Bonnie Erbe Slams Michelle Obama for Being Stay-at-Home Mom

Photo of Ken Shepherd.

Who does Michelle Obama think she is being a stay-at-home mom rather than a career woman? A Republican?!

That's the sentiment U.S. News & World Report contributing editor Bonnie Erbe conveys to readers of the magazine's Thomas Jefferson Street blog in back-to-back May 11 posts.

In the first, "Michelle Obama's Mom-In-Chief Image Is a Cave to Politics and Stereotypes," argues that (emphasis mine):

... Mrs. Obama's "Mom-in-Chief" image was created more by Obama image-makers David Axelrod et. al. to soften her into a first lady Americans could love. I think it is a sad state of affairs that Americans are more comfortable with a non-threatening first lady than with a career woman, but it is also a stereotype that screams to be abolished. Michelle Obama is just the person who could have done it, but she decided against it. Instead, she caved into advisors' demands.

The truth is, until that stereotype becomes history, all women will suffer less power and clout in the workplace.

Story Continues Below Ad ↓

In her second post published a few hours later -- "Republican Women Are Stay-At-Home Moms While Female Democrats Run for Congress" --  Erbe passed along her thoughts about why Democrats outnumber Republicans among the female members of Congress:

I think the main reason, however, is that Republican women are generally more traditional than Democratic women, who tend to be more progressive. Therefore, GOP women are more likely to be fulltime homemakers or to work part-time and not to pursue all-consuming careers such as politics. Republican women like former Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) have even agreed with me in conversation that this is the case.

This does not mean all Democratic women want to run for office or be CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, or that all GOP women want to be homemakers. Certainly not. But the majority fall into those stereotypes and that is the main reason I believe the numbers are skewed in Democrats' favor.

So Erbe admits that not all Democratic women are as career-obsessed as she herself is, and yet without any credible evidence she portrays the First Lady as a prisoner of her husband's political advisors, insisting that Mrs. Obama would rather be lawyering away in some firm somewhere rather than raising her kids and performing the traditional duties of first ladies before her.

Happy Mother's Day, Mrs. Obama. This is how radical feminists, a far from insignificant portion of your husband's political base, think of you.

—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters


Comments Policy

All comments are owned by whoever posted them and are subject to our terms of use. They should not be assumed to represent the views of NewsBusters.

Viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Geez Louise!

When Libs attack their own for not being pure enough!

Aside from other considerations, can you imagine the security issues of a First Lady leaving the White House every morning to go to work?

Once she gets settled in, she will be busy pushing Obama's agenda.  Don't worry your empty, little liberal head about that Bonnie.

The truth is

 

They need her out of the spotlight and away from microphones.

Her Hate America attitude televises way to well, and it's not the image they want presented.

http://gjresult.com

 

I suggest she uses her law degree and take a look at

some of the latest CIA reports to make a determination if waterboarding might be in order for some of the newly captured man caused disaster folks over in Afghanistan.

 

"Live for yourself...there's no one else more worth living for.
Begging hands and bleeding hearts will only cry out for more"- Rush--Anthem

Michelle LLD

Her law skills are pretty thin. In her three year legal career she generated billable hours mostly by making coffee and xeroxes for the partners at Davis, Miner, Barnhill, & Gallard.

After that, she sat around in a power suit trying to look important at UC Hospitals, where her job was to go to lunch and organize the pencils and papers on her desk.

At least she's doing a little gardening at the White House, now -- that ought to keep her out of the DC police lineup for shop lifting.

Well, well, well, I

Well, well, well,

I wondered how long it would take for the uber-feminists to lose their adoration of Michelle.  And sure enough, it's that she doesn't have a full-time paying job.  So much for choice.

I guess Erbe is a fan of Simone de Beauvoir who said

No
woman should be authorized to stay at home to raise her children.
Society should be totally different. Women should not have that choice,
precisely because if there is such a choice, too many women will make
that one.

