Michelle Obama on Life as First Lady: Not Missing Cooking, Saving the Hard Jobs for the President

At least she stopped complaining about the lack of pay.
In all honesty, she is at her best when she is talking to children.

Our school district does not acknowledge “Take Your Child to Work Day” and children participating receive and unexcused absence.
What a neat experience for those kids today at the WH!

Apparently the hospital doesn’t miss here either. Her position was eliminated upon her departure.
That’s pretty telling.

Posted by: drjohn | Apr 23, 2009 1:24:11 PM: “Her position was eliminated upon her departure. That’s pretty telling.”
If you actually READ outside the conservative echo chamber, it’s easy to discover the University of Chicago Medical Center announced up to $100 million in budget cuts, from an annual budget of roughly $1.5 billion.
Fifteen senior executive positions will be eliminated or not filled, including the vice president for Community and External Affairs–Michelle Obama’s job.
This is a terrible time for a large employer like Chicago Medical Center to eliminate hundreds of jobs. On Chicago’s south side, many of these high-wage jobs are irreplaceable. It reflects increased unemployment and job insecurity, and declining health coverage.
Telling indeed. BTW, drjohn, did you go to medical school with Dr. Pepper?

“This is a terrible time for a large employer like Chicago Medical Center to eliminate hundreds of jobs.”
Is this a serious post?
Do you think for one second that Mrs. Obama would have been terminated in those cuts had she not resigned?
Come on, you can admit it.

I thought the chiren need to be up in the schools, learning and what not, not talking and such. lady m tells dim right. that be her job, show nuff. she works as the 1st lady. she goin find a way to get paid show nuff.

Do they have an editor for this site. What horrible grammer and typos. A disgrace.

he is just on a big vacation at tax payers expense,her and her dummy hubby,take the plane out eat lobster order dinner flown in O you poor poor people. Get a JOB

This week when the Obamas were planting trees, the press reported that PO said to his wife “you are over there talking trash and we planted a tree”
What was he trying to convey?
What is “Talking Trash”?

From George Will:
“The president has set an example for his Cabinet. He has ladled a trillion or so dollars (“or so” is today’s shorthand for “give or take a few hundreds of billions”) hither and yon, but while ladling he has, or thinks he has, saved about $15 million by killing, or trying to kill, a tiny program that this year is enabling about 1,715 D.C. children (90 percent black, 9 percent Hispanic) to escape from the District’s failing public schools and enroll in private schools.
The District’s mayor and school superintendent support the program. But the president has vowed to kill programs that “don’t work.” He has looked high and low and — lo and behold — has found one. By uncanny coincidence, it is detested by the teachers unions that gave approximately four times $15 million to Democratic candidates and liberal causes last year.”

Posted by: drjohn | Apr 23, 2009 1:50:25 PM: Is this a serious post?
Do you think for one second that Mrs. Obama would have been terminated in those cuts had she not resigned?
Yes, this is a serious post. Your implication that Michelle Obama’s job was fluff or payola is what’s seriously wrong.
If you actually READ from other sources, you’d know that her duties were taken over by Dr. Eric Whitaker, a long-time executive vice president for strategic affiliations and external affairs. That job will be eliminated.
At the beginning of the year the University of Chicago Medical Center was forced into a massive restructuring that will trim $100 million in expenses, or nearly 7 percent of its annual budget.
Neither you nor I are privy to their decision process. It’s not just the economic downturn, it’s also unpaid bills owed the hospital from the state Medicaid program for the poor.
Other medical centers in Illinois have also been forced to cut costs or put off building or expanding facilities, such as Loyola University Medical Center, the Chicago area’s largest provider of medical care. They say they have seen a downturn in patients, particularly those in need of elective surgeries and procedures. Americans can’t afford health care. Nationwide, hospitals are seeing a declining number of patients with health benefits as unemployment continues to rise.
Now that’s “telling”.

“Under Arne Duncan, the city of Chicago sees 6 out of 100 kids receive a college degree by the age of 25″
You mean this?
study released by the Consortium on Chicago School Research that stated that 6 of every 100 CPS freshmen would earn a bachelor’s degree by age 25. 3 in 100 black or Latino men would earn a bachelor’s degree by age 25. The study tracked Chicago high school students who graduated in 1998 and 1999.
That study was following student who graduated in 1998-1999.
While Arne was with the CPS system he was not named CEO until 2001.

If you actually READ from other sources, you’d know that her duties were taken over by Dr. Eric Whitaker, a long-time executive vice president for strategic affiliations and external affairs. That job will be eliminated.
=========
Yes, and President Obama’s best friend.
Who was hired for this position by Michelle Obama, David Axelrod, and Valerie Jarrett after he left his Obama/Rezko-acquired job with Blagojevich.
So. Not great proof.

