First Lady Sports a Pair of Pricey Kicks

Jill Biden always has more expensive stuff and their tax returns would indicated that they are poor.

“Jill Biden always has more expensive stuff and their tax returns would indicated that they are poor.”
“Poor” is a relative standard when discussing a Senator but he is one of the least wealthy (which seems a more appropriate term).

Ryan.. it’s my way of saying.. the Biden’s only look ‘poor’ on paper.

I don’t think anyone expects the first lady to dress from Goodwill, but wearing these expensive shoes to a food bank was a little much. Maybe it wouldn’t seem quite as bad if they hadn’t made such a big deal about McCain and Palin.

I say that’s pretty tacky to wear at that type of event. Bozo called and wants his shoes back! $540 for those! OMG!

Madonna caught quite a lot of crap for wearing Chanel to an orphanage. I would expect better from a First Lady, but MO doesn’t surprise me. She thinks she travels in rock star circles.

The earlier issues were about using CAMPAIGN FUNDS to buy expensive clothing. Who cares anyone they spends their own money?

$540. Hmmm… worth more than John McCain’s shoes and Edwards’ haircuts. Sneakers – suede, with grosgrain ribbon laces and metallic pink toe caps. I’m sure they’re cute.
But, didn’t we already know that Michelle really shops high end when she said about the Bush stimulus, “You’re getting $600. What can you do with that? Not to be ungrateful or anything. But maybe it pays down a bill, but it doesn’t pay down every bill every month.”
She continued, “The short-term quick fix kinda stuff sounds good, and it may even feel good that first month when you get that check, and then you go out and you buy a pair of earrings.”
I’m not really an earring buyer but I’m guessing $600 is a lot for the average shopper to spend on earrings. No surprise about the shoes, either.
Very little will be said, there will be no residual damage because Michelle and her husband are still in the enchanted love bubble that the press has put them in.

tom said: [[The earlier issues were about using CAMPAIGN FUNDS to buy expensive clothing. Who cares anyone they spends their own money?]]
No, John McCain and his wife were eviscerated because they wore expensive clothing. But it’s OK when Queen Michelle does so. She’s just having fun! She’s stylish!
And she’s hypocritical! And insensitive! And arrogant!

More classlessness from the Obamas. Heck, they only started contributing to worthy causes when he started to run for president. Needed to make people think they always gave a darn. When their tax returns were released for the period prior to his campaign, there was barely a hint of helping the needy. Now we hear about Michelle’s $540 sneakers, while volunteering for those with the least in our societies. Phonies… both of them.

I really don’t care about the shoes, or the dog or what Michelle wears. I am concerned that those two sweet little girls sat in Reverend Wright’s church and heard hatred spewed about America and their fellow Americans week after week, year after year.

This woman is clueless….dressing in anything pricey to visit a food bank is the first indication as to her elitist attitude.
She, as is her husband, totally out of touch with the average citizen…let alone the homeless and the hungry.
My advice to Mrs. O…stay home, or get youself some used clothing and start a new trend.

She can wear whatever she wants she and her husband legally made over $2 million laste year. You haters are so funny.

rureddy, my husband works for a non-profit organization that has benefited from the Obamas’ quite generous donations for some time. Please bear in mind that until Barack Obama’s book sales took off (back in late 2004 or so), this family didn’t HAVE a great deal of money. They were not rich, because Obama had chosen public service over high-paying private sector jobs.
As for Mrs. Obama’s footwear, I have thought for some time that she should dial down on the high-end clothing purchases, given the state of the economy. However, it’s her and her husband’s money, and they didn’t inherit it. Moreover, taxpayers are not funding her wardrobe. Personally, I consider this to be a rather trivial issue.

Looks like some shiny lowtop Chuck Taylor Converse Allstars. We used to buy them for $20 as a kid. I think they may be $35. Looks like the first lady overpaid by $500. At least they match her pants.

