change in direction. While Obama may be fresh face, he does not strike me as agent of change. I think the Obamas are giving themselves too much credit.

I think she’s finally proud because she is getting what she wants, power. That is some kind of perverse patriotism. On the heels of Doug Wilder’s comments that there will be riots greater than those at the 1968 convention if Obama does not get the nomination, I am NEVER voting for Obama. He is no Colin Powell. He is not worthy to be elected president.

Is this Michelle Obama’s attempt to inspire? Not a good look for a First Lady wannabe.

I can say this for sure. The hate that I read in many of these comments does NOT make me proud. Those of you that spew it make yourselves small and insignificant. Unfortunately, you also make this nation appear small. I have seen the enemy…and it is you.

After hearing Obama stolen speech and Michelle’s remarks, I will not support them. Now I know for sure they are both power hungry….
Will cast my vote in Texas for Hillary…

Oh god, this is sad. I’m not offended by Ms. Obama’s comment. But the moment I read it I cringed because I knew ALOT of simple-minded people would overreact and choose not to vote for Barack.
Yeah, folks. Blind pride in all things American and jumping for joy when you see the flag is what *really* matters when you choose a candidate.

Ask not what what your country can do for you; ask what you can do to make Michelle proud.

Proud to be an American?
Not when the Clintons were in the Whitehouse.
Wake up every morn and wonder what those two people had pulled.
Down to the last day when the Clinton staffers tore up the Whitehouse offices and Hillary tried to steal Whitehouse furniture.
Do you think she has the Lincoln Room rented out to 2012?
Do we have go thru the Peter Paul Lawsuit?

Words matter according to Obama so what of his wife’s words that in the first time in history she is proud of this country. Is that anything a potential first lady should say? Forget Bill Clinton now…could anyone imagine the noise if Hillary had said something like this in 1992?

I will repeat; the pride part of her speech has just poorly worded. The worst part came earlier, and has been edited out of most of the video available. Look for the entire speech. She states at one point that her dad worked and her mom stayed home to raise her and her siblings. She implies that to vote for her husband will bring us back to this level of prosperity. WITH MORE GOVERNMENT SPENDING, MORE TAXES AND MORE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. Folks, it is becoming obvious that we can not as a nation afford social programs and foreign policy that try to fix everybodys problems or “make the world safe for democracy.” We simply can not continue to erode our financial viability by printing money, borrowing money from foreign governments, and intervening in other countries politics.
Obama: promises hope and change while promising more programs (spending), inexperience, a legislator not an administrator. Contuinue war.
Clinton: change again, more spending, more programs, inexperience, legislator not administrator, egotistical, thinks she is owed the Presidency. Continue war.McCain: egotistical, war-monger, will do anything to be President, near the bottom of his Annapolis class. Legislator not administrator. Clueless on monetary policy. War spending.
Huckabee: Conservative on abortion issue, liberal on fiscal issues, administrator not legislator. Continue war. War spending.
Paul: Lesgislator not administrator. End war now. Spend available funds at home not abroad. Reduce spending and taxes to return money earned to the individual taxpayers. Returns most of his congrressional budge to the treasury each year. Does not participate in the Federal pension program allowed by law. Has never voted for a tax increase or a congressional pay raise.
I only see one change candidate. Four of five are the same old same old from different sides of the aisle. People, in my lifetime I have not seen a President really reduce federal programs and spending. We have many policies and programs that by any measure have failed. Lets try a smaller government and less spending for a few years. If we don’t like it, we have certainly proved we can make the government larger!

Every time Michelle Obama speaks, I like her less. She was the first person to bring race in this saying that her husband as a black man can get shot just by going into a gas station and that black people will wake up and vote for her husband and now this. I am proud of this country every day and any one who is not could leave. I am especially proud of the men and women who risk their lifes every day serving this country. She’s is suppose to be the closer in the campaign but I’m just not buying her. Is this the person who’s going to be the first lady?

Let me say something, I became AMERICAN CITIZEN, since 1995 , and since I put my foot in this country 20 years ago Im proud to live here. How a women that was born here can said that at the age of 44. we d,nt need you Michelle in the WHITE HOUSE. We need people that been proud of this country for ever and ever.

I am so happy that Michelle Obama is finally proud to be an American – it only took her husband to run for hardest job in the world to make that happen.
She said “adult life” – how old is she exactly? What has been accomplished since she was 18?

We don’t need changes for our country,our country is the best in the world because our sistem. if the new President chance the Sistem our Country will be worse and worse . We need SOLUTION, SOLUTION , GO HILLARY, We need SOLUTION . It will be from you HILLARY , You are the SOLUTION. GO HILLARY.

Michelle Obama should be “proud” that she was admitted to an ivy league school since by her own admission she didn’t have high enough ACT test scores. Yes, she did well there as many other students would do if they would’ve been given the same opportunity. She should be proud of that.

It is really scary to think that this woman could potentially be the First Lady. How arrogant of her to say that she is only proud of her country because her husband is getting closer to winning the nomination, what about all the privileges she has enjoyed, Harvard law school, high paying jobs ??
This goes to prove that Obamas are seriously narcissistic, it all about them, it’s not about the people of USA.

Why has Michele Obama gotten a free pass from the press for so long? For people who remember the media attacking Hillary Clinton 16 years ago, it’s just dispiriting. While many want to believe that we’ve learned a lot about independent thinking and a spouse’s role, don’t be so sure. Instead, just like her husband, she has been packaged and carefully marketed. I did watch her during a televised meeting with campaign workers in N.H. several weeks ago. Initially, I saw lots of smiles and nodding, then glazed looks on the part of the audience and could almost feel the mood of the crowd shift to “alright already, let me out of here!”
Her pride may be newfound, but her self satisfied smugness is something she wears well. How many other workers, whose job responsibilities remain the same, see their salary increase 200%!

You have to laugh at the excuse the Obama staff is attempting to spin. Whenever someone prefaces a statement with the words… “and let me tell you something…” you can be 100% positive that the next words are EXACTLY what they want to say.
Now, since she was at a campaign rally it is possible that hyperbole is at the heart of this. I’m sure that she has had thousands of moments to be proud of her country, but she worded her statement purposefully to sound as though the USA has finally become a nation to be proud of.

Having lived in Chicago and seen the incredible commitment that both Barack and Michelle have made to the people–with no reward in mind but the one that comes from giving of yourself for others–it saddens me to see how uncharitably their efforts and their words may be seen by those who think they are too good to be true. No leader is perfect, and to me, the Obamas are quick to admit their mistakes, and what Michelle is ultimately being criticized for here is honesty.
I came from a poor background, I have had the privilege of elite education, and living the American dream. I am beyond grateful for that, to the American system (particularly great teachers who encouraged me), to the generosity of others, and to God.
But my joy in my own success is always tempered by the pain of seeing my family and others struggle and never see success or even subsistence, with incredible odds stacked against them. And the frustration that the opportunity gap is widening, and that good people who work hard find no encouragement. Some of us make it, but millions more face unfair obstacles that we have the power to eradicate–they are Americans too. When you see this again and again, you start to fear that your country cannot or will not be committed to the weakest among us.
But Obama’s candidacy gives me hope–that someone who started outside the party machine can become a viable candidate. That white Americans are ready and willing to support a black candidate. That big ideas about taking care of the most vulnerable can be part of the conversation again. That makes me proud in a way that is untempered by fear or frustration. For the first time in a very long time.

