President Restates Michelle Obama’s Commitment to Military Families
EmailABC News’ Yunji de Nies reports: In announcing the time table for the withdrawal of US Forces from Iraq, President Barack Obama spoke of his wife’s commitment to military families.
"My wife Michelle has learned firsthand about the unique burden that your families endure every day," the President told an audience 3700 marines at Camp Lejeune, "I want you to know this: military families are a top priority for Michelle and me, and they will be a top priority for my administration."
Mrs. Obama has long said military families would be a central focus of her agenda as First Lady. While on the campaign trail, she hosted a series of roundtables for working women to discuss the challenges of balancing career and family. Mrs. Obama was particularly moved by her conversations with military wives, because of the added burdens they face with a spouse often abroad and in harm’s way. She then began hosting regular roundtables with military wives.
"The work family balance issue – for women of all backgrounds – continues to be at the top of her list," said the First Lady’s spokeswoman Katie McCormick-Lelyveld. Mrs. Obama has yet to have a formal event dedicated to the cause of military families since becoming First Lady, though Ms. McCormick-Lelyveld says she plans to continue the roundtable discussions in the near future.
Among the First Lady’s guests at her husband’s address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, was Shannon Kenall. Kendall’s husband Major Ryan Kendall has served in the Army for more than 10 years, most recently in Iraq. Kendall met Mrs. Obama before the election at a military-spouse family roundtable, and is the Family Readiness Group leader for her husband’s Fort Hood-based unit. — Yunji de Nies
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I wish Michelle well in her efforts to reach out and help support military families.
Posted by: TV | February 27, 2009, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm
Michelle Obama is one classy lady.
Posted by: R Mutt | February 27, 2009, 2:11 pm 2:11 pm
I read on another website an article about Michelle Obama wanting to be an active First Lady and be outside of the White House a lot to speak to groups within our government, speak at schools, offer her opinions and support to various departments and instead of applauding her for being helpful and getting involved, she was called some of the most hateful, vicious, mean-spirited names anyone could imagine from all the haters who are still out there and venting their spleen on someone who not only doesn’t deserve it, but who is only trying to help America in a time when we need as much positive input as we can get. What a sick, sick country – or at least the 54 million who voted against our President are sick. Why don’t they all move to Alaska and secede from the Union? I hear it has lots of natural resources, a reall great Governor (you betcha), 6 months of daylight, lots of water especially when the Mendenhall glacier melts, they will have another Lake Superior, and with global warming coming, it will be just balmy and beautiful. Go there and join that National Secessionist Party or whatever it’s called and leave the lower 48 to people who want this Country to succeed.
Posted by: geecee | February 27, 2009, 2:12 pm 2:12 pm
So Michelle’s job is to prevent a military coup by befriending military spouses?
Posted by: beeman | February 27, 2009, 2:14 pm 2:14 pm
The faces of the Marines in the one photo I saw of the Camp LeJeune audience are worth a million words. The followed orders to attend, but didn’t look happy about him or about being used as props. They were probably bussed in from Fayetteville as Michelle’s audience of Military spouses were during the campaign. Live by the photo op……..pander to the perception
Posted by: Chris | February 27, 2009, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
So Michelle’s task is to prevent a military coup by befriending military spouses?
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Why would that be necessary with Obama getting 44% of the military vote, along with him getting the lion’s share of military contributions from those deployed overseas?
Posted by: kat the real one | February 27, 2009, 2:37 pm 2:37 pm
“Live by the photo op……..pander to the perception”
A much cheaper “photo op” than landing on an aircraft carrier 3 months into a 7 year war to declare mission accomplished.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 27, 2009, 2:41 pm 2:41 pm
“So Michelle’s job is to prevent a military coup by befriending military spouses?”
ROFLMAO!
Right wingers scream about tyranny and fascism because Obama is going to raise taxes on the rich THEN call for a military coup.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 27, 2009, 2:43 pm 2:43 pm
Michelle Obama would have flunked out of the Naval Academy with that poorly written senior thesis she wrote at Princeton. I also could not imagine any Michelle Obama saying “One Two Three Four I love the Marine Corps,” much less surviving Paris Island boot camp.
