Michelle Obama Clarifies "Proud" Remark

[TheresNoMoney]

On Monday, she told an audience in Milwaukee that “For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country.”

In an interview with WJAR-TV on Wednesday, she said she was trying to say that she was proud of how Americans are engaging in the political process. She also told the station she’s proud of America and wouldn’t be where she is if it weren’t for its possibilities.

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/02/20/michelle-obama-clarifies-proud-remark/

The right-wingers have been going crazy over this comment, and I'm glad she responded.

[Alcon]

O, it's that time of the election season when more people tune in, and crap like this starts passing for valid fodder.

[Lief 🗽]

She makes a valid, agreeable point. We should step back and perhaps criticize our country sometimes. To always let our pride and patriotism cloud any sort of unbiased view of our nation and its actions is dangerous.

[Franzl]

That was not a good choice of words...Clinton, and especially the GOP will love this...always works...play the patriotism card...amazing this kind of stuff gets so much attention.

Now the extreme right-wingers will invent something like: "the muslim candidate and his wife obviously hate America..."

Sad how many people actually fall for it.

[หมูเด้ง]

That was not a good choice of words...Clinton, and especially the GOP will love this...always works...play the patriotism card...amazing this kind of stuff gets so much attention.

Now the extreme right-wingers will invent something like: "the muslim candidate and his wife obviously hate America..."

Sad how many people actually fall for it.

Yeah. I just pray this isn't used to destroy the Obama campaign and thus the country.

[Wakie]

Very stupid comment.  Important note here.  Michelle, GET OFF THE STUMP!

[Alcon]

Very stupid comment.  Important note here.  Michelle, GET OFF THE STUMP!

Has she done something else?  Or are we only affording one semantic gaffe per presidential wife, now?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Why does anyone care what the wife of a candidate thinks anyway?

[Lief 🗽]

Why does anyone care what the wife of a candidate thinks anyway?

Oh... because we (America) have nothing better to do.

[Sam Spade]

I agree with Wakie - it was a really stupid comment - most Americans don't feel this way, and besides, it sounds kind of elitist really.  But no one will care about it *now*, except as fodder to galvanize the right-wing (which is probably not good, but not terribly damaging - it'll happen eventually anyway).  If this would have happened in September or October, the effect would be a certain amount greater, akin to some of Teresa Heinz's classic remarks (I am pretty certain that at least more than *two or three people* voted against John Kerry b/c of his wife).

But this is all rather minor and unimportant...  If I was an Obama supporter, my main concern would be this: 

It is now Wednesday afternoon.  Michelle Obama made these comments around 48 hours ago and they were picked up by the right-wingers at about the same time.  This means that there has been 48 hours of free press without defense or clarification or nothin'. 

When we get to the general election, this amount of lapse time is simply unacceptable.  You have to respond immediately - otherwise, bad things tend to happen.  In other words, this is all practice for what will happen later. 

[bullmoose88]

Why does anyone care what the wife of a candidate thinks anyway?

True...but we are in a race where one candidate would like you to give her credit for accomplishments as First lady (both of the country and of Arkansas)...so if its appropriate (not that it is) at some time, perhaps this is it.

[8 out of 11 is not deserved]

The dumber remark was from Cindy McCain trying to capitalize on Michelle's statement.

If you're seen as trying to exploit it, it's not smart. 

Cindy did this after thought.  I'm not sure if Michelle understood how it could be interpreted, who knows?  Cindy on the other hand was clearly trying to be exploitive.  That's not smart

[Jake]

Why does anyone care what the wife of a candidate thinks anyway?

Oh... because we (America) have nothing better to do.

I really hope you never made a fuss about Bill Clinton during this campaign.

[Stranger in a strange land]

her comment was clearly taken out of context, but yes, it was an exceedingly dumb thing to say.

on the other hand, patriotism doesn't mean pretending everything is perfect and nothing is wrong.