They might say "Wow, that sucks!"  But at least they'll say "Wow!"  -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes

Michelle Obama not working

Have we ever had a First Lady who worked while

she was First Lady?  They volunteered their time

for specific charities or causes, but I don't recall

reading about any First Lady having a career while

being First Lady.  Michelle did have a  JOB while

in Chicago before becoming lst lady, and made

lots of money at it.   Now she wants to enjoy the

fruits of her labors w/Obama and has no need to

work.  She has a built in babysitter w/her mom,

and can go for charity luncheons, or other

prestigious outings as expected of a 1st lady. 

Erbe is completely ridiculous.  I' m not defending

Michelle, I'm just laughing at Erbe's stupidity. 

del

del

Michele a prisoner.... OH

Michele a prisoner....

OH Please!

Yeah right....and pigs fly.

Erbe...just shut-up!

You do not speak for the majority of women...no matter what you spew.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Of course all stay at home

Of course all stay at home moms should have a job title that pays over $325,000.00 a year and really no meaningful work to do. 

"DumbAssity of Dope"

or she could

go back to practicing law... oh wait.. 

___________________________________________ 
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past - George Orwell - 1984

kg... That was

kg...

That was priceless!

Shrillary wasn't much different either.

These twits kill me with their endless agenda.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Bonnie, dear

Yup, during her 8 years in the White House, Mrs. Clinton lived up to the stereotype of the stay at home mom, right Bonnie?

 

her timing is less than pristine...

could she at least waited until mother's day had passed?

 

swing hard in case you hit it.

wow

its kind of interesting when they fight with each other.

Its also rather amusing that Bonnie does not appear to believe Michelle's press. 
___________________________________________ 
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past - George Orwell - 1984

OMO....MO vs Sarah Palin? Much?

So.....Ms. Erbe....who is the more "perfect" in your world?

The pro-life Governor Palin, you know, the mother of five children, who is out there in the workplace, in position of power and esteem....or Michelle Obama, the wife of a (sleazy) politician, who is pushing the stay-at-home mom agenda?  Need I ad, sucking at the government tit to have not only her mother, but a staff....to make sure her life is just perfect, a la the Queen of England?

Which is it, liberal lady?

Because I find the pretzel logic to be rather fascinating.

 

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

b - great post! Let's not hold our breath until Ms. Erbe touts

what a wonderful role model the Alaska governor is ;-)

My further comment is this:  If she had to go out to work every day, when would Smiley Michelle find time to lift weights to sculpt those 'gorgeous' biceps that EVERYONE keeps raving about? 

I found her little act showing off her arms at the dinner (not once, not twice but three or four times) enough to call for a barf bag!!

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

So true, Cape

Well, I'll let you in on a little "girl" secret.

Accentuate the positive.  Try, really hard, to ignore the negative.

So....good for Michelle....she has nice arms.  I bet when she turns around and looks in the mirror, over her shoulder....she runs shreiking from the room.

Because she's got an ass the size of a cruise ship! 

Go MO, keep pumping those arms.....because your butt looks like two VW bugs trying to pass each other on an upphill road, honey.

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

I'm dyin' here!!!

Oh, Blonde, you should have had a spew alert on that!!  LOL

They might say "Wow, that sucks!"  But at least they'll say "Wow!"  -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes

OOps

Sorry, Duchess.

I won't let my sarcasm get away from me again (today).

I hope he fails, too.

 

 

Too Funny

Now that's a classic. Reminds me of the time the wife asked me if the dress she was wearing made her butt look big. I said no Honey... your butt makes your butt look big. Much to my chagrin she failed to see the humor and I had a restless night on the couch. Rightfully so as a matter of fact. No more butt jokes in my house!

2 Snaps Up Girlfriend

Because she's got an ass the size of a cruise ship!

So that's why Obama has been heard humming the theme song for "The Love Boat" on many an occasion.

Okay, okay.  As a black

Okay, okay.  As a black woman, I have to defend Michelle.  Black women have butts that are proportionally fuller than women of other ethnicities.  Although it may be humorous for you guys, it is actually a source of pride for us (believe me, it is), so I doubt jokes on her derriere have any affect on her.