Cindy McCain wore a few hundred thousand dollars in diamonds during the RNC.
========
Just to be clear, Vanity Fair published a guess at how much Cindy’s jewelry would have cost. There was no factual basis behind their claim.
As far as I know, they’ve never done the same for Michelle Obama’s jewelry or clothes.
I think it’s really interesting to hear how defensive of Michelle Robin Givhan was. She was scathing of the Roberts family for daring to dress up when he was named as nominee to the Supreme court.

Cindy McCain’s outfit for the RNC last year topped $300,000. Rich people buy expensive clothes. Palin spent over $150,000 on herself using RNC money. You neo-cons are just grasping, get over yourselves.

1 They are horribly designed footwear. Look at the slope from tongue to toe. Obviously designed by some french limp wrister who would know an athletic shoe (or a comfortable shoe, for that matter)if it bit it! And with her very high arch this is a very poor choice. I’ll bet they hurt like hell.
2 Anyone who pays $540 for a pair of sneakers is an idiot. I often wondered back in the days of designer jeans why the put their name on them. This made one up snobbery a very limited insider game. If you didn’t know that Gloria Vanderbilts were $360 you weren’t impressed. If they had just put the price on the back pocket , (Say $632.00) all of us could have been made to feel inadequate.
3. Given she’s from the south side I guess she comes by paying outlandish prices for gym shoes naturally. And if she ever wanders from fortress Hyde Park a couple of blocks over to Englewood, she won’t have to worry about getting mugged for them. The gang bangers in the hood know thw value of every Nike, but never heard of Lan what’s his name.
4 (Uncharitably) As we used to say in high school, “What’s the docking fee on those gunboats”?

Perhaps not the best choice in shoes. However, with the exception of those who focus on the trivial, the point is that she was helping at a food bank. Frankly, most of the comments here are nasty and more “inappropriate” than any pair of shoes. Grow up!

I don’t care what shoes she wears. What bothers me is that she is wearing $$$ shoes while her husband tells me I have to sacrifice and she tells me I have to give up some more of my ‘pie’. What a couple of hypocrites.

I don’t think the Obamas have forgotten what it’s like to be like regular people.
They haven’t been rich that long.
I think they just enjoy being rich and don’t mind flaunting it–especially BO.
He seems to absolutely love being a celebrity.

@Lily – They never told anyone they had to sacrifice anything. Unless you make over 250k a year. In that case you could afford $500 shoes. The Obama’s make over 250k a year and can afford those shoes. Your comment was so stupid, I doubt you make more than 40k. Besides $500 are modest in the celeb world anyway. Check out Paris Hilton’s.

This just goes to show that the unemployment rate must still be high. All these people with nothing but time to hash over the first lady’s choice of shoes. Are you kiddin’?

it’s all about setting an example. i think this was a poor one.

Wow, how is this news worthy? Yet another attempt at right wing journalism to blur the line between real news and personal attacks. All those who put negative comments should be ashamed of your conformity. Those who do not think for themselves will never be free.

Save the big tax break BO gave you for the next 18 months and you can buy $500 shoes too.
But hurry before he raises taxes on heat, electricity, and everything else you need to survive.

Five hundred and forty dollars would have bought a lot of food for the food bank..

Posted by: Eleonora27 | May 1, 2009 6:26:38 PM:
“As for Mrs. Obama’s footwear, I have thought for some time that she should dial down on the high-end clothing purchases, given the state of the economy. However, it’s her and her husband’s money, and they didn’t inherit it. Moreover, taxpayers are not funding her wardrobe. Personally, I consider this to be a rather trivial issue.”
Agreed

I think it would have been hypocritical if she had “dressed down” for the occasion. I mean come on. If you hand out blankets to street people are you supposed to go dumpster diving for clothes first? Would that make it somehow more politically correct? Jeeez.

