On Wednesday, NewsBusters' Noel Sheppard noted the following comments by Michelle Obama in her recent New Yorker Magazine profile by Lauren Collins:
Obama begins with a broad assessment of life in America in 2008, and life is not good: we're a divided country, we're a country that is "just downright mean," we are "guided by fear," we're a nation of cynics, sloths, and complacents. "We have become a nation of struggling folks who are barely making it every day," she said, as heads bobbed in the pews. "Folks are just jammed up, and it's gotten worse over my lifetime. And, doggone it, I'm young. Forty-four!"
Sheppard said that "Given how (the) media made excuses for her comments in Wisconsin (She said, "for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country." -- Ed.), it will be quite interesting to see just how much of (the) interview ..... will be reported in the next 24 hours."
Well, Noel, I looked at the next 72 hours, and the answer is, with one enjoyable exception, "precious little":
(The results below are from a Google News search on "Michelle Obama" "New Yorker" "mean" [typed exactly as indicated] for the date range March 5-8; all relevant results are in the graphic)
The one delicious morsel in the above list is Brit Hume's "Political Grapevine" piece, because it makes the linkage the rest of Old Media should have made, and didn't:
New Information
A profile of Michelle Obama in the upcoming issue of The New Yorker magazine may help explain why she said last month that — "for the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country."
The article quotes from a speech Mrs. Obama made to a crowd in a South Carolina church in January. .....
The remaining Google News results consist of Noel's NewsBusters post; a brief WorldNetDaily item; briefer blog posts at the Boston Herald and the San Diego Union Tribune; a Frank James post at the Chicago Tribune's "The Swamp" blog that was also carried at the Baltimore Sun; and a great historical context piece at AOL's Political Machine by Justin Paulette.
What did the "papers of record" do with Mrs. Obama's comments? The same search done at the respective web sites, with no date range specified, came up with nothing relevant:
- At the New York Times.
- At the Washington Post.
- At the Los Angeles Times (I further looked at the two major blogs listed at the link and found nothing relevant at them).
If the "papers of record" did nothing with her comments, you can be reasonably assured that the Old Media TV networks also ignored them.
The Associated Press's Calvin Woodward did note the New Yorker interview, but went nowhere near the controversy. Instead, he referred to a very odd thing Mrs. Obama said in reference to Bill Clinton ("Michelle Obama recently said this of Bill Clinton in The New Yorker magazine: 'I want to rip his eyes out!' She added: 'Kidding.'"), and speculated on whether Clinton-Obama could be a "Democrat Dream Team."
So it would appear that Mrs. Obama's "mean" New Yorker musings did not make the print edition of any major newspaper.
Geez, at least Old Media did something with Hillary Clinton's infamous "baking cookies" tantrum in 1992. Mrs. Obama's virtual free pass for much more offensive verbiage is a useful reminder of how much worse Old Media bias has become in the intervening 16 years.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters
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Comments Policy
No news here, move along!
March 9, 2008 - 10:26 ET by pocomocoTom,
Your article really wasn’t really necessary because as we are already aware,
THE MSM THINK EXACTLY THE SAME WAY.
OK, but....
March 9, 2008 - 12:02 ET by Tom BlumerFollow-up is follow-up, even if obvious, and a lot of people might have missed Hume's "Grapevine" item.
Hume ought to rename it "two minutes of stuff the rest of our media colleagues don't think is important, but which we know is" -- or something a little more elegant.
Michelle
March 9, 2008 - 10:34 ET by iveseenitallBy listening to her comments and reading her "thesis", I have come to the conclusion that Michelle Obama, despite her "degrees", is a poorly-educated, spoiled, ungrateful child who, if not generally anti-American, is certainly anti-white. She is full of anger. What a shame. The American people have no decent choice for president this time. We are in for a very bad four years, no matter who wins this election. . Sad.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
You're in my bubble
March 9, 2008 - 10:34 ET by the struggler"We have become a nation of struggling folks.."
I'm offended.What about us professional Strugglers who are in it for the love of the Game.
Struggle on!
Poor Michelle
March 9, 2008 - 10:41 ET by c5thenShe seems to be depressed by reading the nutroots blogs like the Daily Kos and the like. It's all very depressing. She should come over and read NewsBusters for a change and see the optimism and the hope that is over here.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.
Senator Obama
March 9, 2008 - 10:45 ET by AgnosticFor those who don't think that the political rhetoric spewed forth by these people mean much I would like you to read a recent quote:
"I've seen that in America, a candidate who wants people to vote for him keeps talking about change. They all keep saying 'change, change.' They want to change America and its current political system. They want to make a change in their lives. They say their system is a failure, that their government is a failure, and that their elections are a failure. An American who wanted to get elected said: 'I will make a change.'" - Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi / Libyan TV on March 2, 2008
Vote for change because America is the message Democrats and Senator and Ms. Obama specifically are sending around the world.
»→ Michelle Obama
March 9, 2008 - 10:49 ET by Cool ArrowShe's 44 and just now they're paying off their student loans.
At 51 I paid off my house and didn't have a crooked political operative around to cut me any deals.
Maybe she's suffering from Princeton/Hahvaad guilt.
CA, have you noticed, too,
March 9, 2008 - 11:29 ET by FastEdthat those who are in the public eye, and have "made it" always find a way to complain?? I wonder how loud their complaints would be if they had to "struggle" to obtain their present position somewhere else. In a country that wasn't so free?
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
demagogue : a person,
March 9, 2008 - 10:57 ET by MidAmericademagogue :
a person, esp. an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people.
She should look into duct
March 9, 2008 - 11:04 ET by wiwfShe should look into duct tape.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
Heaven knows I keep their
March 9, 2008 - 12:02 ET by motherbeltHeaven knows I keep their stock chugging along!
