Not good; not good at all

[Sadie4629]

Campaigning for her husband in Zanesville before the Ohio primary, Michelle Obama described to a group of women how hard it had been for her and Barack to make ends meet:


"We spend between the two kids, on extracurriculars outside the classroom, we're spending about $10,000 a year on piano and dance and sports supplements. And summer programs...Do you know what summer camp costs?"


The burden was especially heavy because she and Barack had to repay the student loans for college and law school at Princeton and Harvard:

http://jewishworldreview.com/0308/jkelly031008.php3

I wandered over to lucianne.com (I know, I know. It's like a train wreck--I just can't look away.) and found this little gem. If Michelle Obama is out there complaining about not being able to make ends meet while paying $10,000 on what most of us consider extravagances for her kids, she appears to be seriously out of touch with ordinary people. I'm afraid this will be used against Barack in the GE.

[high density]

1. Their tax returns are out there. It is not a secret what they make

The Clintons, on the other hand...

Obama 2006: http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/files/obama_2006_tax_return.pdf

[Sadie4629]

5. This isn't about their tax returns

This is about her lack of discretion.

Someone with their income CANNOT comiserate with ordinary people.

[high density]

13. Then most politicians are guilty

Because most of them make a lot more money than us. Like I said, this is no secret, and it's nothing special to Barack Obama's family. Ignoring the issue or sweeping it under the rug, like the Clintons have done, doesn't mean it isn't there.

[Sadie4629]

20. Yes, but--

--I can't remember seeing Theresa Heinz-Kerry out there complaining about the high cost of summer camp, and trying to pretend that she had it as bad as middle class women trying to raise a couple of kids on $40,000/year.

[high density]

27. I think the moral of the story is that summer camp is expensive no matter who you are

You are the one who has a problem with the Obamas being well off.

[Avalux]

2. Lucianne? Don't post that crap here. n/t

[Sadie4629]

4. It's a syndicated column

that was linked at lucianne.com.

Like it or not, this is the stuff that is out there influencing potential voters. If Mrs. Obama is going to be out on the campaign trail, she seriously needs to NOT say stuff like this!

[Capn Sunshine]

14. so you think Lucianne. com influences potential Democratic voters?

In what alternate parallel universe does this happen?

Hey! Neofascist.com disparages Obama! Gay man crying on youtube about Obama!
OMG we'll NEVER win now
:rofl:

[Sadie4629]

18. No, but

it could very well influence moderates, independents, and undecideds.

In what parallel universe do you want them voting for McCain????

[Capn Sunshine]

33. they have to VIEW that to be influenced. It's horrible crap

They won't EVER see it, comprende? There's ZERO reason to be there , unless you are posing as a Dem somewhere and want to pop it into the conversation.
99% of the voters won't ever see that shit.

[Igel]

51. I saw it days ago.

I have, to my knowledge, never been to lucianne.com. It's there, it would seem, but it's also on other RW sites--and by "RW" I don't mean Stormfront. I mean right of center. The kinds of places where somebody who's a moderate liberal or a moderate conservative might venture.

Now, 99% of voters probably won't see it. But that 1% ...

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. one of my clients spent the same for their kids

and their NET income was 38,000, after taxes. They did that much for their kids (who I met and thought were perfectly spoiled little brats with no manners or sense of restraint - made me wish for an off switch) because their kids were always going to be better than average.
after the divorce, things actually got worse, with the son (w/ dad) having a nervous breakdown, and the daughter (12) (with mom) getting into drugs and preggers.

A really sad situation.

[Sadie4629]

10. Wow!

Can't imagine how they managed that. I don't think many people can.

[Yurovsky]

34. Too bad they didn't spend as much time as they did $$$

perhaps things would have been different.

[olkaz]

6. Is this a serious argument?

The Obama's have a LOT less money than the Clintons.

Seriously. This is Rovian projection BS.

[Sadie4629]

29. Not about the Clintons

Or about their income. This is about discretion. Trying to relate to people who _really_ have problems making ends meet when you have something like a $500,000/year income just looks--silly.

[quiet.american]

7. This is one of the things my mom likes most about her actually.

Especially that we could have a presidential couple that are still paying off their student loans! That's a big plus in her book. Can you imagine having someone in the White House who doesn't have to convene a commission to understand exactly what it's like to pay off student loans in this current environment?

There are different levels of ordinary, too.

Just about every couple I know in my workaday world, whether they're pink collar or white collar, is paying through the nose for this lesson and that lesson and this trip and that trip for their kids -- I can't agree that this is something "most of us" don't understand or aren't going through.

