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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCould Michelle Obama get away with Ann Romney’s ‘fire’?
By Mary C. Curtis
When does testiness cross over into anger? Whatever you want to call it, Ann Romney is showing the signs. When she takes her husbands conservative critics to task on Radio Iowa with: Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring. When she leans into an NBC reporter and says: Theres going to be no more tax releases given. When she tells Latino voters they would vote Republican if only they could just get past some of their biases.
But her persona is not angry white woman. Its more the fighting helpmate for Mitt Romney, her tough words and emotional delivery adding fire to a candidate and a campaign that could use it. Though GOP presidential candidate Romney used a certain word to describe the 47 percent at his Florida fund-raising event, he and his wife sometimes sound as though they consider themselves victims, and I cant figure out what theyre so mad about. It is time for all Americans to realize how significant this election is, Ann Romney told Radio Iowa, and how lucky we are to have someone with Mitts qualifications and experience and know-how to be able to have the opportunity to run this country.
Imagine the reaction if the current first lady went off like that on her husbands detractors and lectured Americans on what they should realize and when. Better yet, recall Michelle Obamas famous 2008 campaign declaration, For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. Back then, she didnt get understanding or a do-over. She didnt get credit for an exuberant nod to the historic nature of her husbands success in a country where older African Americans remember a time when they could not vote at all, much less vote for an African American president.
You would have thought this daughter of the south side of Chicago had declared war on America and stomped on the stars and stripes. Actually, you didnt have to go too far to see the image of an Afro-coiffed, combat-boot wearing, machine-gun carrying Michelle Obama that same year on a satirical New Yorker cover.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/post/could-michelle-obama-get-away-with-ann-romneys-fire/2012/09/24/b2c246fe-063d-11e2-9eea-333857f6a7bd_blog.html
elleng
(130,933 posts)as seems her reviews are not positive.
Second, Michelle would not do or say such things; she's too smart.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)African Americans are held to a different standard in politics. That's why Obama has to tread so carefully while his opponents call him a commie, socialist radical Muslim from Kenya.
White privilege.
Downwinder
(12,869 posts)Autumn
(45,096 posts)Michelle Obama is a warm caring person. And yes Ann does come off as a victim where Michelle is the type of woman that you just know doesn't take any crap from anyone. She doesn't have to get nasty, she just gets graceful, with that little perfect tilt to her head.
grasswire
(50,130 posts)....not SERVE the country.
I find that extremely telling.
nichomachus
(12,754 posts)He doesn't serve. He doesn't collaborate. He doesn't build consensus. He doesn't negotiate.
He runs things.
monmouth
(21,078 posts)the right are ready to eviscerate her. I loved a recent OP that showed Ann and Michelle with Ann saying how hard it was and Michelle just saying "Girl, Please."
DCKit
(18,541 posts)But I love that she still wears sleeveless dresses at every possible occasion. I don't comprehend why her wearing sleeveless dresses makes them nuts, but it surely is edifying to see them go cuckoo every time she does. She's among the best first ladies in my lifetime.
monmouth
(21,078 posts)AndyTiedye
(23,500 posts)careyfamily
(10 posts)Remember that? Remember how "Fair and Balanced" went on for a week (at least) about that?
HopeHoops
(47,675 posts)If she was living in that parallel universe where Mr. Spock has a beard and Capt. Kirk gained his command by killing Capt. Pike.