Posted by: Colonel Rebel | February 27, 2009, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
Now we are talking about military coups? Sean Hinnsanity listeners, no doubt. That man ought to be tried for sedition, along with his pal Limppig. How dare Hinnsanity post a vote on his website on what method to use to overthrow our government!! This man has got to go. He and the bloated buffoon are destroying this country by feeding their listeners more hateful distorted information that simply adds fuel to the fires of insurrection. Unpatriotic, unamerican and destructive to society is what they are and anyone who listens to them is in the same camp!!
Posted by: geecee | February 27, 2009, 2:55 pm 2:55 pm
“Michelle Obama would have flunked out of the Naval Academy with that poorly written senior thesis she wrote at Princeton”
As if you actually read it.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 27, 2009, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
Michelle Obama would have flunked out of the Naval Academy with that poorly written senior thesis she wrote at Princeton. I also could not imagine any Michelle Obama saying “One Two Three Four I love the Marine Corps,” much less surviving Paris Island boot camp.
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So are you saying that Princeton has lax standards? Michelle Obama is one tough lady, who’s pulled herself up by the bootsraps- with that kind of background, I’m sure she’d fare just fine at any boot camp.
Posted by: kat the real one | February 27, 2009, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
It would be nice if The Obama’s looked into the history of the Drinking Water at Camp Lejeune since the early 50′s and then did something about it to help the affected families instead of a having photo Op there! The Govenrment has failed these families and every president has vowed to make it a priority yet nothing has been done.
Posted by: newfunkypres | February 27, 2009, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
Obamacrat for Palin…President Obama said, “For those that didn’t vote for him, I will be your President too” Now getting back on topic of story….Michelle is from the South Side of Chicago and that means she is up to any task. You who commented on her thesis at Harvard, has never read it. There you poor pathetic things go again, grabbing sound bites from that “Un American Hate Show” hosted by Hannibal . This First Lady doesn’t hide behind their husbands, and has more to say than “just say no”. She is a mother that has mothered as opposed to “nannies”, and she is in touch with real American women, whether they are involved in the Military or not. I would say, these families that the “so-called patriot” has never been given their due for the sacrifices they have made. The un American Republicans even got “cheap” service from them. Didn’t raise their pay, and many come home without adequate homes and medical care. Americans are on to these FAKES.
Posted by: sngeorgia | February 27, 2009, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
William J. Thank you. Who does that fool think Americans are. He/She is sooo slow!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: sngeorgia | February 27, 2009, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm
Michelle Obama would have flunked out of the Naval Academy with that poorly written senior thesis she wrote at Princeton”
As if you actually read it.
Posted by: Ryan C | Feb 27, 2009 3:05:18 PM
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Ryan, don’t know who you are quoting
here, but they are right-as-rain. The thesis was pathetic!!!!! Yes, I did read it, of course it depends what side you are on just how you interpret.
Posted by: Roland | February 27, 2009, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
“Ryan, don’t know who you are quoting
here, but they are right-as-rain. The thesis was pathetic!!!!! Yes, I did read it, of course it depends what side you are on just how you interpret.”
Col Rebel was who I was replying to.
So since you read it what was “pathetic” about it?
Posted by: Ryan C | February 27, 2009, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
“Who are the haters?”
I doubt you really want to play that game robert.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 27, 2009, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
I sure as heck do. Ryan C
Bless your heart, I will show you the error of your ways.
Posted by: robert b | February 27, 2009, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
Mechelle will get right on those issues when she is finished with modeling for J Crew.
Posted by: beebop | February 27, 2009, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
“I sure as heck do. Ryan C”
Then take a gander at the drudge linked article.
Racism, calls for revolution etc.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 27, 2009, 4:17 pm 4:17 pm
couldn’t find it, it must have been a big story.
Rascsism and (r)evolution is that what you’re saying Republicans are all about
- well we’ve been misunderstood since 1856 though I guess Abe did start a mighty big war over race…my party includes Michael Steele, Colin Powell (he says he still is), Rudy Guiliani, Mike Huckabee, Michael Reagan, Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, John McCain, Bobby Jindal, Charles Krauthammer, Newt Gingrich, Hugh Hewitt, Bill Krystal, Michael Barone, George Will – any (unpigmented) sheets, any tossers of (overly fermented chemicals), any waving the red shirt??
