Michelle Obama Talks About Balancing Work and Family

congratulations for all you do Michelle,
Here come the haters

Human Intelligence
Oh Lord, …stop hatin’ and get over the jealousy. She is poised, beautiful, intelligent and accomplished, which means she as done more in her life than most people (hmmm, hmmm) will ever do…do you think your bitter comments will affect her one bit…?

It’s probably time to stop referring to her situation as a struggle. Grandma lives in the same household and there is an enormous staff. How is she to inspire others of limited resouces when she whines in spite of all the advantages?

Michelle Obama is an inspiration and a great role model for young women all across the country.

mad 1:43:51 is exactly right: Grandma lives in the same house looking after the girls and keeping their daily routines on schedule.
The Obamas seem to have a disconnect that can’t be bridged. They try so hard to come across as “common folk” that they end up coming across as disingenuous whiners or out-and-out liars (take your pick).
Remember that Obama comes from a self-proclaimed underprivileged background which some of his supporters likened to Abe Lincoln’s log cabin, studying-by-lantern-light background.
I’ll take “underprivileged” if it includes the same private schools and universities Obama enjoyed. And I’ll also take the “struggle” of raising a family if it includes a grandma/nanny and a full-time staff like Michelle enjoys.

What a boring question to force this brilliant, dynamic, highly educated woman to talk about! Why aren’t men challenged to answer this question? I’d love to hear what John McCain would say — “That’s Cindy’s department — you’ll have to ask her.”

If she attended cabinent meetings, folks would be mad about her not spending time with the kids. If she jumped in like Hilary Clinton, she’d be overreaching. It’s so pathetic to criticize each thing this woman says or wears. Did anyone jump on Nancy Reagan for spending a bazillion dollars on china? Did anyone call Laura Bush out when her kids were drinking underage? Please!
The truth is that she grew up in a small apartment and was educated in Chicago’s public school system. The truth is that she was often playing the role of a single parent to support her husband’s career ambitions. The truth is that she sacrificed her career goals to be a wife and mother. What’s elitist and disconnected about that? It’s the thing thousands of women do every day, and our first lady can indeed relate.

I can’t see that she has done any work.
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That’s not fair. She had the job at the University of Chicago Hospital (where Valerie Jarrett was on the board). She did the really important work of getting David Axelrod paid consulting work before the Obama campaign could get up and running.
The initiative she and Axelrod started was then able to hire Obama’s friend Dr. Eric Whittaker. Of course, Dr. Whittaker came from another important job that Mr. Obama had gotten for him- through Tony Rezko.
So really, she did a lot of work keeping Obama’s friends paychecks flowing.

PUH LEEZE!!
Like this woman is an authority on the subject.
When is the last time she cooked for the kids??
When did she clean the house?
When did she drive them to school and pick them up?
What is her exact job description anyway? Smile. Waive to the camera. Wear ridiculous dresses.

Carla:
“If she jumped in like Hilary Clinton, she’d be overreaching. It’s so pathetic to criticize each thing this woman says or wears. Did anyone jump on Nancy Reagan for spending a bazillion dollars on china? Did anyone call Laura Bush out when her kids were drinking underage?”
Geez. when did you start paying attention? Hillary got raked over the coals for her hairdos alone. The press ridiculed Nancy Reagan relentlessly, and there was wall to wall coverage of the Bush twins’ teen age embarrassments. Michelle Obama has gotten a virtual pass in comparison. You’ve hardly even heard a squawk about her getting a chair at the executive table, which is really quite extraordinary.

CAN WE GIVE HER TOO, THE FIRST 100 DAYS-SHE IS STILL TRYING TO KEEP HER BALANCE.
THIS JOB IS A TUFF ONE, ONLY SAFE PLACE SHE HAS IS….THE BATHROOM?????

I find it interesting that many people are jumping on the woman for what’s being deemed a “lack of work.” As First Lady, I believe what she’s doing is within her role. Do you really expect her to just sit back and do nothing? If she did, I bet others would say that she was simply basking in the glow of being waited on hand and foot at the White House. Let’s get real here people. As First Lady making appearances is an aspect of her role. She wants to be involved and connected to people, what’s so wrong with that? If you’re still questioning what her job description is as First Lady, please tell me, what exactly did Laura Bush do as First Lady? What was she involved in? Did she ever leave the White House other than to attend her husband’s functions and take vacations with him?
And why can’t Mrs. O admit that it’s a struggle having to fulfill all the responsibilities of her various roles? Balancing the personal and professional is a real concern for modern women. Being the First Lady does not mean she has no problems. The fact that she has her mother there to help does not free her from all she’s expected to do.
As for the comment, “I’ll take ‘underprivileged’ if it includes the same private schools and universities Obama enjoyed.” First, is Obama the one claiming to have been underprivileged or is that simply a moniker that is being put on him? Second, unlike say, George W. and others, Obama’s private school education came from the hard work of his parents and grandparents and not necessarily from a trust fund. He had to keep earning being able to attend those schools. Furthermore, his admission to such esteemed colleges was not based on his family connections but rather on his own warrant and skills. He had to pay his own way. He only recently paid off his school loans, and that’s only because of his book sales. That to me is relatable enough to the common man.