Barry:
I sincerely suggest you watch the video. She never said “REALLY”. That is the problem

To Elizabeth, Candidates and their families need to be able to handle the scrutiny that comes with pursuing this role. I think that’s the concern that people have about the Obama’s – there’s been little scrutiny but they do seem to be able to backtrack to explain and re-explain. A case in point: a few weeks back Tim Russert asked Obama about a comment his wife had made earlier to the effect that voters had been select Obama this year – they wouldn’t be available in 4 or 8 years, basically, this is our only chance to bow down at his feet. His explanation was hardly better. He said what she really meant was that now they understand the plight of everyday folks (oh really, how many of us can afford a 1.6 million dollar home, see our salary triple for basically the same work)and that in 4 or 8 years they may be propelled into the stratosphere (Hedge fund management maybe?)
To return to my original point however, The Obamas may want to speak with their friends the Patricks about increased scrutiny. It became so much for a member of Patrick’s family that she was hospitalized.
For those who wonder why I feel so strongly negative about the Obamas, it’s because their strategy is to sell a sense of shame (re: her comments yesterday) and lump the Clinton years with those of Bush (otherwise, why wouldn’t people want a return to the prosperity of the 90′s). It remains to be seen if their strategy will work. If it does, then voters in our country will again get what they deserve. Just think about the past 7 years.

You go Twinmom48. Very well said. Very genuine, objective analysis

Watch this..Joe Scarborough debates this nicely.
http://newsbusters.org/static/2008/02/2008-02-19MSNBCMJ.wmv

I hardly think what Michelle said negative in any way. Sentences out of context have no meaning. I do not propose to know what Michelle actually means but I do know there is a difference in “proud to be an American”. On one side people say that any one that isn’t proud of everything their country does is un-American. However, that is not true. There is a difference in being “Patriotic” and being “Nationalistic”. Patriotic means I am not proud of everything my nation has done, eg..wars, but I love my country so much that I will do what ever I can to steer her in a better direction. Nationalism is a blind faith in the government regardless of what it does. I think Michelle’s patriotism is what this country needs more of.

I find many of the comments here so outrageous. Do most of you here have any clue what it was like to grow up as African American and witness injustice after injustice; time after time for most of one’s young life, not to mention an unfavorable history when it comes to race relations in our country? This isn’t racist – it’s real.
Yes, the Obamas have accomplished a lot, but not because someone gave them a pass, but because they worked their butts off in spite of the unfairness and dismissiveness that often takes place even after demonstrating an aptitude for success when you are a person of color.
Michelle Obama is neither unpatriotic or racist – she has an experience that is far different from the average white person in this country. I have to say, I too am more proud of my country than I ever thought I would be. Let’s face it, when it comes to race relations and fairness, America has traditionally had a credibility problem. So the country is demonstrating now that many of the racist undertones that once permeated our society are now almost non-existent. This is exciting news and it also makes me “really” proud for the first time in the 41 years of my adult life as an African American woman.
Grow up! Get a history lesson that is authentic and give Michelle Obama the benefit of the doubt. Who among you would have been willing to trade places with Michelle Obama to be born in middle America as a Black person in 1963?
Be fair in your assessment of Obama’s comments and consider the uniqueness of her experience in America as compared to yours. It is these types of attitudes that have kept us so divided for so long. Let’s not ruin it now.
This is what attack politics are all about – especially when a campaign and/or a party are desperate.
Peace.

How honorable of her that she is finally really proud of this country now that people are falling at her feet and swooning over her husband like he’s the second coming. The fact that she lives in a million dollar house and makes over $200K a year wld indicate to me that she’s failed to notice a few advantages that this country gave her somewhere along the line for which she cld have been proud a lot sooner than this. If Hillary Clinton had made a comment like this the press wld have gone into seizures. Michelle is privileged to be annointed with the same teflon covering as her husband. I was done with Ms. Obama when she made the repugnant comment – also almost completely ignored by the media – that if Hillary “couldn’t control her own house, how is she going to control the White House.” Women of America, wake up! If your husband/boyfriend/partner has cheated on you, it’s YOUR fault because you couldn’t “control” him. And if you can’t control him, how cld you possibly have a career or professional life that wld work either? Underneath her white pearls and expensive suits, is a haughty, ambitious woman who disdains many of us that have less than perfect lives though she’ll do her damndest not to let it show and the media is her best friend in keeping the secret. But at least, now finally, there is something in this country she can be proud of…

When (some) African-Americans stop belittling themselves by portraying themselves as the oppressed and think objectively, they would understand that Michelle Obama is cashing in on the race. The comment of not being proud is offensive for any reasonable American. I don’t care whey they grow up and what they went thru. The example of how americans (not politicians) responded to 9-11, is enough reason to be proud to be an American.
Stop victimizing yourselves and think strong.

I am a conservative republican and have been my entire life. I will vote for Obama in Primary! You might ask me why??
He will unit this country to vote against Democratic nominee comes November. He is a god sent for us. I was very worried when I saw Clinton running and thought we would have to hand over the oval office. But by looking at Obama’s records and dealings, I can insure you McCain will win in November without even trying. I have seen how bias the media has been. That is because there is a big disparity based on percentage of population in National Media. They are allowing Clinton bashers and Obama blogger and supporter act like mobs and giving them a free range. We the Conservatives watch the National media as a source of entertainment. It is our Soaps. What they are doing to Clinton is ungodly. That will teach all those politician in Washington a lesson. The one president who was called the Black president is now portrait like the biggest racist. I get a laugh when I see Kennedy’s thinking he is the best president for us. Wasn’t Kennedy the reason our children are left behind??? I get a laugh when I hear they are using every good deeds Clinton did for blacks against him. He should have opened up an office in Trump tower instead of Harlem. I had a great day yesterday reading all the stuff out there about Mr. Borack which will be brought to the open as soon as he wins the nomination for his party. Join me in insuring another Republican presidency comes November. Vote for Borack.

As an African American, I know exactly what Michelle Obama is saying as well as does every other African American
Posted by: James | Feb 19, 2008 12:58:09 PM
James,
Can we take a chance that Only Aferican-Americans will know what she is talking about? This just shows that this pair are not ready for “Prime Time”. We need to stick with someone that has enought experience to get through the general election, Clinton!