Feminists are awful

What, pray tell, happened to a woman's right to choose?  No - I'm not talking about abortion.  We all know Erbe's bang along side that, so long as women abort their kids.

I'm talking about their right to choose what to do with their lives?  Erbe doesn't have kids, right?  So how the hell could she know what it's like to work 40 hours (or more) a week, come home to housework and homework and try to find time to be with your kids?

Erbe may think motherhood is a "social construct", but the maternal instinct is strong.  Women want to be with the children they carry for nine months, labor and birth.  You don't get to relive these years.

If we had the money, I'd quit my job in a HEARTBEAT to be a full-time stay-at-home mother.  Erbe can keep her big, biased, anti-woman mouth shut. 

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam

Hi mc83... Couldnt agree

Hi mc83...

Couldnt agree more with you.

This is how the word FemiNazis got started... Erbe and her ilk fit perfectly.

 Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

mc & bt - thankfully I was able to stay at home with my children

and to have someone like this FemiNazi speak ill of that wonderful experience makes me want to 'sock it to her' (to quote Judy & Goldie ;-)  Yes, I worked after they were grown, but loved being a nurturing homebody then and love it (and appreciate it) even more now! 

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

CC... Yep...I remember

CC...

Yep...I remember when all this started, it was sad to see some of us gals get into debates with those who chose to stay home and raise their kids if possible and the ones who didn't want to...I mean there would be heated debates about all of this, women who wanted to raise their kids were made to be outcasts if they let themselves be....thanks to the constant msm/politicos and the education system back then.

Phylis Schaffley (sp) was my heroine way back when...I still love her and her determination...she is one in a million.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

I know I put this above,

I know I put this above, but I think it's worthwhile here. Simone de Beauvoir, feminist extraordienaire, had this to say about this "choice" for women:

No woman should be authorized to stay at home to raise her children.  Society should be totally different. Women should not have that choice,  precisely because if there is such a choice, too many women will make that one.  (emphasis added)

Even then she knew that given a choice, women would prefer to be nurturers.  But that didn't fit well with her vision of society, so women should be dragged out of their homes kicking and screaming if necessary. Because feminists KNOW what is best for society!

They might say "Wow, that sucks!"  But at least they'll say "Wow!"  -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes

mb... Thanks, I did miss

mb...

Thanks, I did miss that, but exactly right!

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

I could see

forces at work today that make it much harder to impliment a single income home  - it wouldn't completely disable that choice but it certainly makes it considerably more difficult. 

feminism is a ideology I will simply never understand.  That quote is foul.  Authorized... *ptooey*

Through sheer force of will we made a single income work and I had the blessing of being able to be home with my kids.

___________________________________________ 
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past - George Orwell - 1984

forces at work today that

forces at work today that make it much harder to impliment a single
income home  - it wouldn't completely disable that choice but
it certainly makes it considerably more difficult. 

True, but a lot of those "forces" are the fact that young couples get married, have 2 cars, they don't want a "starter" home...they buy a big house that takes two incomes to support, then have a child and the mother says "I'd love to stay home but we can't afford it." 

I too stayed home with all our kids. I got sick and tired of women driving BMW's, going home to big houses with pools telling me how "lucky" I was to be able to stay home.We gave up things in order to do it. 

As Dr. Laura says, you can do it if you make it a priority...when you decide that the priority is for one parent to stay at home, then you make all your other decisions (house, car, where you live etc) accordingly, in order to make that happen.

They might say "Wow, that sucks!"  But at least they'll say "Wow!"  -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes

starter homes

I wish they'd build more - something that will simply meet a young family's needs and nothing more.  Builders seem to think bigger is automatically better. 

Much agreement on Dr. Laura.  I listened to her constantly when I was a young mom.

___________________________________________ 
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past - George Orwell - 1984

I'm with you.  I was (and

I'm with you.  I was (and am) a Walmart / KMart shopper for my clothes.  My kids wore as many hand me downs as I could get, and we went to the local pool from 7 to 8 at night when it was free admission.  Do I feel sorry for myself?  Nope.  My kids were never abused, I have terrific memories and pictures of the greatest time of my life.  All the fancy clothes those other women wore 10 years ago are probably gone, my memories are forever. 

