Over the last 4 years I've tried to chronicle the achievements of this historic presidency. But there are times that I also need to remind myself that this is the family that currently occupies the White House.
Being "the first" brings its own kind of special pressure. But I have to marvel at how beautiful and graceful they've all managed to be no matter what kind of hate/vitriol is thrown their way.
We know that no family is perfect. And yet these four people have had to live their lives as close to perfection as possible because THE MINUTE they lose their cool or make a mistake it will be magnified millions-fold.
In the long-term scheme of things we must never forget that - aside from all of his many accomplishments - the one that President Obama is pulling off along with Michelle, Malia and Sasha might just be one of the most significant.
I agree with what you said Smartypants. It can't be easy to live your life under a microscope and knowing that anything you do or say wrong you will be judge different than all the other First Families who live in the White House.
ReplyDeleteMrs Obama does get much of the credit for the solid family she's created, sacrificed immensely for, prioritized and very effectively maintains to this day.
ReplyDeleteWhat most people seem to forget is that while President Obama was often away from home for long periods pursuing his dreams and political ambitions, Mrs Obama has had to give up much of hers while holding this family together even as she's practically borne much of the burdens and stresses. Their daughters (and the stable family structure Mrs Obama demands on their behalf), are a testament to the fantastic and selfless woman and mother Michelle Obama is.
President Obama continues to be lavished with so much praise even as many people seem to conveniently forget these days that Michelle Obama has been very critical and key to what has made her husband as successful and as appealing and who he is today. He wouldn't be hailed as the great family man or proudly show off his family as he does today had Michelle Obama not done a superb job of holding down the fort all these years past- and insisting on prioritizing their family to this day, to the chagrin of the feminists and some of the president's staff and handlers.
Mrs Obama deserves so much more respect, acknowledgement and kudos for the great woman and incredible life partner to the president she's been in every regard. The obvious attempts by so many to downplay this spectacular woman who has greatly given of herself while sacrificing everything for her husband's ambitions, is extremely offensive.
It's also particularly sickening that even some of the president's supporters have managed to turn him into a sex object, shamelessly drooling over photos of him and posting some very disturbingly suggestive and disgusting comments with very little thought or regard for the fact that he is a married father. And no, it isn't harmless tomfoolery. If people claim to respect the guy, then respect him enough to not objectify him especially at his wife's expense.
Mrs Obama has lost the most in this journey to the White House. She gets all of the scorn, contempt, disrespect and denigration but unlike President Obama, she gets little to none of the sucking up, hero worship or the pomp and circumstance that goes with being President and Commander in Chief.
And unlike Hillary Clinton had and still has courtesy of her husband, President Obama has not sufficiently provided his wife with the same high quality staff or set-up he enjoys and worse still has not sufficiently ensured his wife the unquestionable prioritization and utmost respect due her as his wife and First Lady. Hence the Robert Gibbs incident where the president's staff had no fear or reservations about disrespecting the boss's wife or the many other examples of his staff completely disregarding his wife as they go on to tell their various tales of how they helped make Obama.
There are even some of the president's supporters who remain uncomfortable with her "stereotypical blackness" as they describe it. In fact there are those out there now ridiculing and dismissing Mrs Obama and claiming she hitched her wagon to his and that he made her. Never mind that she was already a Princeton/Harvard trained professional well on her way to great success in her own right and actually more established than he was, when they first met.
without Michelle Robinson, there would be no Barack Obama.
Deletebeginning. middle. and end of the story.
I love our First Lady...for so many reasons, it was more important to me that SHE got to the White House.
Just love her.
Michelle Obama is for me also the unsung hero in all of this. I admire her greatly and to say I adore her would be an understatement. She does make it all seem quite effortless with her natural ease and the rare authenticity she brings to her various roles. But we all know better the extreme pressure and stress this unpaid and thankless position brings and the toll it must take on her.
DeleteShe without the many protections or raucous white feminist support afforded Hillary Clinton for instance, has had to contend with the added disadvantage of being a black woman in America - a still very disrespected, marginalized and dismissed demographic routinely subjected to great resentment and stereotypical insults when they have dared to rise above their station in life and as in Michelle's case, without the endorsement or blessing of the kingmakers.
Michelle Obama completely bowled me over when from the very beginning she stressed as she still does to this day, that all she wants is for her family to come out at the end of this intact and whole. That is a woman who knows what's important, what really matters. And for her it certainly isn't the fame, fortune or historical greatness. Because what's the point of acquiring all of that but leaving ones family dysfunctional and completely devastated in the process? We've all witnessed and read stories about the families and children of many great historical figures, and it's almost always a tragic tale in the end. Michelle Obama is determined to make sure her family is the exception.
As always Michelle Obama gets it and has it right!
it's very calming to read your long vision of this smartypants. so many folks dismiss the pressure that the First Family is under because they are ' the First'. And, they want to mock those of us that give them leeway because we understand that fact.
ReplyDeleteThis topic is of critical interest to me. Reason being having a son who has risen to 2 star general in military. Family is expected to be perfect. They are required to live on military bases all over the world. Each one bring a different set of pressures in different cultures.
ReplyDeleteThe Obama family represents to the RWNJs everything they can never be in this world. The President and his wife are equal partners in every sense of the word. Their roles compliment each other perfectly. The bar for the Presidency of the U.S has been raised so high I dont see another couple meeting it. So we are destined to be disappointed. They will be compared to Prez Obama instead of Bush as PBO has been.
Thankd SP for splendid posts!
Smilingl8dy
I am so proud of our President, the First Lady and their two lovely, intelligent daughters. I know that they are all judged far more harshly and under more intense scrutiny than any other first family, but they handle it as a family with grace and poise which probably infuriates their detractors because, if they are honest they will admit they see nothing of the various faults they project on the Obamas.
ReplyDelete