Cripes, who cares what she wore?? She was doing charity work, which is a good thing, and I’m willing to bet that 99% of the posters here have never done one lick of charity work.
And anyway, she’s the First Lady, so she can dress up as much as she wants wherever she goes. The Queen of England is always expensively attired when she’s in public. It’s part of the grand illusion.
My only complaint is that Michelle spent that much money on such ugly sneakers! I guess it’s the brand name that counts, not the look.

Admit it Obama Bashers, there is no way she can win in your eyes. You will either take her to task for being a Socialist, a communist or anti-American, or you will comment that she has no taste and her clothers are too simple (remember the visit to the Queen?) or you will call her “elitist” and say she isn’t setting an auster enough example. there is NO WAY this woman can ever make points in your very harshly prejudiced minds. Fortunately, there are lots of us who love her youthful appearance, fun clothes (even the mistakes), and her generosity of spirt. She gives time and attention every day to those less fortunate. I doubt that most of you could say the same.

Maybe if she and her husband never shouted that they were for middle class people, people would not care about this.
Oh,,yes,,,that was on the campaign, right?
He won and he is the President now.
You got fooled.

Her outfit is more offensive than the price tag on her shoes. Hideous! The color and fit of those pants do nothing for her.

I’m disappointed in Michelle.

The word “elitist” comes to mind. Didn’t we discuss this during the campaign and were pooh poohed? I guess her true colors already came out!

The right wing haters have the nerve to say Michelle Obama is insensitive to the poor when she herself grew up POOR on the South Side of Chicago? Please! You were not upset with Barbara Bush when she said the New Orleans evacuees where better off living in a sports stadium rather then sleeping in the homes they were forced to abandon due to the monster hurricane. Why is that?

Well, at least she wasn’t shopping for shoes like Condi Rice did while people were suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Please, for some of you who don’t like it, she’s a lawyer anyway, and can afford the shoes, so stop it already. And don’t get me started on it being “tasteless” because the fact of the matter is is that she was volunteering her time to help an organization that is helping others get a decent meal, and I am quite sure moving around she got some food or scuff marks on them. Stop it.

I find it hilarious that the same people who usually come on these blogs bashing the poor are suddenly now the defenders of the poor and down trodden. Give me a break and leave the FIRST LADY alone.

You are right, Cindy McCain has done a lot for charity including being caught stealing DRUGS from the organization she was supporting. Cindy was convicted as an addict. She was a common crack-head and sentenced to community service. You are right she should never be compared to anyone as graceful and classy as Michelle Obama. Way to go designer, home-wrecking Cindy. What a wonderful role model she has been for the American public.

Her so-called fashion sense fails big time whenever she strays away from her usual cribbing of every outfit Jackie Kennedy ever wore.
If you ever get a chance to check out the side-by-sides, please do. It’s pathetic and hilarious at the same time.

They’re shoes people. Get a grip. And she’s the first lady. I think the word is out that they might have a little money. She wasn’t rubbing anybody’s nose in how poor they are. Some of you need to get out and get some oxygen to those heads of yours.

Let’s give Michelle a break! At least she is out there serving at a food bank. I recently paid $300 for a special running shoes due to poor arches.

I don’t mind that Michelle pays good money for her clothes – as First Lady and thus a representative of this country, she should. I just wish she would let somebody help her in her selections, some one with a good sense of style and what is appropriate for a woman of her age. In her shiny sneakers and crop pants, she looks like she was going to hang out with some fifteen year olds and wanted to fit in.

you Democrats, what does a family whose wife buys $500+ tennis shoes have in common with working people? What can they do besides lead you by the nose and tell you how they feel your suffering. You have been had.

$540.00 Tennis Shoes???? While she is serving food to the homeless. I have a big problem with this. I’m disappointed in our First Lady. I can see a $100 or a $150 pair of good tennis shoes, but not $500. That is outragous to me. I am ashamed and very, very disappointed.

To ceeLeelee: Better that Bigfoot strike again then the four-eyed monster from Alaska.