Either one would be historic — woman or African American. But if we are to really look at these two issues and to compare fairly, I must say I have seen far greater damage with lingering racism effects than sexism effects in this country.
Should the election of Obama mean we really do get to finally change that, it would change us all. Additionally I think that Obama would be more inclined to subtantively address women’s issues than Hillary is to address any minority issues, African American ones or otherwise. Frankly what Bill did in his two terms to that end was virtually nothing in the face of how much trouble still exists either from direct racism or its lingering effects. I see this and I am a white female in the age group that should be a Hillary supporter.
Having said all that, I used none of it to select Obama. I long for the day packaging is secondary and intelligence and ethics takes its rightful place again. Go Obama.

Cindy McCain took that totally out of context. Fact is Cindy was in rehab for serious drug addiction at Betty Ford clinic years ago. McCain was tortured 5 years by the North Vietnamese (just might have damaged his brain, eh?) But we still respect them, so what’s the big deal? The fact is we SHOULD be proud of our country, but our country should give us something to be proud of. Are you proud of George W. Bush, a man his own father GHWB is embarrassed by? Are you proud of our getting hit by terrorists on 9/11 when GWB and Condi were sound asleep, despite being warned by the German BND intel service and Richard Clarke? Wake up, we need a TOTAL change, not Bush in sheep’s clothing, which is exactly what McCain and company are.

The haters and spreaders of distortion on this post are unreal. That this immature analysis of her speech is even given such a forum by the mainstream media is quite embarrassing. Credit to you Jake Tapper for seeming to try and put some rational perspective on this. But one can really see the irrational venom coming out of the Clinton supporters on this. Of course Michelle Obama is proud of her country people!!!! Boy, talk about being quoted out of context… It is quite a different thing to state the “first time I’m REALLY proud” (which is what she said) vs the “first time I’m proud”. (Thanks to the Boston Globe for getting this so wrong – hmmm, I wonder if they have a biased political agenda?) It is impossible to try and judge/qualify the level of her patriotism and pride in her country by trying to read into her words this way. Quite obviously, she was making a resounding exclamation of her pride in the current political activism and grassroots movement that is going on in the country – thanks in large part to the awakening of the country to the disaster of the two Bush terms but also certainly thanks to the Obama campaign as well. What we (most especially anyone under 45-50 years old) are witnessing today is a political movement that is quite different than the politics that most of us have known in our adult lives. You really do have to go back to JFK to find a comparable transformative/empowering time – and YES- that is something NEW and something of which we all can be REALLY PROUD!

Will,
I concur with your observations. It is counter-productive to ignite the victim mentality. That gets us nowhere – and Obama is fueling it in a covert way.

Michelle Obama’s remark was simply off-the-cuff and ill-considered. How many times have any one of us said something like “That was the best…”- whatever. We didn’t necessarily mean exactly that. Of course, the uncharitable among us will put the worse spin on it. Clearly, Mrs. Obama was just saying that she is extremely proud of her country. That comment will not cause her husband to lose any votes. The people who are making a big deal of it, just like Senator Obama’s “words”, were never going to vote for him anyway. So quit with the “Oh, I was going to vote for him, but these words have made my change my mind.” Rubbish! The thing to focus on is the intent of the candidates. Like one who decided to poach pledged delegates of her opponent, but was forced to retract after an outcry. Note the other thing, as much as there is to take Senator Clinton to task on, Senator Obama stays on the high road. He certainly does respond to her petty criticisms, but he concentrates on his message, not what she just said or did.

Sam wrote, “My dog has a better chance against McCain than this guy.” I remember George Bush the first saying, “My dog Millie knows more about foreign policy than those two Bozos.” The voters showed him what they thought of him and his dog by voting in the Bozos Clinton & Gore. Don’t worry, you won’t need to put your dog up for office. President Obama won’t hold it against you.

Who cares about the Boston Globe’s retraction. GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE link above. Listen with your own ears. No need to have it interpreted for you. Judge for yourself what she said.

I’ve seen the video and there is no ambiguity in what she said. Michelle Obama is either terribly ignorant of the great accomplishments of this country or she is an America-hating left-winger.
THIS SHOULD BE HEADLINE NEWS!!!!!

I think it is disingenous for those who act as if Michelle Obama might be the only one who has not been proud of this country lately, given the potential we have for great leadership in the world. Be honest. We can all be proud of our incredibly brave and heroic troops (which I am) and think what the Bush Admin. has accomplished in Africa with HIV/AIDS, Tsunami relief, Pakistan earthquake assistance, etc. is terrific (which I do)…and still not be “really proud” of our national as a whole.
I work in Africa and in the Middle East and am constantly confonting the negative consequences of US foreign policy choices and I yearn for this to change. Because we are a great nation, with so much to be proud of, it is a shame that we are not further along in our journey toward that “more perfect union.”
I think being patriotic means being willing to speak up when we’re driving down the wrong road, not just to blindly supporting those who may drive us into the ditch, or off a cliff.
I could relate to what Michelle Obama said (I think most honest people would admit feeling it it too), though I knew should would be punished for it. Too bad. This should be the kind of thing we discuss in a civil manner, not for use as the next political point to score.

I don’t see a problem with Michelle’s comments. I’m 29 years old and have never been proud to be an American and am unpatriotic. The way this country treats its citizens gives me plenty of reason to not be proud and not be patriotic.

Everyone needs to chill is right. What Mrs. Obama said was taken completely out of context and blown way out of proportion. It certainly is minor compared to the racist comments Bill was doing before they put a muzzle on him. The Clintons play dirty. That’s a known fact. Hillary has consistently ignored campaigning in the smaller states because the delegate count doesn’t impress her. Every state should be important. I certainly don’t want someone like this running our country. Her remark to Putin that he is a KGB that has no soul. Well, anyone who knows Hillary knows that her soul is the coldest place on earth. What a diplomatic leader she would make. NOT! And now she wants to take pledged delegates from Obama if he wins. Ha! You Clinton supporters need to get over yourselves! I’m a Fred Thompson supporter so it’s not only Obama supporters who feel this way!

I can’t believe some people are willing to hand over our country to the Obamas.
The end must be near.

How is “for the first time…I am proud” QUITE DIFFERENT from “for the first time…I am really proud”?
She has no right to sit in the White House if she doesn’t believe America is worth being proud of. You’re really trying hard to ignore the statement she made if you think this isn’t a major issue for anyone who believes in American Exceptionalism.

I am not an Obama supporter and I am over 60. If this is not the ultimate Tempest in a Teapot, I do not know what is. This is a case of someone using hyperbole, not the mark of some sinister purpose.
All this does is underscore the sewer that our politics has become.

Mrs. Obama should apologize for her remark. If it were a Clinton making such a remark, the press would be all over it. But, since it’s the Messiah’s wife, the campaign will get a complete pass.

The point is not ordinary American should be proud of their own country. The point is (scary!) that our first lady in the next 4 years, have not been a proud American until now. Now wonder they want change! — Image having a president and a first lady who have not been loyal to America until now. We are not talking about ordinary American citizen, we are talking about the Presidency.. The bar is far higher.