“study released by the Consortium on Chicago School Research that stated that 6 of every 100 CPS freshmen would earn a bachelor’s degree by age 25.”
You do understand what you just posted, right, Ryan?

OK, let’s try Juan Williams on for size:
“The National Education Association and other teachers’ unions have put millions into Democrats’ congressional campaigns because they oppose Republican efforts to challenge unions on their resistance to school reform and specifically their refusal to support ideas such as performance-based pay for teachers who raise students’ test scores.
By going along with Secretary Duncan’s plan to hollow out the D.C. voucher program this president, who has spoken so passionately about the importance of education, is playing rank politics with the education of poor children. It is an outrage.
This voucher programs is unique in that it takes no money away from the beleaguered District of Columbia Public Schools. Nationwide, the strongest argument from opponents of vouchers is that it drains hard-to-find dollars from public schools that educate the majority of children.
But Congress approved the D.C. plan as an experiment and funded it separately from the D.C. school budget. It is the most generous voucher program in the nation, offering $7,500 per child to help with tuition to a parochial or private school.”
He’s really angry about this.

It’s no better now. Possibly worse.

public schools have such low standards. private schools are so much better. You can bet private school kids did not skip school today to go listen to that nonsense, only public schools kids would embrace that drivel. I would never send my kids to the state schools. Only dummies or stupid or poor people go or work there. If you are interested in learning stuff, foget the state Barry schools.

Doesn’t miss cooking? Please — the family had a private chef in Chicago! That’s a fact that didn’t come out — certainly would have made them look a whole lot more rich and elite, now wouldn’t it have? — until after said private chef got hired to be the family’s private chef at the White House.

Why don’t she get a real job and do some shovel ready work? She has to be the laziest, cruelest, most unattractive female this side of the Mason Dixon line. Americans hang their heads in shame and embarrassment maybe we need a first lady czar. we gots a czar for everything else.

Wouldn’t you like to be a fly on Jill Biden’s wall.. when she catches wind of the First Lady’s comments?

“Doesn’t miss cooking? Please — the family had a private chef in Chicago! That’s a fact that didn’t come out”
Probably because he was more like a caterer for them than full time private chef.
After he left the restaurant Mr. Kass, who is 28, founded Inevitable Table, a private chef service in Chicago, according to its Web site, that is the client’s “link to clean, healthy food.” In addition to cooking and shopping “mainly from local farms,” and purchasing wines from “small sustainable wineries,” the Web site says, the service offers meals for children and for private parties. All sample menus start with salads; all main courses include plenty of vegetables.

Ryan C, the Obamas had the private chef for about a year, while they were campaigning, according to an article I read in the Chicago Tribune, among other media organs — so don’t tell me that this information “didn’t come out.” And he wasn’t a live-in chef. His name is Sam Kass, he worked for a trendy restaurant here in Chicago, and then founded a personal chef business that served various clients. In my building, there’s a woman who does the same thing. She cooks in her own kitchen and delivers food to clients who don’t have the time or the inclination to cook.
Not everyone enjoys cooking. It’s not a law that all women should like it. Until a few years ago, moreover, the Obamas would not have been able to afford the services of a personal chef.

Posted by: drjohn | Apr 23, 2009 2:49:57 PM
“I am sure you believe what you wrote. The rest of us know better.”
How can you “know better” if you never read or listen outside the Conservative echo chamber? There are always multiple facets to a problem far beyond simplistic statements such as “teachers unions wanted it dead and Obama obeyed.”
Were you aware that the General Accountability Office looked at the DC voucher schools and found some “world class” schools along with schools where somebody’s mom or wife declared themselves principals and teachers without college degrees and received federal subsidies to do it?
Those of us who want all American children to have equal learning opportunites are not opposed to vouchers or private Christian schools. But we also know the Conservative Christian Right has targeted teachers unions as the number one enemy against indoctrinating a “Christian Nation”, so the Religous Right will always attack attempts to strenghten public schools. They could care less about educating the “majority of poor kids”.

“Except that when people are given very simple questionnaires like ‘did they ever find WMDs in Iraq?’ NPR listeners consistently outperform people who listen to Fox News.”
* 67% of Fox viewers believed that the “U.S. has found clear evidence in Iraq that Saddam Hussein was working closely with the al Qaeda terrorist organization” (Compared with 56% for CBS, 49% for NBC, 48% for CNN, 45% for ABC, 16% for NPR/PBS).
* The belief that “Iraq was directly involved in September 11″ was held by 33% of CBS viewers and only 24% of Fox viewers, 23% for ABC, 22% for NBC, 21% for CNN and 10% for NPR/PBS
* 35% of Fox viewers believed that “the majority of people [in the world] favor the U.S. having gone to war” with Iraq. (Compared with 28% for CBS, 27% for ABC, 24% for CNN, 20% for NBC, 5% for NPR/PBS)

“* 67% of Fox viewers believed that the “U.S. has found clear evidence in Iraq that Saddam Hussein was working closely with the al Qaeda terrorist organization” (Compared with 56% for CBS, 49% for NBC, 48% for CNN, 45% for ABC, 16% for NPR/PBS).”
And there you have it.

