My Paen to Michelle Obama

I love Michelle Obama. I make no bones about this. I think I fell in love with her when I read this article about her during the campaign. She was in Iowa and tasked with reading a story to some kids at a school. She tossed aside some patriotic pablum called "Our National Anthem" and instead read Skippyjon Jones. Now, Skippyjon Jones is hard enough to read... but reading it while you're campaigning? That book requires you to do a voice, and the voice is like a Speedy Gonzales style Mexican accent.

That choice struck me as so game and fun and brave.

But mostly I love her because she speaks to me as a working mother. A lot of feminist writers have deplored what they call the Momification of Michelle Obama. But that's the thing about her that appeals to me the most. Her Mommy-ness doesn't detract from her professional accomplishments. Instead, it's remarkable how she managed all this awesome professional achievement without relinquishing her Mommy identity. I think that's extraordinary. And the thing I admire about her the most.

Last night during the speech the president (still love saying that) got to talking about Ty'Sheoma Bethea, the eighth grade girl who wrote her congressmen about the crappy conditions at her school, and the camera focused on that little girl. And she knew it and was so nervous! Michelle Obama kept looking down at her, and touching her, and I swear, it was palpable that she knew that girl was scared and overwhelmed and she really wanted to give her a hug and tell her she was doing just great.

And then she did and the smile on that kid's face was a thing of beauty. It was a lovely moment.

I know a lot of my fellow feminists will take issue with this... and I get the arguments they're making. But, it's not just that I love being a Mommy. I love my Mommy Identity. And I love this six foot tall lady showing up on my TV every day and being this loud and proud example of how we can have that identity without sacrificing the other stuff. Well, some of the other stuff. I mean, I do have to sacrifice my sense of calm and order... but that's pretty overrated anyway. Also my hair almost never looks good.

Cindy Effin McCain

I was thinking about lots of things I wanted to write about this weekend... but I keep going back to Cindy McCain and her shitty, snide comment about Michelle Obama. Aren't we over these nostalgic Ameri-freaks yet? Aren't we tired of being lectured on patriotism by people who've never suffered the myriad slights, indignities, and outright outrages suffered by folks who don't march in perfect lockstep? The thing about these people is that they've never been poor, they've never been black, they've never been particularly introspective or empathetic. Pride in country is pretty easy when country has always been generous to you. Why care about civil rights if you're not a minority? Why be worried about feminism, if you're rich enough to find a doctor to declare your abortions medically necessary? Why worry about equal pay when you're just going to inherit your money?

Michelle Obama, on the other hand (in the interest of full disclosure: Michelle Obama has recently ousted Starbuck from my number one girl crush position) has suffered the slights and indignities. She is smart and empathetic. And she is interested in making the world better instead of returning to Mayberry (especially since Mayberry would have sucked for her). So when she says she feels really proud of her country, it means something and it makes me feel really proud of my country too.

I really like Barack Obama a lot. I think he'll be a great president. But part of me thinks the biggest reason I like Barack so much is that I have faith and confidence in a man who marries a woman like Michelle Obama. It says a lot about who he is.