The arguments for "change" and "divided country" remind me
March 9, 2008 - 11:24 ET by FastEdCarters' "malaise". Don't we, as citizens of this country, want to be inspired? Instead, we keep getting told that we can't do it ourselves, only the government can help us. If that's the case, then we, as voters, deserve to get the elected politicos we get.
I want, actually, I deserve a candidate who will let us know that WE are only as good as WE want to be. We deserve better, the problem, as pointed out by Brett's WaPo editorial, most of our elected, power hungry, politicians, don't know how to be honest to us, nevermind to themselves. They tend to listen to thoses "in-the-know", instesad of those "who pay the freight".
As you all have gotten emails, passed along form one to another, the chain-letter wishes of the masses, the feelings and desires we hold are: tight borders, less spending, lower taxes, high security and honesty. It seems, unfortuneately, for now, this year's election won't be delivering that hope, by either party. As we used to say, referring to"dem bums" - wait 'till next year.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
Mrs. Hussein-Obama
March 9, 2008 - 11:25 ET by jmad627Everytime I see this women, I get the sense, from the look in her face, that she is smelling something that she just steped in. For someone who makes in excess of $300K a year & whose husband is on the cusp of making history, she appears to be very unhappy. I also get the sense that she doesn't like or trust white people. Not that she has actually said it in those terms, it is just a gut feeling on my part, I could be wrong, or I am imagining things.
However, if Obamy gets elected POTUS, or wins the dem nomination, maybe the bitterness I detect will disapate.
If Barry gets the nod,
March 9, 2008 - 11:31 ET by FastEdthere will be many people with that look! And the bitterness will NOT dissipate.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
I agree with your
March 9, 2008 - 12:12 ET by motherbeltI agree with your assessment of her "look."
I get the impression that she thinks she is better than everyone else. She doesn't speak, she lectures. She's going to "teach" people the way things ought to be.
Now that she's got hers, she tells kids to go into the "helping" professions (nurse, social worker) instead of finance or corporate America. And she has the nerve to say like she and Barack did ( she worked for a hospital) Well, her "helping" profession job at that hospital was on the Board of Directors for $300,000 a year! And I guess she and Barack consider politics a "helping" profession. LOL
And we are supposed to feel sorry for her because the only reason they're not struggling now is that Barack wrote two books?
Well, Boo freakin' Hoo. Sorry honey, that "We would be poor if we didn't have all this money!" isn't buying any sympathy.
I don't really need to hear another word from her. Ever.
MO.
March 9, 2008 - 19:22 ET by Xango AnnieShe has major attitude...with a perpetual snarl on her face..cold, dead eyes like a snake..if she gets to the WH..she will be a co-president..mark my words, she wears the pants in that little family.
When that happens we may yearn for Herself. to be back.(kidding)!
Forget Mr. Change and Ms.
March 9, 2008 - 12:05 ET by Jack BauerForget Mr. Change and Ms. Hope..
Now we get to the real Obama Campaign message...
Comparing First Ladies
March 9, 2008 - 13:48 ET by stratmanComparing First Ladies during my lifetime, with the exception of Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama appears to have as much class as a fart in mixed company, and a similar visceral effect on those recipients of her thoughts.
As much "Hope" as her husband parrots daily, she seems to be nearly void of that sentiment. At best she is a bitter human being. Not sure what would be the "worst", though depression and/or bigotry could be considered. Whatever her pathology, she has no qualms denigrating America and Americans. Her pervasive negative message should not be celebrated nor tacitly accepted during a presidential election.
Hard to believe but Michelle could become the worst First Lady in our history. Quite a feat considering the gigantic shoes left by Hillary.
RRAM Tough!
This reminds me a little of
March 9, 2008 - 14:01 ET by Clear thinkerThis reminds me a little of an incident that happened during the Reagan years. Someone that worked for Reagan (sorry I can't recall his name) was being questioned by some stupid committee about what they thought was questionable financial activity. The whole affair turned out to be nothing more than a witch hunt, but there was one telling moment. The man being investigated had his wife in the audience, and one day after a grueling attack by Dems on her husband she made a classic statement. As she left the building, reporters were asking her questions about the hearings when suddenly she blurted out "You have no idea how hard it is to live on $80,000 dollars a year". Keep in mind that back then $80,000 grand a year was comparable to $200,000 grand today.
This was the first time I realized that politicians were cut from a different cloth (and their spouses).
"Abstain from McCain"
The only nasty hatred and
March 9, 2008 - 15:09 ET by rbosqueThe only nasty hatred and bitterness comes from the left and it's all aimed at Republicans or Uncle Sam. All this while they drive limos and have lobster for breakfast. I don't make anywhere near what the Obamas make but my sons and I love this country so much we put our lives on the line for her like many others.
When was the last time that ungateful hag had bullets flying past her ears? When was the last (or even first time) she had an MRE in miserable heat, or slept in a hole or on a tank?
The left will only help someone else if there's a camera nearby or if it's with someone else's money.
I'm Not In The Least Bit Surprised
March 9, 2008 - 16:23 ET by Wildcatter1980The dinosaur media will never be critical of racial minorities like African-Americans. These elitist legends in their own minds are too full of liberal "white guilt" to stop and critically analyze the words of a potential First Lady who happens to be African-American.
(Search on the terms Shelby Steele white guilt for more information.)
From the heart of the Ohio Blizzard of 2008, Columbus OH, where 20 inches of snow fell:
Courage!
What’s so amusing about
October 3, 2008 - 11:21 ET by caballoswebWhat’s so amusing about that New Yorker piece is that every indication points to it being a fluff piece with that “Americans are mean” comment embedded in the article. Whoops!
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