There is no question that Chelsea Clinton is a poised, articulate, admirable young woman. Somehow, against all odds when you consider other children that grew up in the White House glow, she has managed to avoid tabloid drama and pretty much any sort of negative press whatsoever.
And while her parents, former United States President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, unquestionably own a great deal of the credit, Chelsea herself …
First Lady Michelle Obama, once considered quite an asset to her husband both on the campaign trail and in the White House, has taken some heat of late. And no, it’s not for allegedly hen-pecking her husband this time.
What is happening, however, is that her approval ratings are falling. Plummeting, in fact. Now, you might be wondering why anyone should give a rat’s ass about the approval ratings of a First Lady.
Historically, in fact, a First Lady’s primary job was eye candy. Now, though, a woman married to the president is held up to a whole new level of scrutiny that is monitored relentlessly through polls. Sometimes I wonder if Michelle Obama has any regrets …
Anyway, Mrs. Obama’s approval ratings have taken a serious hit in the last few months (according to the most recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, only half of those surveyed have a favorable outlook on Michelle O.), and the apparent reason is kind of unfair.
The survey was taken from Aug. 5 to Aug. 9, which happened to coincide with Mrs. Obama’s vacation in Spain, where she, along with daughter Sasha and several friends, stayed in a posh five-star resort. It was a luxurious getaway for the first lady of a nation with nearly 10 percent unemployment and widespread economic anxiety, and it fed an image of extravagance that Mrs. Obama has created by, among other things, patronizing chichi restaurants and wearing $775 boots to break ground at her White House garden. A new name — “Michelle Antoinette” — was born.
Sometimes a person can’t win no matter what he or she does. Speaking out publicly on an issue? You’re butting your nose in where it doesn’t belong. Remaining silent so your name is kept out of it? You are silently consenting to a twisted truth set forth by your political opponents.
Civil rights activists did it. Feminists did it. And now, the President of the United States has done it … and being “hen-pecked” extensively for it.
Barack Obama, who a frightening percentage of Americans believe is Muslim despite significant proof to the contrary, found himself between the proverbial rock and hard place recently with regard to the “Ground Zero Mosque.”
Speaking to Muslims observing the holy month of Ramadan at the White House on Friday, Obama asserted that Muslims have the right to build the planned mosque, citing freedom of religion as a core American value.
Yup, freedom of religion. That goes back to the very same U.S. Constitution that the Tea Partiers pontificate on again and again and again … as it suits their political agenda, of course. That President Obama made the same point, and in a far more legitimate and real life situation then much of the right-wing spinmesiters, must have the Tea Party grinding its collective teeth.
Look at the mess Sarah Palin made of the so-called Ground Zero Mosque. It’s simply disgusting.
Perhaps even more disgusting, though, is the implication that Obama is perpetuating Islamic terrorism through his support of a house of worship.
Recently on the website overheadinny.com, I came across a funny conversation that went something like this:
man #1: Are you still gonna watch Tiger Woods play golf after this sex scandal?
man #2: Of course! He’s a golfer, not a politician.
It made me chuckle a bit, and then wonder: why is it that the personal lives of politicians concern the general public so much? Countless government officials have lost their jobs and credibility when some sordid details of their personal lives are exposed to the public, even though, nine times out of ten, their offense has nothing to do with the respectability of their work. Meanwhile, entertainment celebrities and athletes keep their jobs, end up with giant amounts of publicity, and stage highly anticipated comebacks post scandal. In many cases, their ‘scandal’ is the best thing that’s ever happened to their careers.
Currently, the latest political figure under fire is Michelle Obama. According to the …
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