Many of the posts throughout the day from Obama supporters attempting to defend Michelle Obama’s remarks themselves cite aspects of our recent history (last 20 years or so) that most people would agree are not our most shining moments. HOWEVER, I feel that our candidates should be promoting what’s best in our nature and history – and there’s plenty.
I’m sorry that so many of his supporters feel such a sense of shame that they only feel can be assuaged by the Obamas. If you notice many of her remarks promote this sense of shame. When someone prefaces their remarks with “Let me tell you something” as she did, it’s something that they want you to hear!
Of course we shouldn’t be surprised that his supporters who are reaching cult-like frenzy would now want to bring us back to “real issues” on these blogs. In fact, in that same speech or another one she gave yesterday she included remarks about her disdain for 10 point plans and how we don’t need to spend time talking about policies or plans because “you know, it’s not rocket science”. Well you know, many of the issues facing us require complex, reasoned and thoughtful planning – I’d hope it would be given the same level of care and attention as “rocket science”. (See the Daily Standard today’s edition for more information.)

I’m going to play devil’s advocate here and say that it’s perhaps understandable how one can be proud to be an American, yet not proud of America as a whole. It’s not an issue of loyalty.

I think it’s time for folks to stop being stupid. It’s the most natural thing in the world for African Americans to struggle with feelings of warmth and pride for America, given its history and treatment against Blacks.
Please GROW up people. EVERYONE has a right to believe and feel as they do without simpletons getting nervous and suspicious.
The insensitivity of those so “dumb struck” by her comment truly borders on insanity.