How is it possible to find something wrong in every single thing the First Lady says and does? Only Jesus is capable of removing that hate from your heart.

I don’t know how this people could say such badness about 1st woman of the world MO. SHe’s so good. I love here lots. she make me a happie. she anant no 2nd lady like laurae bush. that bush she stank. not like michelle o. america should praise here. if jesus had a wife it’d be michelle

Nancy, go read a Book, better yet your local library has a Literacy program…. I don’t know of anyone that think, spell or pronounce their words as you do. So, grab a book, and take literacy classes. Now that’s what Laura Bush would want you to do. I’m sure.

Haters….you are all so sad and pathetic…wha wha wha…you sheets are showing better not pout…cause Santa Claus is coming to town and he know if you are lying cheating and stealing and just being downright nas ty…wha wha wha ….trust me i am loving every minute of your sorry souls…Jesus is watching you as we speak…hmmmmm

The hateful and disrespectful comments towards America’s first lady on this post are unpatriotic and shameful to all Americans. It is so disturbing to think that Americans can’t engage in intelligent political discourse and disagreement without using vicious personal attacks, racial attacks and gossip. If you negative, unpatriotic people can’t defend your positions with intelligence and well thought out rationale then you must realize that you are viewed with pity and not taken seriously at all. Your hatred becomes white noise.

JP, you really took that out of context, why didn’t you write the rest of what she said instead of making it sound like she did not care. Everyone that has lived at the White House (except the Presidents) have said they have snuck (sp) out at one time or another, so why is she any different, OH!! I know why she is different, because her husband is the President and the guy you voted for lost.

Such a beautiful First Lady. Very charming, intelligent and classy. She is so down to earth, strong and simply one of a kind. She has the family background, education, upbringing and stability that most of us only dream about. I really enjoy the Obamas being in office, with 2 beautiful children and a fantastic pooch. They are such a joy to watch. The Prez is taking on a lot of issues; definitely a strong leader and not afraid to tackle them. I smile when I see the whole family together; such a loving family.
Michelle is truly a beautiful woman, inside and out.

Sounds like a bit of jealousy here. Also, grammar terrible here; gotta go.

I just want to know where do they keep Bo day and night?
She called Bo was crazy, he is only a puppy. Of course he likes to play a lot.
You got to love dogs so you’d enjoy to play with them especially puppies.
It’s ashame to hear she was not sure if she could keep Bo from running away.
Please take good care of your pet. It’s a commitment.

Pelosi is the worst politician i have ever come across. She simply like spending. God only knows whether Mr. President could implement some good ideas of his, if Pelosi and team is still there.

the first lady is doing a great jo. Keep it up.

The English composition and grammar in this article is appalling! You just don’t expect to see such a poorly-construed report from the likes of ABC. Since I am OCD about spelling and grammar, I am afraid I would have to FIRE the person responsible for the printing of this article in a heartbeat! There are simply too many errors for this employee to be given a second chance. I couldn’t even concentrate on the article due to the syntax or lack thereof. Come on ABC…there’s nothing worse than shoddiness.

“For the first time in my adult life, I’m proud of my country”.

Posted by: Chuck | Apr 24, 2009 2:10:36 PM: “the vast majority of the negative comments are from American racists”.
I agree Chuck. I keep reading remarks about our First Lady that are completely off topic and beyond vicious. These bitter, isolated extremists are living in the last century, wondering why the GOP’s power slipped away.

Posted by: lisalisalisa | Apr 24, 2009 2:49:30 PM posted: “how many times is michelle obama going to make statements implying she should be paid and that first lady is a job?”
Just in case you have not noticed, for many American women, being a mother IS a job and we don’t get paid either.
I re-read this article carefully and there’s absolutely no “implication” that our First Lady is asking to be paid. You trolls must live in some alternate universe of hate.

Did we all forget she is talking to children ages 7 to 13 during a Take Your Child to Work Day program?? If we keep that in mind perhaps we can understand the context and tone of her statements.

she made me laugh, i enjoyed her clever humor, especially “I dont miss cooking” and I looooooooooove her response about waking her husband up to the call of duty and going back to sleep, i thought gosh this woman is funny and clever, i like her.
“first of all i would make my husband up” she is so funny. By the way she never said she wants money or to be paid, what on earth are you clever people listening to. She is on the money!!!!