Michelle’s Closet Agenda

[babylonsister]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-11-18/michellersquos-closet-agenda/

Michelle’s Closet Agenda

by Geraldine Brooks


MIchelle Obama


Don’t be fooled by her Brady Bunch moments. The Mom-in-Chief will promote feminism, speak out on Iraq, and tackle America’s public health crisis.

snip//


So why then has she gone out of her way to stress the Mom-in-Chief bit? Why hide her Harvard and Princeton exceptionalism--as she did in her convention speech, and again in her weekend appearance on 60 Minutes—and highlight her common-Mom interests in the Dick Van Dyke Show and (lord help us) The Brady Bunch?

I think it is because she is smart enough and subtle enough to have worked out that so-called Mom issues can make for meaty public policy. Take lead paint on toys: nice, hamesh-sounding thing for a Mom to care about, right? Not very threatening; not very surprising if a First Lady were to take that up. Oh, and it gives you a way to discuss globalization, free trade, the environment, public health and consumer protection legislation.

Military families? That’s a twofer. It’s all about parents and kids, and it’s highly patriotic. But start talking about better mental health support for veterans and you’re soon into the real costs of this disaster of a war, the whole terrible litany of scrambled brain tissues and shredded emotional lives. It’s the perfect show-don’t-tell way to support your husband’s policy of exiting the mess as soon as possible.

Work-family balance? What is that, really, but a polite way of putting the feminist agenda of equal pay and decent child care back on the table after so many years of neglect?

East Wing office or West Wing office, it isn’t going to matter. Michelle has already positioned herself to be as much a player in her husband’s administration as she wants to be. Which, I suspect, is quite a lot.

The woman’s a fox, in more ways than one.

[moriah]

1. For some reason I thought this was going to be a fashion thread....

... glad it wasn't.

Good post. :)

[BlooInBloo]

2. Note that equal pay/childcare/etc. -> happier women -> happier men...

That's enough right there for me to support such things. The fact that's it's the right thing to do is just gravy.

Lord knows I've done plenty of things that were plain wrong, just for the sake of making women happy. :P

[lunatica]

3. Strangely enough those are important issues to me too, and I'm also a mom

Go Michelle Obama! Feminine issues are good for all living things.

[Rainbowreflect]

4. Oh the horror!! We cannot/must not speak of those issues.

I cannot think of a better way to discuss these important issues than as the connect to all of us.

[Kalyke]

5. Why does the M$M think Moms are only interested in "Brady Bunch" issues?

I'm also a mother of two. I care about foreign policy, the economy AND lead paint on toys. What thinking woman doesn't?

Most of us mothers are more than adept to chew gum and walk at the same time. Geesch.

[babylonsister]

9. Who's saying that? But Michelle herself is starting there, feeling her

way, I'm sure. She eventually will be a force to be reckoned with, I imagine.

[Clio the Leo]

6. Yep and we all remember how much flack Hillary got .....

.... in the early days of the Clinton admin. for trying to have more influence on policy than some felt she should.

Yep Michelle, keep on "getting those girls dressed for school" ..... I trust your judgement as much if not more than I trust your husband's. ;)

[mirrera]

7. "Woman's Issues" are world issues. All that matters to most people...

[blondeatlast]

8. Education was a big factor in my voting this year even if it wasn't specifically a campaign issue.

Michelle Obama has a big stake (actually, two) in education--I hope she detests the results of NCLB as much as I do.

[CakeGrrl]

10. Sounds like a pretty smart approach from the Obama "think tank". n/t

[Skwmom]

11. If she wants to help military families, she should make sure Obama follows through with his promises

[starroute]

12. She also said something recently about DC community issues

I could really see her becoming an advocate for the poor and homeless. I know I used to read about homeless people sleeping in Lafeyette Park, across from the White House -- I suspect that's not true any more since 9/11, but I bet you wouldn't have to go very far to find them.

My husband expects her to turn into Eleanor Roosevelt, and I wouldn't mind that a bit. I cried when Eleanor died, and the country could use to remember what she used to mean to us.

[kaygore]

13. Isn't it nice to have intelligence & competence back in the WH?

Pickles may have done some positive things, but for the life of me I can't think of any. It's like we are finally clearing the trailer trash out of the White House and getting some competence back in.