Clinton Used Giustra’s Plane, Opened Doors for Mineral Deals
Posted: Tuesday, February 19, at 12:04 pm
On June 21, 2005, Bill Clinton flew to Mexico City aboard a private jet that belonged to a Canadian investment banker he was meeting for the first time.
The introduction paid off for both men. Clinton was borrowing the jetliner to begin a four-day speaking tour of Latin America that would pay him $800,000. Frank Giustra of Vancouver was forming a friendship that would make him part of the former president’s inner circle and gain him introductions to presidents of Kazakhstan and Colombia, where he bought mineral rights.
Giustra, 50, has since put his plane at Clinton’s disposal at least a dozen times to raise money for charity, his wife’s presidential campaign or himself, according to U.S. flight records and spokesmen for Clinton and Giustra. The Canadian businessman has become one of the largest donors to the Clinton Foundation, pledging half his future minerals earnings in a way that ties the foundation’s success to his own.
“If former President Clinton is making decisions about where to put the charitable efforts of the Clinton Foundation based even partly on where he’s likely to benefit personally, or see his friends benefit, then that clearly is a classic conflict of interest,” says Aaron Dorfman, executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy in Washington.
Three months after Clinton and Giustra met, they traveled around the world together on a trip that included a stop in Kazakhstan where Clinton introduced Giustra, who was closing in on a $425 million mining investment there, to the Central Asian country’s leader. Giustra made millions on that deal.
Clinton Foundation Comments
“Mr. Giustra has publicly stated the philanthropic reasons for his contributions,” Ben Yarrow, a spokesman for the Clinton Foundation, said in an e-mail when asked for comment on Clinton’s use of the Giustra plane. “Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless.”
“President Clinton travels on both private and commercial aircraft, including Mr. Giustra’s,” Yarrow said. “When President Clinton travels, his trips typically include multiple activities: foundation related, paid speeches, official, etc.”
Since he left the White House in 2001, Clinton, now 61, has earned more than $50 million for himself and raised hundreds of millions more for global charities, according to New York Senator Hillary Clinton’s financial disclosures and foundation statements.
The former president has declined to identify most of his financial benefactors, including donors to his presidential library. He says he will make public the names of future contributors should his wife win the Democratic nomination.
`Pursuit of Money’
“Bill Clinton is the ex-president who has pushed the pursuit of money into the stratosphere, and will probably set a new bar for future ex-presidents,” says Bill Hogan, director of investigative projects at the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit ethics watchdog in Washington, and head of its Buying of the President 2008 program.
“One can imagine an ex-president saying this is none of your business,” Hogan says. “It doesn’t work this time because Hillary Clinton is married to him, and she’s running for the highest office in the land.”
Tax authorities say Clinton may mix philanthropic fund raising with personal and political business so long as he clearly distinguishes who he represents at each juncture, and his foundation doesn’t participate directly in an election campaign.
“You’ve got a fellow who is active and wearing many hats, and he seems to be bumping against these edges,” says Kansas City attorney Bruce Hopkins, who represents tax-exempt groups and testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in April 2005. “`Nothing tells me he blatantly crossed the line.”
`Joint Venture’
At the same time, the relationship “can be construed as a `joint venture,’ with Bill Clinton traveling the globe with Mr. Giustra, enabling him to strike lucrative business deals” and Giustra donating to the foundation, Hopkins said. Clinton needs to “carefully differentiate” his charity and business roles or helping Giustra could jeopardize the foundation’s tax exemption, Hopkins said.
Giustra, who collects first-edition books and antiquarian coins, generated what he described in a statement as a “great personal fortune” promoting Canadian mining stocks over the past three decades. Giustra also started the movie studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. in Santa Monica, California, which he sold in 2003, and founded the Vancouver investment bank Endeavour Financial Corp.
$131 Million
The Canadian businessman donated $31 million to Clinton’s charity in 2006 through his own nonprofit, the Radcliffe Foundation. Last June, he made an additional $100 million pledge to the newly established Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative, and secured the promise of tens of millions more from Canadian mining companies. He stipulated the funds be deployed in developing countries, where he does most of his business.
The two men became acquainted in January 2005 when Clinton prepared a video appeal seeking help for victims of the Asian tsunami for a fund-raiser Giustra held in his Vancouver home.
They met six months later when Giustra’s MD-87 plane — a twin engine jet the size of a commercial airliner, with a stateroom — picked up the former president at Westchester County Airport near his New York home for the trip to South America. They made stops in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil, according to federal aviation records confirmed by Gordon Keep, an aide to Giustra.
Bloomberg obtained Federal Aviation Administration flight logs for Giustra’s plane for the period January 2005 through December 2007 under the Freedom of Information Act. The records show where the plane went. They don’t say who was aboard.
In September 2006, Giustra hosted a 60th birthday celebration for Clinton in Toronto. Flight records show the plane made a New York-to-Toronto round trip on that date.
Campaign Fund Raising
On May 20, 2007, Giustra’s plane flew to Tromso, Norway, on the same day Clinton gave a speech there for which he was paid $290,000. He made five speeches over four days with two more stops in Norway, one in Denmark and one in Sweden, totaling $1.485 million in personal income.
Austria Today reported that Clinton picked up a $1 million check for his foundation May 24 in Vienna. U.S. records show Giustra’s plane flew from Vienna that day and arrived in Rochester, New York, on May 25, where Clinton gave a speech.
Last November, the plane traveled from Manchester, New Hampshire, where Clinton was campaigning for his wife, to Dublin and London, where he appeared at fund-raising events for her. Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said the Hillary Clinton campaign paid for the flight.
A Private Dinner
When Clinton and Giustra met in June 2005 on the flight to Latin America, the Canadian’s banking firm was working on a venture that involved investing in coal mines and developing a coal-transportation port in Colombia, Canadian securities filings show.
Clinton arranged for Giustra to meet the president of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, in New York three months later, the Wall Street Journal reported last week. Last year a Canadian company Giustra’s investment firm was advising acquired oil fields in Colombia, the Journal reported, and Giustra met Uribe again to discuss a coal-export project.
That was the first time the financial interests of Clinton and Giustra converged. The second was on the former president’s trip to Kazakhstan, reported Jan. 31 by the New York Times.
On Sept. 6, 2005, Clinton flew aboard Giustra’s plane into Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, where the two men met up and shared a private dinner with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, according to interviews and public statements at the time.
The U.S. State Department’s country report on human rights for Kazakhstan for 2006, the latest available, criticized the regime for “pervasive corruption” as well as arbitrary arrests and detentions, particularly of government opponents.
`Keep Working’
Clinton and Nazarbayev discussed AIDS prevention, economic development and government, according to their statements.
Another topic of discussion was an agreement Giustra was negotiating with the Kazakhstan government and a former energy minister to buy controlling stakes in three uranium mines.
“When they came here the deal was almost finalized,” says Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the president of Kazakhstan’s state-owned uranium enterprise, JSC National Atomic Company Kazatomprom.
“Mr. Giustra said to our president that everything was going smooth with Kazatomprom and everything was OK,” says Dzhakishev, one of the principal negotiators, who didn’t attend the dinner. “The president said, `OK, keep working.’ That’s basically all that was devoted to Kazatomprom during that meeting.”
College Roommate
Each leader came away from the dinner with something. Clinton collected a $500,000 pledge from Kazakhstan’s president to assist Hurricane Katrina victims. Nazarbayev issued a press release claiming support from Clinton for Kazakhstan’s bid to chair the 56-state Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, based in Vienna. Kazakhstan was awarded the chair last November.
Clinton and Giustra were in China three days later when negotiations concluded on the uranium deposits, according to an October 2005 Canadian securities filing that outlines the deal.
The titular seller of two of the three properties was Mukhtar Ablyazov, 44, Kazakhstan’s energy minister in the late 1990s. He received $350 million through holding companies he controlled in Cyprus and the British Virgin Islands, according to the filing. The government retained a 30 percent stake in the properties.
Dzhakishev says Ablyazov, a college roommate of his in the 1980s, had obtained title to the uranium deposits from the government in early 2005, assuming $1.7 million in debt.
`No Involvement’
Ablyazov, who had become a political opposition leader, was imprisoned on corruption charges in 2002 and was pardoned by Nazarbayev the following year. He is now chairman of Kazakhstan’s second-largest bank, JSC Bank TuranAlem. He declined to discuss the uranium transaction.
Dzhakishev, who keeps Clinton’s photograph next to his desk, said Nazarbayev ultimately had to approve the government’s sale of the uranium interests to Giustra.
Keep, when asked whether Clinton’s presence was helpful to Giustra in any aspect of the mining deal, says: “I’m sure it didn’t hurt Frank’s credibility to be seen with him.” Keep said the banker’s lawyers established that Ablyazov had legal rights to the uranium deposits he was selling.
“President Clinton had no involvement in Frank Giustra’s business dealings in Kazakhstan,” Clinton spokesman McKenna says. “He did not speak with anyone on behalf of Mr. Giustra’s ongoing business deal. He also took no action in support of it.”
Giustra said in a statement that he traveled with Clinton from Kazakhstan through Asia to evaluate the foundation’s AIDS work. Clinton “did not play a role” in the uranium purchase, he said.
UrAsia Energy
Raymond Baker, director of the Global Financial Integrity program at the Center for International Policy in Washington, says Clinton should have been more careful about the trip.
“A president who wanted to assure that his good name is deserved would steer clear of accepting an airplane ride to Kazakhstan, or being involved even peripherally in this business deal,” Baker says. “Kazakhstan has a track record of such enormous corruption, particularly in natural resource transactions, that one should be extremely cautious in getting involved.”
That November, after the uranium deal almost unraveled because of a change in Kazakhstan’s minerals law, Giustra flew back to Kazakhstan for another meeting with Nazarbayev to get it on track, Keep says.
The minerals transfer gave birth to UrAsia Energy Ltd., a Toronto Stock Exchange-listed company created by Giustra’s Endeavour just before the surge in uranium’s price to today’s $84 a pound from $30 in September 2005.
Visit to Clinton
In February 2007, Endeavour sold UrAsia for $1.8 billion to Uranium One Inc. of Johannesburg, South Africa, now the industry’s second-largest company by capitalization after Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-based Cameco Corp.
The same month, Dzhakishev said Giustra arranged for him to visit Clinton at his home near New York to discuss the future of nuclear power.
Giustra’s UrAsia stock was worth about C$50 million shortly before the merger closed. The value of the stock since has dropped by half. He is no longer listed as a major shareholder.
Clinton and Giustra continue to work together on their entrepreneurial approach to charity.
On March 1, they are co-hosting a charitable dinner in Toronto where mining executives are paying up to $350,000 a table to see such artists as Elton John, Shakira, John Travolta and Robin Williams. The most expensive tables already are sold out.
Source: Bloomberg
The

Again, Michelle Obama’s pride is newfound, her self satisfied smugness and arrogance though is well-worn.

I believe michelle Obama has a lot to be thankful for. I don’t understand this comment nor a lot of comments she is making, I just know a lot of it is pretty scary for our country. We know who Hillary is and we know who McCain. Who is Michelle and Barack Obama? We can’t take a chance.

Obama could win with some goofs by he and his wife. If he should win it will be due to the young voters who didn’t give a damn about voting in past elections and end up now as spoilers. I would guess as long as there is no draft and the younger generations are now involved it will be politics as usual after this election.

Pure arrogance. People who tout rhetoric has big heads. They see they only have to say a few words to make people follow them, rather then provide substance. We don’t need Obama to be proud Americans.

I keep hearing a reference to the struggles of African/Americans. What struggle did Obama go through? He grew up in Hawaii, living with his upper middle class white grandparents … now that was tough .. sandy beaches, ice cream whenever grammy wanted to give it to him. Sure he did some time with the poor in Chicago but was that really anything more than a sentence on his resume? Did he walk the street for civil rights? I did! Did he stand up for someone in the 50′s that was being discriminated against? I did! If Michele is not proud of America what will it take … a child of hers to be killed or hurt in a war? Or perhaps marriage to a 100% disabled vet., that found a way to send his child to college. My family did! Show me his stripes, show me how he has earned my vote, until then if I can’t have Hillary(a fellow marcher) then give me McCain.

