I've noticed on Facebook that some of my friends have become "supporters" of Michelle Obama. Though I truly admire Ms. Obama, in all her 5'11", fiercely-intelligent, jacked-badass-lawyer glory, fervor for her gives me a bit of a facial tic, and I'll tell you why:
Go back 16 years and all you have to do is change the names--we're talking about Hillary Clinton.
People say the same things about her that they did about Clinton back in the day--you even heard it a bit about Elizabeth Edwards before her husband dropped out. My favorite quote is always, "I wish I could vote for HER." Y'know, instead of her husband. MICHAEL MOORE said this about Ms. Clinton once. So while it's only hyperbole, sure, we endorse the first ladies. But if two administrations from now, Lady Michelle tries to run on her own? I guarantee you the coats will turn. While in the 90's even the damn Animaniacs joked about Hillary being smarter than Bill*, now it's all about how people ACTUALLY wish they could re-elect the first Clinton--or how they're afraid that if Hillary won, Bill would be running things, even though the opposite joke used to be canon.
And right now you can even see Obama's lame attempts to soften her own image for those on the other side of the spectrum. While she guest-hosts The View and talks about how she has NO interest in policy decisions**, HRC once did the morning show route with her COOKIE RECIPE. Which is standard fare for first lady hopefuls--even Teresa Heinz had to make some reporter a batch of scones***.
I don't know which end holds the problems--are people fooling themselves when they say they'd vote for the wife, to convince themselves they're feminists, or are they right to espouse the theory and merely cowardly when it comes to the reality? Honestly, I think we just feel uncomfortable--we see brilliant, powerful, accomplished women like Clinton and Obama and Edwards, and feel guilty about the fashion-tipping, pastry-baking, literacy-promoting ghetto to which they must consign themselves.
It brings to mind the various vocational Barbies. We feel good about seeing that unavoidable blonde as an astronaut or surgeon or what the hell ever, because we like the idea of setting that example. But if you ask people to draw a picture of a NASA hero or a doctor, I can tell you what those drawings ain't gonna look like. In our nation's hearts, we still think the likes of Clinton and Obama will seem more at home behind the wheel of a pink plastic convertible, the word "Malibu" in front of their names. So spare me the bullshit. You're a FAN of Michelle Obama, not a supporter. What're you supporting, the legality of her marriage? Anything else rings hollow, and it's salt in the wound, hearing these lies now that we all know that's what they are. There's nothing wrong with wanting Michelle Obama to be president, it just has to be TRUE. So color me disillusioned.
It beats bright pink.
*From the "Presidents" song: "Now in Washington D.C./There's the Democrats and the G.O.P./But the one in charge is plain to see/It's Clinton, first name Hillary." Also there was a bit in a "Pinky and the Brain" sketch.
**YEAH. RIGHT.
***Oh, and pretend her last name is Kerry. But I digress.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Hillary And Michelle: Presidential Paper Dolls
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2 comments:
I don't think that "actions" taken on facebook should taken as evidence of folks' deeply held beliefs about women in high office. Many people are also supporters of Chuck Norris... Though I think you touch on a very real phenomenon re: the lame pose first ladies are forced to adopt, I'm wary of any application of the school of cultural analysis that sees a use of a new trivial fad as demonstrative of a deeper cultural truth.
Also, might one not be a "supporter" of Michelle Obama merely against the right-wing slime that's been thrown her way of late by Faux News (i.e. "whitey" "Baby Mama" "terrorist fist jab" etc) ?
Well, technically, the Chuck Norris example is also a misuse of the word "support," as one is in generaly a "supporter" of a politician or political idea--something that NEEDS support--whereas if you just like someone or something, that's a fan. You can support gay marriage, but you're just a fan when it comes to your love of "Lost." For example. But: I'm not trying to read too much into the Facebook thing unto itself--you're right, that would be silly. It's more that the Facebook phenomenon is akin to similar real-life phenomena, and that's what reminded me.
You're last point is well-taken. And that, of course, is what's sad about the First Lady Ghetto--you get direct abuse but no direct reward. Which is not to say that Ms. Obama wishes she WERE running for President herself, but I wish that Presidential Spouse weren't still the only position open to women.
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