Jo:For the commenters who are responded to her claim that her family is new to DC:
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I specifically said Barack Obama is not new to the city. I said nothing about her or the girls.
It isn’t sniping or hate. They are using that “Barack is new to DC” to position him politically.
I used one example of his speech in FL yesterday, when he was denigrating the things “Washington” does.
He also tried it during his press conference, when he said he “inherited” this deficit that the “Republicans” ran up.
He is trying to escape any criticism that would come if people remember he was in the Senate for 4 years, voting “yes” on spending bills. He is trying to get people to forget the Democrats controlled the Congress for the last two years, and he was part of it.
He (with an assist from Michelle) is trying to pretend he is not part of the Washington governing culture. He is.

MayBe,
Obama probably didn’t feel like a part of the DC community, living in a rented apartment and going home on weekends to be with his family. (Same as Biden, who never had a house in DC but commuted daily to Delaware.) The Obamas are now making DC their home and want to be part of the community. By the way, DC culture is not at all the same as government or political culture in Washington.
And yes, sniping — many of the posts here are mean-spirited, slander or both. Your accusations about her “work”, for example.

Well, I believe the Media is giving a free pass to the current first family. Just check the covers Mrs Clinton had in past years. Clinton’s daughter didn’t have the same treatment as the Obamas’ children do. Chelsea was mentioned and use over and over as a joke as an “ugly” child. I hope that the media should respect the children who didn’t have a choice on the public life of their parents. In reference the magazine cover, I believe was not in a good time; however, as soon as the public opinion starting saying who cares about Vogue and its cover of the month during such crises; I guess, someone will announce part of the profit from the sales of this mentioned issue will end up any way on the hands of some non-profit organization and I hope it will be for a very good cause. It is just a matter of a very good PR.

Jo:Your accusations about her “work”, for example.
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Those aren’t accusations. It’s all true.
If Obama didn’t feel like part of the DC community, it is probably because he spent 2 of his 4 Senate years campaigning rather than governing. That doesn’t make him “new” to Washington, no matter how his political advisers try to repackage it.

Maybee, remember he had to go back to Chicago every weekend for church? One can’t fault a man for devotion to the teachings of his church.

It is with ultimate pride that I can read the words coming from the mouth of this beautiful, talented, and successful woman and know that she represent all the women of America. We’re not only lucky, but fortunate to have her———————————————————————
Michelle Obama does NOT represent ALL women. You may want to open your eyes and look around.

“You can put lipstick on a pig — but it’s still a pig.”
`OBAMA, 2008

It interests me that at a time when the Obama’s are constantly reminding us all that the way forward is mutual respect working together towards common goals to actually achieve something positive, that there are still people racing to post the first resigned, cynical and snippy comment that they can!
Firstly, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything! Secondly, if you have the time to be cynical, why not use that time to volunteer in your community, learn about it, be of benefit to it, learn, grow, MOVE ON!
For myself, I like the fact that for the first time in a long time I look at the US with some respect and optimism, and I look at your first couple as inspirational. I’ve joined a local volunteer group helping people with literacy problems. Seems a bit more useful than being snotty on blogs.

“It interests me that at a time when the Obama’s are constantly reminding us all that the way forward is mutual respect working together towards common goals…”
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I find that interesting as well. Mr. Obama was partisan and disrespectful on the campaign trail, but now he is constantly reminding us that the way forward is mutual respect.

I hope it make all the HATERS feel good to try and put Michelle Obama down. But guess what, this woman have graduated from a top notch college, she is a lawyer, she was making a six figure salary, she has two beautiful kids, and her husband is the President of this United States. Guess what? She did it all without the good will of the HATERS, so stuff it. All the ones who put her down, there are just as many, if not more who is so glad to have Michelle Obama as our First Lady. I know I am proud. This is the first time that I even give a darn as to what the First Lady does, or wear or say. Thanks to this beautiful,black ,smart, down to earth woman, and yes someone who speaks her mind if she choose too. When I talk to my young daughter, I will tell her there is a First Lady to be proud of. I will tell her that you can’t let hate and jealousy stop you from attaining your goals. Bless you First Lady Obama.And President Obama.