Posted by: robert b | February 27, 2009, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm
“Rascsism and (r)evolution is that what you’re saying Republicans are all about”
Right wingers robert, not republicans.
There is a difference.
Posted by: Ryan C | February 27, 2009, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm
Mechelle will get right on those issues when she is finished with modeling for J Crew.
*****************************************************
J Crew is accessible for most of us. But thank God, she isn’t given to June Jetson ensembles costing the amount of two houses in today’s depressed housing market!
Posted by: kat the real one | February 27, 2009, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
The Obamas are opportunists! Michelle had never even met with Illinois military families prior to her husband running for president.
Same as – Obama had never even visited the Lincoln Memorial until a few days prior to his inauguration and the non-stop media coverage fusing him with Lincoln.
Posted by: joseyj | February 27, 2009, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
I thought the war was over..after Obama was elected.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | February 28, 2009, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
let me ask you have you every made a donation to an organization supporting veterans?, have you ever volunteered at a veterans hospital?, have you ever taken a disabled veteran to a doctor’s appt?
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Those are excellent questions and I would love to hear the Obama’s answers. If so when? Before or after running for public office?
Posted by: mad | February 28, 2009, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
mad: the question regarding assisting a veteran was asked of YOU not for President or Mrs. Obama. You need to get a life. What are YOU doing to help other than complaining?
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How interesting that you hold the president and first lady to lower standards than someone you consider to be a whiner with no life.
Posted by: mad | February 28, 2009, 6:20 pm 6:20 pm
So Barack Obama is palming off Military Vetrans to his WIFE ? I didnt vote for Him, and I certainly didnt vote for his wife either.
One thing for certain Obama is no friend to the Military, infact he is a danger to our overall security.
Posted by: thoraxx | March 1, 2009, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm
I applaud Obama and his wife for recognizing the great sacrifices our military and their families make.
In Obama’s recent speech when he stated that the military would be getting a pay raise I cheered.
What a contrast with Bush’s administration ending the higher combat pay while our troops were in obvious combat conditions, horrible medical neglect stateside and bad housing on many bases, all not dealt with until it was made public.
I am so happy that the sacrifices our military make, as well as their families, are being recognized and rewarded a bit by our President.
Our troops deserve good pay, decent housing and terrific medical and psychological care.
Three cheers for our military!
Posted by: Lydia | March 2, 2009, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
I am confused and maybe some of the brain children on this site can assist.
I come from military and have lived my life with military personnel – enlisted, reserves and retired.
In my family, we have 13 members who have or are serving.
I cannot count how many family friends and neighbors we know who also serve.
They served or are serving in all branches aside from the Coast Guard. Don’t know why, but nobody has served in the USCG.
We have had our share of losses.
We have had our sorrow.
All were proud and willing to serve, thus I cannot be more proud of them.
Because so, I follow their lead on many issues.
Out of all our 13 family members and the dozens of dozens of friends and extended family members – vets and enlisted – NOT. ONE. VOTED. SUPPORTS. BARACK. OBAMA.
Why is that?
Curious.
From the South Side of Chicago,
A John McCain/Sarah Palin Supporter
Posted by: Curious South Side of Chicago | March 5, 2009, 3:25 am 3:25 am
I, a military wife, have been invited to an event with Michelle Obama for military spouses. I am being sent to support my husbands birgade, which i will fully do. Now this may upset some or many, but I am not even a registered voter, nor is my husband! How I was chosen for this is beyond me. However, had I voted, it would be for obama. I have no idea the kinds of questions to ask, or what to say if anything. Even if the obama’s were not supporters of the military then, they are now. The present and future are what matters now, not the past. Does anyone have advice?
Posted by: KG | March 5, 2009, 8:56 pm 8:56 pm
I too applaud the recognition the White House is giving to the sacrifices of the military.
However, I feel the First Lady is NOT doing the military services any justice with her message. Her message is mainly about the difficulties of the military life, and borderline “poverty” living. This is bunk.
I am married to a marine. Pay plus benefits is far from poverty. If a military family is living in poverty, it’s due to poor financial choices.
Recruitment for the services is currently on the increase. I certainly hope that the First Lady’s inaccurate description doesn’t change this trend.
Thanks to everyone reading this who has served our wonderful country.
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