Let them eat . . . Let them wear Payless. . .

Lol. She is a helluva lot easier on the eyes than Michelle. She also dresses better.
Palin is not in office. You should move on.

It reminds me of the time that the Obama’s flew in from HAWAII and said that Americans need to tighten their belts. Huh?

Eeeeevil conservative here, and I am not going to make a snarky remark about her shoes. You know this is going to draw some negative responses. I’d like to think that is one thing we all could do together regardless of our differences, standing together handing out food to the poor like that. I wouldn’t even have known how expensive they were or if they were cheap knockoffs or what if I hadn’t been informed. We have more important things to worry about.

God Bless the nouveau riche. Can you imagine the bling? Can you “imagine the empathy?”

I was fearful that Michelle Obama would become the most disrespected first lady this country would ever have. My fears are being realized. This was a boneheaded mistake.

V Brame, you are not displaying a lot of class yourself, attacking Cindy McCain so viciously. Michelle defenders, headed by professional defender Ryan, dragged her into the argument. So you want to talk about the woman’s past addiction, which does not in any way detract from her wonderful charity work any more than Michelle’s ugly and expensive shoes detract from her good work. (see, I’m a known republican and I am not instantly bashing the woman for wearing the inappropriate shoes. I want to rise above that sort of “now it’s our turn” thinking– you guys ridiculed McCain for being able to afford nice shoes, so now we must ridicule the first lady for the same thing. I’m trying to resist that temptation.)
If you want to defend Michelle’s fashion choice and/or timing, fine, but couldnt’ you guys try to do that without smearing McCain and Palin in response?
Yes, I am very glad Michelle is able to focus a spotlight on service, a subject near and dear to my own heart after years and years of volunteerism. Just like Cindy McCain, she is walking the walk on that and that’s a good thing.
I would like to know if she had a tradition of doing such service work while she was in chicago. And yes, that is a serious inquiry, not a knock. I have no idea if she was this into service before her husband began to run for president, or if she had the time to do a lot of volunteerism on top of her job and raising her daughters. BUt it would be interesting to know if she volunteered at the same sorts of organizations in chicago that she does in DC or if she volunteered in different areas (since she worked at a hospital, I suspect she might have done more health-care oriented service there). I hope she continues to do a variety of service projects (she’s done school visits and outdoor clean-up in addition to the soup kitchen in dc, as I recall) so that people see the variety of opportunities/needs out there. And of course, as a humane society volunteer leader myself, I hope she pops up at an animal shelter sometime soon. The cameras follow her everywhere, so the publicity follows.

She is the First Lady, and she deserves these shoes..
Wally

Michelle Obama is not Imelda Marcos. The former first lady of the Philippines had better taste in shoes. She too was “beloved” in her own mind, though.

moderate –Another comment…Cindy McCain didn’t seek public spot light with her charitable work…a true show of class.

You could afford hideous, expensive sneakers too if you had gotten your home at a huge discount via a criminal associate of your husband’s.

Lily, you are poorly informed. I repeat: I live and work in Chicago, I am familiar with the public sector jobs and salaries, and Michelle Obama and my husband shared an employer for some years. I know exactly what she and Barack Obama made and how much they gave to my husband’s current employer, which was quite a lot. You’d be amazed.

Obviously, if she has the money to pay for them & can afford them, then all the power to her, she certainly has the right to buy them… however she pretty much lost her “one of us” status…

Elenora27, their tax reurns are public records? What are you saying, they cheated on their taxes (too)?

Sorry, but this shows really poor taste on the part of Michelle Obama. She should know better as she has stepped into the fishbowl. This really doesn’t seem right when listening to the message her husband is trying to convey?
Millions of Americans are in deep trouble. The President has called anyone earning over $250K wealthy – which is totally untrue given that most people making that kind of money ever get to see most of it.
But the first family of the United States can show that if you run for President, make millions on book sales – and are assured of hundreds of millions when you leave office (think Bill Clinton), then its OK to flaunt it?
Sorry, this is tacky, tacky, tacky – and is totally hypocritical.