Every single day I get up and am “really” proud to be an American. It’s disturbing that Mrs. Obama is now just getting there, just in time for her husband’s presidential run.
On the other hand exactly where is her country? Is it the USA?

Just a reminder, there are two versions of Michelle Obama’s speech, one at Milwaukee which she stated “for the first time, I am proud of …”, and then later at Madison, she said “for the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of …not just because…

I think she flubbed her lines. I think she meant to say she is really proud and that for the first time in her lifetime, she thinks people are really hungry for change. I realize people are looking for something to jump on but Michelle Obama isn’t unpatriotic by any stretch and I also don’t think it’s okay to go after Cindy McCain for her perceived sins.

She is proud that America seems finally, in large numbers for seemingly the first time, been able to get past their racial prejudices, and vote for someone based on the content of their character not the color of their skin.

One must give this grad from Princeton and Harvard a bit of a break on this inappropriate phrasing indicating tentative love of country. Let me paraphrase her true intent, “I be always proud of merica uh huh, uh huh!!” and that’s the truth……

For all the silly folks who made a big deal of Michelle Obama’s quote: “For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country”, well…
For once in my life I have someone who needs me
Someone Ive needed so long
For once, unafraid, I can go where life leads me
And somehow I know Ill be strong
For once I can touch what my heart used to dream of
Long before I knew
Someone warm like you
Would make my dreams come true
For once in my life I wont let sorrow hurt me
Not like it hurt me before
For once, I have something I know wont desert me
Im not alone anymore
For once, I can say, this is mine, you cant take it
As long as I know I have love, I can make it
For once in my life, I have someone who needs me

She said “For the First Time in My Adult Lifetime, I’m REALLY Proud of My Country” Why did someone cut out the word REALLY in the audio?

The venom, ignorance and misinformation I’ve witnessed on this blog is appalling. It has certainly not anything that any human being let alone an American should be proud of.

The truth comes out!! Michelle Obama hates America!! Her lefty husband won’t even put his hand over his heart during the National Anthem!! He probably hates America too!!

A previous comment listed a website to review – and I did — it sure reveals some interesting information about Obama — As I’ve always believed, the truth will come out… just hope it’s not too late…

Oh please people. I think there are grades of variation to pride here– she said for the first time she is REALLY (as in very) proud of her country– not that she has never been proud of her country. Do you think she would have married a politician and an activist if she hated her country? All you all who are so proud of your country– what are you doing to make it better? Nobody works this hard without having a very deep love of their country. And that’s what matters.

This wounding comment on the stump illustrates how profoundly alien Sen. & Mrs. Obama are to America, how foreign and hostile they are at heart. What a great belly laugh they must share at night when they think about all those credulous Americans cheering Barack Obama as if he cared about them.

I don’t think the comment needs to be defended but for the sake of those who find her statement offensive I’ll put my two cents in. I am not an Obamanite, as someone put it although I am considering voting for him. I am a black woman and I voted for Bush in the last two presidential elections. Anyone who has lived in this country for the past 40+ years would have to agree that there have been some really ugly moments in our history. Michelle didn’t say she never LOVED her country. She said that for the first time she is really proud of her country. I’m sure we all have relatives that we love and will always love although we may not always be proud of them. I can’t see how that would be difficult to understand, unless you’re affraid of something and you don’t want to understand it. I’d be more concerned with someone who is aware of this country’s weakness and could pretend it doesn’t exist. If you’re going to effectively lead this country, you have to be willing to look at the whole picture and not just the pretty parts. That being said I have to take Michelle Obama at her word in her explanation of her remarks.

How can Obama supporters continue defend this statement from Michelle. She knew exactly what she was talking about. Her pride in her country is conditional. It’s all about her and her husband winning this nomination.
This country is much more than someone winning their party’s nomination. This country’s greatness lies in its people and their generosity, their kindness, their strength, the openess with which they welcome people from other cultures. There is no other country in the world where the opportunities are limitless.

Many of you people posting here cannot even spell or effectively use the English language in a grammatically correct manner. I am no longer surprised that Obama’s supporters tend to have more education . . . the divide is clear here. Those of you who are obviously less capable of higher level rational thought are unfortunately too concrete to interpret any language beyond its face value. The reality of so many base individuals in this society frightens me.

Greetings,
Michelle Obama has clarified her remarks. The Associated Press provided her comments. I hope this will settle everyone’s heart and mind.
Michelle Obama Clarifies `proud’ Remark
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The wife of Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama sought Wednesday to clarify her comment that for the first time she’s really proud of her country.
On Monday, Michelle Obama told an audience in Milwaukee that “For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country. Not just because Barack is doing well, but I think people are hungry for change.” Cindy McCain, wife of Republican presidential contender John McCain, later sought to capitalize on the remark, saying “I have, and always will be, proud of my country.”
Asked by WJAR-TV if she would like to clarify her comment, Obama replied that she has been struck by the number of people going to rallies and watching debates, as well as record voter turnouts.
“What I was clearly talking about was that I’m proud in how Americans are engaging in the political process,” she said.
“For the first time in my lifetime, I’m seeing people rolling up their sleeves in a way that I haven’t seen and really trying to figure this out — and that’s the source of pride that I was talking about,” she added.
When asked if she had always been proud of her country, she replied “absolutely” and said she and her husband would not be where they are now if not for the opportunities of America.
Obama himself gave a similar explanation during an interview Tuesday with WOAI radio in San Antonio, Texas. Expressing frustration that his wife’s remarks had been taken out of context and turned into political fodder, the Illinois senator said, “What she meant was, this is the first time that she’s been proud of the politics of America, because she’s pretty cynical about the political process, and with good reason, and she’s not alone. But she has seen large numbers of people get involved in the process, and she’s encouraged.”
Michelle Obama was campaigning in Rhode Island two weeks before the state’s March 4 primary. She planned a rally later with her brother, Craig Robinson, the coach of the Brown University men’s basketball team.

I pray every night that “life” will win out in November. Obama is the wrong choice for many reasons, but his Pro- Abortion stance is the main reason he should not step foot in the White House. Remember a good tree does not produce bad fruit and right now the Obama’s are really stinking up the place.

I think that what Mrs. obama said is absolutely true, me being an African American male, I have never been proud of my country, due to extreme racism and the conservative views the country has. Not once in all the history that I have learned about this country can I say that it is made me proud to be American. I support her statement fully because before now, what did she have to be proud of the United States for?, its hatred toward minorities? or its policies in the past that kept minorities down?. Im pretty sure that if Hillary Clinton was to say this same statement that it would not have received so much controvery. She is entitled to the “freedome of Speech” (or so it says in the Constitution) so here saying this statement is with in her right. If people (a.k.a those who are not considered “Minorities) don’t like it, I think that’s too bad, its about time someone (whether they are black, asian, latino, etc..) stood up and gave the United States “a slap in the face” because we need it. American does not need another white male President (as brutal as that is, I feel its true), its time for the voters to embrace a different President, someone different and that is why I only will support Hillary or Barack. If this country does not elect Hillary or Barack as our next president, then I am sorry but I wash my hands of the United States and the so called “American Dream”

I think it’s so stupid that people would even think about getting worked up over this. I haven’t been proud of my country for a long time now, and I’m still skeptical he’ll get elected, but Obama’s success and ideas are slowly giving me hope. I just turned 18 and the first vote I’m going to cast will be for Obama tomorrow.

