Sarah's Thoughts
She is Fair Game
The Tennessee GOP has come under fire for its video critical of Michelle Obama.
Senator Obama responded with the following:
“The GOP, should I be the nominee, I think can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record,” Obama said, with his wife sitting next to him. “If they think that they’re going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family….
Michelle Obama is out on the campaign trail every day as a representative for her husband. If the campaign asks you to step and front up a podium and speak for its candidate, regardless of whether or not you picked out china patterns with the politician in question, your words are open to criticism.
How many bloggers/pundits/”journalists”/etc. (often rightfully) shared their outrage at Bill Clinton’s antics in South Carolina? Ummm … I believe there were plenty. And more. And more.
Bill Clinton is now a spouse out stumping for his wife. Every comment he has made has been considered fair game by the media and Obama supporters (that’s redundant, isn’t it?). I haven’t heard anyone say, “Hey … that’s off limits! You can criticize Hillary’s comments and policies all day, but don’t mess with her family! Bill’s injection of race has nothing to do with Hillary’s candidacy. His shouting at random hecklers should not be allowed to reflect on Hillary’s great run for the highest office in the land. Lay off, you meanies!”
What’s the difference? Bill is out working for Hillary, Michelle is out working for Barack. Don’t give me the “he’s disgracing his position as a former president and a statesman” reasoning. First of all, he did that a long time ago. Secondly, I don’t care if Bill Clinton is a former president, plumber or painter (or any other profession that starts with a “p”). In this instance, he is the spouse of a person running to be the President of the United States. So is Michelle Obama.
By the way, I think children are completely off-limits. Jokes, criticisms, intrusive photographing, etc. involving candidates’ children are all completely disgusting and unacceptable … unless that child is an adult and chooses to make public statements on behalf of his or her parent. Then, once again, fair game.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:14 am
What’s the difference?
Bill Clinton is a politician and the (former) titular head of the Democratic party.
Of course, anyone can attack Michelle Obama, but Barack doesn’t have to like it, or validate the basis for the attacks. I don’t think Bill Clinton ever said Hillary was fair game in his campaigns for higher office.
May 21st, 2008 at 10:35 am
Sean, that is a difference without a distinction in this situation. Both are acting as official representatives of their spouses’ campaigns.
May 21st, 2008 at 2:24 pm
There is a distinction, but if you feel compelled to attack Obama’s wife, that is your prerogative.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I will not attack her, per se. But I do consider it my prerogative, and the prerogative of the American people in general, to reserve the right to criticize and critique the words of those who speak at Obama campaign functions as official speakers.
As Mrs. Obama was doing.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Sean…there you go again…There is no distinction in the situation when there is no distinction in the rhetoric. I did not hear of anyone saying anything negative about B.O.’s wife, until she took the podium in order to hit B.O.’s talking points and a few of her personal ones. No spouse has been this outspoken since Bill and FDR’s spouse. I believe she caught some flack too.
If Ms. B.O. just does nice and get slammed, that’s unjustified, but if she jabs with the same stick B.O. uses, it open season, and rightly so!