Very insensitive to other people. Michelle was filling boxes with food to be taken to food banks for the NEEDY. Wearing a $540 pair of tennis shoes. This seems arrogant and selfish. Why doesn’t she donate the shoes to the food bank. Maybe they can have raffle for shoes even if they are 11 1/2 .LOL

CG, you are right- Cindy McCain has done tons of charity work without seeking publicity for it. She is an admirable woman and,yes, a classy lady. (How long, I wonder, before Ryan C or V Brame respond with more snark about Mrs. McCain’s past?) I think volunteerism would have been well-served if the other ticket had won the election, as it is being well-served now, because Cindy’s work would have been spotlighted and so would Sarah Palin’s concerns for special needs kids. I love that Cindy works so hard for charities that are not glamorous, those that often have a harder time attracting big-name support and donations. The example of a Cindy McCain or a Michelle Obama associating themselves with such an organization is priceless. let’s hope michelle singles out some obscure DC opportunities to shine her spotlight on as she moves forward.

Are you serious? Have you all lost your minds? They’re shoes for heaven’s sake. Is this all we have time to do? Come up with ridiculous rants about a person’s choice in shoes? The fact that someone looked up the brand of her shoes and scrutinized how much they cost just shows how shallow this country is.
Do you feel better about yourself now? You’ve belittled another human being – does that make you a better person? Are you better off than you were before? Maybe if we all spent more time volunteering and serving others rather than sitting on our rears complaining about them, this world would be a much better place.
And yes Carl, we the people of this great country and our media have made it all about the Obamas. Do you really think the Secret Service is out there advertising where the First Lady is going to be every day? They’re a family doing what every other family in this country does – living their life – only they can’t sneeze without the rest of us demanding a press conference.

Hmmm, looks like Mother Superior has arrived.
:D

The Obama’s made a ton of money. Millions. See their tax returns last year? $500 sneaks for them is like 25-cent shoes for us hoi-polloi. Its not like a huge diamond ring that screams EXPENSIVE! in everyone’s face. Who would have guessed the shoes were that pricey if someone didn’t research it and put it online.

It’s her money not the contributors to the DNC (Palin was spending RNC $$). She did not steal from the poor or anybody for that matter. So what’s wrong or what sin has she comitted in helping to stimulate the economy?
Ya’ll get over it. Michelle is 1st lady and Barak H. Obama is President…na na na naa na…

CG & moderate-both of you are so right. While Michelle had not been pride of American at all for 40 years, Cindy McCain has been done tons of charity works to help poor African children and to adopt disabled child without seeking publicity for it for 18 years. THANKS TO TOTALLY BLINDED, BIAS AND TRICK REPORT OF MAIN STREAM MEDIAS BETWEEN MICHELLE AND CINDY, MICHELLE IS BEING LISTED UP 100 beautiful WOMEN and 100 Influential people. However, God and history would vindicate what they have done for poor people and American.

I dont know why everyone is making an issue out of this. Not to sound insensitive but do you really think the people she was handing out food to knew or cared how much her shoes cost. The only reason most people know is because we had to have a full media report on it.
On the other side….it’s ironic that the Obama supporters slam the “haters”…after all they did it for 8 years…now since it’s the democrats in the house we have to play nice.

Ok-where’s the story here? Sounds like someone is desperate to start a controversy around Michelle Obama. Get a grip folks! She’s doing a great job and puts a new, positive, uplifting image on our image so badly damaged the past 8 years.
Go Michelle. Who cares what she wears??
Posted by: Barbara | May 1,
—————————————-
I believe the story is in the hypocrisy of the left. During the campaign, the left wingers were screaming for the heads of McCain and his wife because of how much money they have, how many homes they own, etc. The story is about what comes around, goes around.