Let me assure you, you don’t need to be a conservative to be offended by Michelle Obama’s professed lack of pride in America.

Dear Sir….. Madam
I am one of those unfortunate people who can not express herself in proper English ,as I am a LEGAL immigrant and did not go to Harvard ,But just the same I would like to voice ,my Political incorrect Opinion……….
Any Delegate who runs for the most powerful office in the Free World ,calls Himself AFRO -AMERICAN ,should never have the opportunity to sit in the Oval Office ,If he ore she is not 100% American ,and Proud to be AMERICAN .has NO business Being President of the USA..
the Word AFRO -AMERICAN alone, divides AMERICA ,and should be outlawed ,The word Racism and Political incorrect should go exactly the same way ,Those Words have been used over and over to stirred up HATE ,and also to promote there individual AGENDAS ,pretending fairness ,well meaning-ness ,support and good will,
Where Obama’s Wife is concerned ,Can any one imagine her with her Attitude as a First lady .I would like to convey a personal message to her ,get a Reality check ,if it would not be of all the non Black Americans who voted for Barak .he would have never made it as Far ,

I have, and will remain, to be proud of America. We have problems, we have faults, as do all countrys. Ours are more public because we are America. Michelle Obamas remarks were idiotic. She has a crude manner about her. How can anyone want to see this lady as The First Lady. I guess when she was graduating from all these fancy schools, marrying her prince, having her babies in America, she was not proud. It bothers me that Barak Obama is a turncoat to the flag. Wonder if he will put his hand on the bible to take the oath. Probably, just to show us that he will, he will do so. Then turn his back again. As far as his speech about his pastor, of course he had to come out and go against him, in public, but what about later? I am a white proud American. I did not believe in slavery, I think abortion should be a choice, I do not agree with being gay, and I have many gay friends, I am a southern baptist, I am still trying to figure the bible and its teachings out, but regardless, I still love and am proud of America. If you are not, I dont think slavery exist anymore, leave. All I hear is supressed blacks, white people doing them wrong. We can not take a step forward, always looking back to the whats, the whys, and who was at fault. My family was too poor to own slaves, we probably were slaves to the big plantation owners ourselves. Grow up, history is history, just like Martin Luther King, Malcome X, John F. Kennedy, Abe Lincoln and Robert E. Lee. There would be no Black History if all the White History never took place. Do we have White History month, No. Do we have a White Miss America, No. Granted it has all been one sided at times, but the change was coming, and it did way before Obama. I love reading about history, black or white. But, it’s history. What happens tomorrow will be history. I am sorry to see that Obama and his wife are trying to win the election on their Black History only. My vote, as a Proud American, goes to Hillary Clinton.

So if Michelle Obama is NOT running for anything what, exactly, are Hillary’s skills and experience for being President? I mean, she’s got 8 years in the white house doing nothing as first lady. She has 8 years in a governor’s mansion (again as first lady–doing nothing). And about 2/3 of a term as senator much of which was really about jockeying for a shot at the white house.
You cannot have it both ways folks. Either Michelle Obama is a jaded, negative person whose single-minded excitement about her husband’s success is not relevant because “she is not running for anything” (in which case, Hillary has no relevant experience). Or, what she says, does and things is important.
Which is it?

Her statement demonstrates that MO is not First Lady material.

For the first time since I have been able to vote for 38 yrs., I am NOT going to vote! I really don’t want either man for president. I was debating between Hillary and Barack.Since Hillary isn’t in the run anymore, I’m left with the two choices.But all I hear is negative about both men.I’m very concerend about Barack,more so then McCain.Every time they all promise the world and when they get in they don’t follow thru. Anyways, I’m not voting this year.

Is there a difference in saying “ ….for the first time in my adult life , I am proud to be an American……” when compared to “….for the first time in my adult life ,I am REALLY PROUD to be an American…..” . TO BE REALLY PROUD does not diminish pride but adds value and distinction to pride. Michelle is really proud of America. Michelle did not diminish her pride for America. No. Michelle , like all true American’s never said she was not proud of America. No. Michelle ,like all true American’s IS REALLY PROUD OF AMERICA ,always has been from youth to adulthood. But then there was the realisation of the AMERICAN DREAM . THE DREAM BECAME POSSIBLE, AND NOW MICHELLE IS NOT JUST PROUD,No not just proud, but REALLY PROUD OF AMERICA. That is a great statement said by all people that love America and are proud of America and all patriots that love America and are really proud of America. That is like extra proud or more proud on top of proud. That’s okay. All her life she was proud but now she is REALLY PROUD OF AMERICA.
There are degrees of commitment. There are degrees of patriotism. There are degrees of pride. It is good for anyone to qualify their pride for America and distinguish “……..REALLY PROUD OF AMERICA..” from “…proud of America……..” .
MAYBE SOMEONE SHOULD START “……….. A REALLY PROUD OF AMERICA MOVEMENT………….” AND CORRECT THE MISCONCEPTION OF CERTAIN SOUNBITES PLAYED ON CERTAIN MEDIA CHANNELS.
We are only adults once. WE GROW UP , WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN WE SPOKE AS CHILDREN, BUT WHEN WE GROW UP , WE PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS ,LIKE PREJUDICE,LIKE FEAR MONGERING, LIKE PETTY SQUABBLES AND NIT PICKING ON PETTY ISSUES SUCH AS HE SAID SHE SAID HE SAID SHE SAID ETC ETC ETC .With adulthood ,comes maturity. Maturity to face reality ,make the right choices, and be “……… REALLY PROUD OF AMERICA…….”. Errol Smythe

Wow! I can’t believe some of the ridiculous comments I’ve read and that’s the beauty of America. The Obama’s are amazing people. To achieve what they have is more than maybe what most of us have accomplished and that to me shows amazing character, sacrifice, persistence, endurance, and courage. Sure Michelle Obama is not perfect, she is learning to be a politician’s wife. She said something, it was exaggerated, criticized, and taken out of context, but I think most of us cannot imagine what it’s like to be in her position and I for one am glad that I am not in her position as the first African-American democratic candidate’s wife. It’s always hard to be the first anything. I think using the terms African-American, Latino, and Asian are necessary in this country because of the disparities that exist. You have to use those dividing words until we learn to become one nation. I think that’s going to take time. As for Michelle Obama, I hope she learns from her mistake and really helps to make some changes where we don’t have to have labels.