Rad79... You're not alone

Rad79...

You're not alone out here in the real world...not at all.   ;-)

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Looks like we've found many kindred souls among us - women

blessed to be able to be fulltime mothers.   During my later years of working outside the home, I actually heard many mothers say they worked to avoid the boredom of motherhood - they sure don't know what they missed! 

I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to 'be there' for my children.  I believe that was where I learned all my management skills...it is no joke that a homemaker & mother is the CEO of the home, a position that required a lot of planning and coordination to keep everything/everyone where they should be at the right time and find time to guide them along the right paths of life...and still have a healthy home-cooked meal ready at the end of the day!

And now, in retirement I continue to enjoy the homemaking skills I learned those many years ago.  I keep myself busy whether sewing, knitting, quilting, reading, gardening or cooking/baking.  And as others have noted, when you learn to adapt to not 'needing' costly material things, one is able to take pleasure in and appreciate the simple life.  My days are never long enough for all the projects I have going ;-)  My life is good!

This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise known as a RWRE!!   It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams

"What, pray tell, happened to a woman's right to choose?"

Oh, c'mon now. With this, as with abortion, a woman has the right to "choose" as long as she makes the "right" choice, i.e., the one the feminazis think she should make.

"It comes in any color you want, as long as it's black." - Henry Ford 

 

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."-John Adams

The racist Erbe

It obviously unnerves Bonnie Erbe -- a white woman of the privileged elite --  to see an African-American woman in the White House who isn't changing the linen, cooking meals, or scrubbing a toilet.

Get over it, Erbe!  Slavery ended in the 19th Century.  This is the 21st Century.  Michelle Obama doesn't have to work merely because you insist on it.

 ;-)

Maybe Erbe could also delve

Maybe Erbe could also delve deeply into why Michelle O. is no longer a member of the bar.

I can not possibly see how

I can not possibly see how Michelle could work in such a mean country.  I am sure she would, after all these years, be finally proud to be on the public payroll.

I would like the tax records released to see how much they are paying obami's mother-in-law, and if the taxes have been paid on her.  Wait, nevermind, anyone connected to the obami's doesn't have to pay taxes, silly me, taxes are for everyone else to pay.

"The truth is...

until that stereotype becomes history, all women will suffer less power and clout in the workplace." And young women can grow up to become something like a Bonnie Erbe--what joy. Is there anyone that Bonnie hasn't angered? Bonnie should give some thought to being fitted for a Kevlar suit; you never know.

Erbe's A Tool, But The Truth Slipped Out

What 'dya know? An honest liberal. And a hardcore feminist no less. They don't make 'em any flakier than Bonnie Erbe, but at least she wasn't all political correct-y for once. Will she be taken to the wood shed? Is Joe Biden ever taken to the wood shed? It's fun to think of.

does Bonnie have children?

does Bonnie have children? she needs to go create some traditions with them and shut up about politics. reading her article is offensive, she demoralizes women.

   The REAL reason libs

   The REAL reason libs especially women libs find it discomforting to see a woman without a career of her own is because they do not see mom, dad, children as different parts of one basic unit which is.... the family.  To a lib the basic unit is the individual.  That's why they see a stay-at-home mom as a woman who is sacrificing her life not fulfilling her life.  That's why they see no evil in giving birth control and abortions to your underage children without your knowledge or consent.  It's why abortion to them is only about a 'womans right to choose'.  That's why they see marriage as just a legal arangement between two consenting adults.   To a lib it's all about ME!

Was Michelle Obama supposed

Was Michelle Obama supposed to work and live in Chicago or just apply for a new job in Washington with the caveat that she'd need frequent time off for travel with her husband and diplomatic affairs?