And just who is going to put themselves up as a contrast to Obama in the GE? McCain? That's a laugh. His wife looks like her suit cost more than $10,000.

[Sadie4629]

17. Most people paying off student loans

didn't go to Ivy League schools, and have half million $$ incomes.

And--is Cindy McCain talking about how tough she has it? Sorry, campaigning for Barack is a great thing, (she's beautiful, smart, accomplished, etc. A great role model for young women,) but this just crosses a line. It will come back to bite him in the butt.

[quiet.american]

26. Still disagree.

Doesn't matter whether you went to an Ivy League school or not -- people know how the world works -- a college degree doesn't guarantee you a fab income -- Ivy League school or no -- especially, excuse me, if you're also Black (which I am as well).

Truly doubt this would be a deal-breaker for someone in voting for Obama. My mom actually saw Michele Obama say this very thing at a campaign stop, and she said the audience cheered in agreement.

For those of us living in the real world, I would think we have enough sense to understand there are different economic levels. If Barack were struggling to pay his mortgage, and just got laid off from a factory -- he wouldn't be running for president, would he?

People are intelligent enough to know that there are different economic levels, and it's not a bad thing that Michele tells the truth about what's going on with their finances, even at their upper-middle-class level.

As for McCain, it would still be a tough argument to make that he's somehow more "ordinary" than Obama.

[Barack_America]

43. Lol. I agree. The only thing an Ivy education guarantees you is more debt.

:hi:

[quiet.american]

44. Cheers, Kristi. :) nt

[FrenchieCat]

8. Actually, for two children, in this day and age, it is unfortunate that

one has to spend that kind of money in order for their children to receive a broad base education along with activities, but that is about what it cost.

Some folks pay about that in childcare, while others might pay a bit less.

The bottomline is that Michelle always states that she is fortunate in many ways as a parent, and that she realize that it is much, much harder for parents who are not as fortunate as she is to make it.

I believe that if you are going over to lucianne.com, make sure that you read up on Ms. McCain's drug addiction and the grand theft that she committed while being a full grown woman....and then tell me why Barack will be "harmed" by Michelle's very candid words during the GE. I think that many will simply choose not to bear down on the spouses, especially considering Bill's long past of infidelity.

Getting into the hypocracy of it all, it is amazing that Michelle should have to be perfect and say everything perfectly according to the Potential First Lady police, while the others get a pass on shit that are so much worse till it ain't even funny. I consider it petty, what you are pointing out!

[Sadie4629]

22. No one "has" to spend that kind of $$

But lots of us do have to make choices about what we are going to spend our $$ on--the kids, better vehicles, vacations, etc.

Michelle Obama does NOT have to make those kinds of choices. And pretending that it is as hard for her family as it is for the rest of us just makes it look like she's out of touch. Or maybe even bragging.

[FrenchieCat]

28. Some people place their kids above themselves, and other don't......

it is an American choice.

We sent our daughter (who is now a Junior at Harvard) to a private High school that cost us $21,000 per year.....

There were other things that we went without, like new cars, etc...

Also note, that they came into money very recently, like a couple of years ago, via the books that Obama wrote.

But they have also lived on small salaries, at other points in their lives.

Maybe you should be talking to John Edwards who had the big house, and yet focused his campaign on the poor. Are you saying that he couldn't relate....or wasn't that what that "Son of a Mill Worker" line to bridge it all.

and maybe you should stop attempting to make the Obamas perfect, while the other candidates walk around with their great big flaws.

[movonne]

9. Are you serious...lucianne....she is worse that coulter...does she

know how ordinary people are...I wouldn't worry your pretty little head about this...most people don't listen to nut cases such as lucianne..

[rug]

11. Somehow I don't see the fervor there for Universal Health Care.

[GoldieAZ49]

12. yeah, makes you wish you had it that 'rough'

good point

[Sadie4629]

15. Thanks.

I didn't think my post would be considered so controversial.

[GoldieAZ49]

23. Not allowed to question anything Obama

even as a supporter of Obama, it really is ridiculous

[ret5hd]

16. Your deep concern is duly noted.

[Cali_Democrat]

19. Is this Obama's new scandal of the week?

Hillary and her supporters are trying to manufacture a scandal a week.

- Rezko-gate
- Plagiarim-gate
- NAFTA-gate
- Shame on you-gate
- Pillow-gate (media favortism)
- Monster-gate

I'm sure I missed a few

[ecstatic]

21. I don't see it that way. It's all relative. Based on their lifestyle

those activities for their daughters are a MUST. Then they have a mortgage, etc. The Obamas are not filthy rich. I'd describe them as upper upper middle class.