The rise of nationalism as an idea is not that old. When the old monarchies began to fall and republics were starting to show up, the flags became the rallying symbol of the idea of nationalism.
As an non-American, I admire the concepts of Franklin, Jefferson, et al, but those gentlemen must be rolling in their graves about now.
Be proud of your country’s ideals, but not those who order questionable actions in its name.
Blind nationalism is the vehicle for those wanting power to gain support for their cause. People who intelligently question these actions cannot be branded unpatriotic. The opposite view must be aired. For Ms. Obama to make such a statement as she did was probably the truth; something that flag-waving, right wing American jingoists don’t seem to like.

When I heard this comment, my stomach turned. I am an American Soldier, and I have always been proud of my country. I have read alot of the comments on this article, and I see 18 year old young americans stating that they have not been proud of this country for
“a long time”, my question you you is Why? Why aren’t you or werent you proud of this country? Well it’s probably because of the massive political, religious, and general oppression that the American government holds you in. Its probably because you dont live in a decent home, with good food to eat, a police force protecting you day and night. It’s probably because of the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, and the right as a young person to have an opinion, and cast it out aloud in public. **It is probably because these young people are too lazy to think for them selves, and their inability to look at the big picture. Yeah, our country has it’s issues, so does every other country. But ours are generally much worse than theirs, I mean, We are in an unpopular war, under an unpopular president, whom has had it easy since he has been in office, and just started a fight with the people of the middle east for no good reason. Just because we were attacked on our home turn by terrorists from that part of the world dosen’t mean we have the right to go and kick their asses. I mean we should have turned the other cheek right? And yes, I realize that the man behind it is known to have been in Afghanistan, But I have been to Iraq, Spoken to the Iraqi people and almost 100% of them are happy with what America has done. LISTEN YOUNG PEOPLE, STOP BEING DROIDS OF YOUR PARENTS AND LIBERAL TEACHERS, LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND FORM YOUR OWN OPINION.

wasn’t she proud about the 7 million bucks she and Barak made last year?
Hmmm. I’m proud to be an American and I only made $50,000

I have long since failed to feel
proud (overall) to be an American.
I will explain why.
You always love your children but
you are proud of them when they
do well. When they achieve or exceed
your expectations, you are filled
with pride.
If you found out your kid was beating
up kids for their lunch money and lying to you you would not be proud.
It’s not hard to understand.
Since I became aware of the lies we
were fed leading up to this war in Iraq
everything changed for me.
Some can look the other way or justify
these event. I cannot.
Pride is based on specific acts.
Some things make me proud and some
make me sick. When the pros outweigh
the cons, well then I feel an overall
pride.
Any persons overall view of
the country depends greatly on their
vantage point.
You offended white Americans don’t
understand because you have never been
on the other side.
I will always be a proud Hispanic-American. You don’t understand because
a foreign culture is not part of who
you are. You didn’t grow up immersed in it.
This may change for my children.
They will be American with a hispanic background because they may
be unable to connect the way I do
with the Hispanic community.
When I sense the country moving in
positive directions I feel proud.
When Barack is elected.
I will feel proud.
and as I climb in my social status.
(I am an RN and my wife a small business
banker)
I hope that I will not base my opinion
of America on whether or not my belly is
full and not what is happening to the country as a whole.
and you Republicans can keep
your “personal responsibility”
and “free market” catch phrases
Whats that line Christians like so much?
Oh yeah….. WWJD?

Well, where do I start…first off I think Michelle and Barack Obama have presented themselves in the most classy manner to the American public since JFK and Jackie Kennedy(Onasis). It is very rare that a Black man and woman have a chance to invite the world to see our race as more than what is depicted in the reality TV world and the media.
I am PROUD that our country is allowing a rejuvenation of spirit among AFRICAN- Americans and AFRICAN-American youth in particular who were and still are in danger of becoming ghosts in our society because of the socioeconomic issues that have ravaged their generation and our (meaning the country as a whole)lack of resource provision and the desire to illustrate their plight in an invasive manner via media for so called awareness but in reality for financial gain and with no hope of resolution….but I digress.
I just want to say that as an AFRICAN-American woman I feel that it is offensive to confuse passionate views and expression of one’s feelings as anger and bitterness. Let’s be truthful no matter what the color of your skin, in this day and age, with our economy in shambles and these talking heads spinning pretty rhetoric….who is addressing our most base need and that is for understanding and compassion during our struggle.
I can see why she stated “really proud” because that is what we “really” need to regain an urgency and passion when discussing our sense of pride not only as a country but as individuals. When is the last time you did something for a neighbor regardless of their color, religious background or political party affiliation. Is the nationality you put in front of American really that important as long as in relation we all know that we are equal? Do we really have time to dwell on Michelle Obama’s reflections on how she feels about her America or do we need to concern ourselves with ourselves and reflect on why we are not proud, just proud, or really proud of our America. I specify because as with any change there has to be investiture from all of the parts to make a change to the whole.
In the grand scheme of things neither she (Michelle Obama)nor either of the two candidates are the definig factor for my pursuit of my civil right to vote and be heard even if my voice is small as a pin dropping.I have to be apart of this change and commit myself to America like a marriage ‘for better or for worse’. Please do not do yourself and our country a disservice by letting your civil right be silenced by media and candidates who are inherently human. VOTE! I am the defining factor because I am AMERICA and so are you.

i know what mrs obama was sayig.
i know what it is like to have that monent when everything in the past, is what makes the current situation so wonderful.
thank you for being you!

I am in Hong Kong. I bumped into this page and was amazed to see how many comments mentioned “so do other countries” to justify the messy issues US has.
You Americans know where else I saw the most such comments? Right, on Chinese portals where the “50-cent gangs” flood message boards with posts that defend the Chinese government’s wrong-doings, from corruption to mass abuse of human rights.
The 50-cent gangs are netizens paid 50 cents by the Chinese government for every post they send out.
Do Americans also have 50-cent gangs? or worst?

To quote Michelle Obama, “For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country.”
The meaning is simple and easy to understand. Looking at the positive reaction to the campaign, she is looking forward to be the first lady and this is what makes her REALLY PROUD of her country. She WAS NOT proud of her country in the past because she didn’t know then that she would be the first lady.

Michelle’s comparison of the Kennedy’s to the Obama’s is sickening. Michelle is equally sickening.

We will never be the way we were. Obama and the rest of his Marxist Friends & Family have mapped that part out for us pretty well. Now we have to get enough people back to work in order for them to pay payroll taxes to help us out of our debt. We cannot raise taxes because if we do people won’t start new businesses or hire people to work to pay taxes in order to get us out of debt. If we over regulate or change businesses too much in taxes they will just close up then no money will be coming in for taxes. Is that so hard for Liberals to understand? Obama has tried his way and we are looking at almost 15T and he thinks we should continue to go his route. He is the thickest head person who doesn’t believe poop stinks unless you hit him in the face with it.