WOW !! the sneaker that the First Lady of USA were costs $540.00 a pair by not made in USA, but FRENCH. I don’t understand why Michelle WORE sweater crap when the American First Lady met
The Queen, Elizabeth. She should dress
formally up at the time.

Re: “but a Wall Street businessman who works his butt off can’t get a bonus?!”
No, not if his company is bankrupt and surviving on tax dollars. The bailout was to get these companies back on their feet, not to give million dollar bonuses to the executives who ran their companies into the ground.

I remembered when the nutty liberals practically hyperventilate over Cindy McCain clothing and jewelry…….

The Rush/Bush cronies were more interesting when they were full of themselves.

IS THIS THE SAME Michelle-My-Belle I heard someone on TV describe as an “icon” of good taste in clothing ? Geez, anyone want to compare photos of Laura Bush ?

GLobal Fraud, I think I love you, because you wrote: “I believe the story is in the hypocrisy of the left. During the campaign, the left wingers were screaming for the heads of McCain and his wife because of how much money they have, how many homes they own, etc. The story is about what comes around, goes around.. ” Very well said!
I personally made a point of not attacking Michelle Obama for wearing the shoes, but I was painfully aware of how things were when the shoe was, so to speak, on the other foot. Sen. McCain’s footwear merited criticism, and was contrasted with good old commoner Obama only owning 4 pairs of shoes. And people were shaking house keys at McCain because of a question about home ownership, even after it was explained that he didn’t know how many houses his family owned because they were in cindy’s name and some of them were occupied by members of her extended family. (While I find it admirable that she provides a home for her aged aunt, for example, that little nugget did not deter critics from having the vapors at the effrontery of a multimillionaress whose husband was in politics, rather than in show business, held the deeds to seven homes) Yes, focusing on footwear of the rich and famous can get silly, but the road runs both ways and the Obamas have worked hard, usually, on projecting the appropriate image and taking note of the symbolism of their positions. I have no problem with those who point out failures in that regard when they occur, as long as those critics play nice. (Example– saying the shoes are ugly is appropriate, but saying that the First Lady herself is unattractive or commenting on her large feet is not appropriate, in my opinion.)

The problem is not the shoes but the double standard the press applies when it concerns someone from the conservative side of politics. I remember during the campaing, a magazine on line when into extensive detail, item by item, on how much outfits worn by Cindy McCain and Laura Bush cost. It is OK to disregard the cost of Michelle Obama shoes just because she normally wears Jimmy Choos but we are quick to judge anyone else on the right. Perhaps the First Lady made a bad decision when wearing those shows to that event. I like how the press makes a big deal about the fact that Michelle Obama shops “moderately” priced JCrew, Talbots and WhiteHouse/BlackMarket. Let’s face it, the average american woman may not be able to purchase these labels. Sometimes it is not so much about where a woman shops, but the style and class a woman displays, whether the outfit was bought at Kohls or Talbots.

Rather interesting pathology being exhibited – why would anyone wear such obviously expensive attire to a food bank? She could have worn an expensive top and capris and no one would have noticed. The sneakers were made to be noticed.

this is such a non-story

Some blinded commecial megazine says that Michelle Obama is fashion icon. I never ever believe and agree with it. In facts, she is fashion dumber which fashionable attire can’t be classified according to place, level of meeting and time. For instant, as a first lady, she just put on sweater crap when she met the Queen of UK, Elizabeth. Michelle went to be volunteer to pack the bags of food for students at a Washington D.C. food bank with wearing of $540 a pair which made in French.
In the Union address of 50 states, most congressmen and women dressed formally up except only one woman, the first lady wore sleeveless dress.

You are all insane! Michelle Obama is the First Lady of the United States of America. She represents our country if she is volunteering at a food bank or visiting the Queen of England. She and her family have worked hard to be where they are. Instead of griping about what she wears, get a job, get out of the situation you are in and be the FIRST LADY! She deserves the best and deserves the right to show it!!!!!