[Sadie4629]

24. I agree that I would want to provide those things for my children

if I had that kind of income. I also wouldn't attempt to bring it to the attention of potential voters that I was struggling with those issues with that kind of an income. Can't she just talk about his plans for the country instead? What does she gain by trying to relate to the rest of us in such a way?

[PurityOfEssence]

25. $316K per year of corporate medical money just doesn't go as far as it used to...

This is not the first time she's painted herself as just like the other struggling working moms going to Target after a hard day's whatever.

There's a fine line between certainty and sanctimony, and she's definitely a loose cannon at times.

[izzybeans]

30. Good, perhaps they will understand what it is like for the rest of us living in debt.

We would like those extracurriculars for our children, but my wife and I aren't lawyers. Our income goes to student loans. I quit working on my dissertation to pay them.

[tishaLA]

31. JWR is an incredibly RW site

it's full of Likud supporters, neocons, etc.

[FrenchieCat]

32. Just so that you can keep things in context........

and tell me why folks can't have emphathy for how the world really operates in terms of "ordinary" people.

Some candidates were ordinary before they became extraordinary -

[quiet.american]

35. Excellent -- thanks, Frenchie. nt

[FrenchieCat]

39. Notice that big Clinton 12 million in income in one year, the year we want to see tax returns for..

while the other multi millionaires only earned 3+ Mil!

Also note that Obama's net worth is less than the worth of his house--

Hell, I'm almost worth as much as he is, and all I own is a house in California!

Compared to the others running, Obama is a pauper with new money and the debt that goes along with it.....and not at all in par with the others.

But you know how it is....some of us in this society have to try twice as hard, are questioned twice as much, and have to justify ourselves twice as often to earn any kind of kudos about anything.

Like Ferraro so eloquently states; Obama's lucky he's Black!

The double standards are so thick, you can cut them with a knife! :(

[quiet.american]

42. Frenchie, I agree with your every word! :) nt

[ContinentalOp]

38. Why would Clinton have a $140k life insurance policy?

What's the point of that? Weird.

[FrenchieCat]

46. You'll have to ask them!

To date, we can't even see tax returns.....

so Good luck! :hi:

[madfloridian]

40. Excellent, bookmarking that.

:hi:

[OzarkDem]

36. Poor, poor Obama

More "macaca" moments. I hope they keep her out on the campaign trail. She's a huge help to the Clinton campaign.


Actually, the Clinton campaign should make sure they have someone following her around with a camcorder.

[TBF]

37. How many politicians are poor?

Seriously, how many people making less than 25K a year can run for office? Even 50K?

I agree that there are more important topics for her to be discussing, but that doesn't make her out of touch with ordinary Americans. By all accounts her upbringing was quite modest, and I'm sure she remembers exactly what it was like to be a normal kid with parents who sacrificed and worked hard to give their kids a chance.

The larger problem is someone like GWB becoming president because he is so wealthy that he really is out of touch with ordinary Americans, and has been his entire life. I wouldn't put Michelle anywhere near that category.

[Barack_America]

41. Don't you think that her point was that it is UNFORTUNATE that such activities...

...which many parents view as formative for their children, are nowdays out of reach for most families?

That why should only families with two working parents, making good salaries, be able to afford these activities?

That if we reinvested in our schools and community centers, these activities could again be possible for poorer children?

[FrenchieCat]

45. Of course that was the point......

except to those who are dumb, blind and stupid....which is usually what one finds over at lucianne.com reading the dumbshit she puts out! :crazy:

We should all be so concerned about having a potential first lady who relates via empathy and experience and expresses her want for all of us to have what she's finally now fortunate enough to experience. We should be so lucky!

[Yes We Did]

47. Please, The Obama's don't make 1/10 of the Clinton's... "earn"

[against all enemies]

48. Let's see the Clinton's tax return - how hard is it for them to make ends meet?

[Beacool]

49. Earth to Michelle..............

Talk about a disconnect with the regular folks. The country is going into a recession, people are losing jobs and she talks about how hard it is to have the money to pay for dance lessons???????????????

Poor Michelle and Barack!!!! Oh, the tribulations of the well to do!!!!!

:eyes:

[Bluerthanblue]

50. Too bad you didn't hear the entire comment.

but that is too much to expect I've come to realize.

:shrug:

Let the power of gossip reign-
It seems to be what people here feed on.



peace~