By the way, I stayed home when my kids were little, went back to school and started work when they were in 7th and 9th grades.  I quickly found out they still needed a parent at home and my work as a mom was far from over.  I'm proud to be a stay at home mom raising two responsible young adults who will NOT rely on the government to support them.

Liberals have no idea what stay at home mom's do with their lives.

 

I quickly found out they

I quickly found out they still needed a parent at home and my work as a mom was far from over.

No kidding...I think it's even more important for a parent to be home when the teenagers come home from school!  Most of the trouble that kids get into, be it sex, drugs, alcohol or shoplifting, happen between the hours of 3 and 6 PM when they are on their own.

Liberals' solution to this is after-school programs. Kids in or at school from 8 AM to 5 or 6 PM, so that parents don't have to worry about (bother with) them.

They might say "Wow, that sucks!"  But at least they'll say "Wow!"  -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes

short-sighted fem-idiots

Erbe probably doesn't even know she slipped here:  The truth is, until that stereotype becomes history, all women will suffer less power and clout in the workplace.

In the workplace?  What kind of a cheap-ass sellout is that?!  You're worried about having less power in the workplace by staying at home and raising your kids, when staying at home and raising your kids gives you the greatest power that exists in this temporal world ---- the power to shape the lives of the next generation of people.

Screw CEO, CFO, CIO, MBA, and other meaningless certifications.  The REAL power in the world is vested in one of the hardest jobs in the world -- and its title is spelled 'M O M'.

 

kono... For millions of

kono...

For millions of us out here...your post spoke volumes and I say thank you.

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

arrogant liberal language manipulation

Notice how the GiBLeTs always use the words 'homophobe' and 'bigot' to refer to anyone who believes homosexual relationships aren't equal (or equivalent) to heterosexual relationships, implying that the only reasons someone could oppose them are fear and hatred.  Notice, too, how feminists always dismiss those who believe "housewife and mother" is great praise, by saying proponents of taditional femininity are "threatened by strong women".  Here Erbe claims M.O.was forced to try to project the image of a good First Lady, in order to make her "more comfortable" and "less threatening" to Americans.

Bull moose!

With apologies to Giblets and Feminuts, my opposition to them has nothing to do with fear or discomfort. The Giblet lifestyle is unnatural, their PR is dishonest, and their coercive strategy for victory is immoral.  And Liberal Feminut ambition is short-sighted, their demeanor is hostile, their attitude is unappreciative, and their world view is downright deluded.

Freeloaders

Wow, switch names and the article is more properly about Meechelle's freeloading Mother. Isn't she the one who is taking care of the kids while her daughter is off "working" the Beltway?

On what level of insanity

On what level of insanity would the Messiahness be considered a 'stay at home mom'?

One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).

Re level of insanity

Yep, Erbe seems to be saying that being first lady of the United States is some kind of nothing job. When we criticize all the praise heaped on M'chell re 'what a great first lady she is', the liberals leap to a defense of her role as first lady. Which is it?

erbe's a nut

Erbe has repeatedly attacked Sarah Palin for not being a stay at home mom.

Gee, Bonnie...

what happened to being pro-choice?  Maybe Michelle chooses to be a stay-at-home mom.

Just admit, that you feminists are pro-choice only when it is you dictating the choice.

You can have any color you want as long as it is black has become you can have any thought, value, choice, decision, ideology, theology, child as long as it is in sync with the almighty Bonnie Erbe's worldview.

So Michelle can't practice law anywhere.

What are Michelles choices?  she can't play the stock market unless she is gifted at trading naked shorts.

Mr Hussein keeps it tumbling. 

The NOW will have to decide what is right.  They said it was wrong for gov Palin to be governor and leave kids at home.  Micheelle sure has no church lady work. 

 

 

She needs another sinecure

She was paid $325,000 a year at her hospital job in Chicago at which she appeared to do nothing. The job was probably a payoff for favors done by the Bamster, ie the Chicago way.

Gee, as one of those PBS

Gee, as one of those PBS handout recipients, I would think Bonnie Erbe would be just fine with Michelle Obama doing nothing productive and living off the taxpayers' labors.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." -Winston Churchill