Why are Right-Wingers So Obsessed with Michelle Obama?

[LAGC]

It's all I hear about when I (rarely) tune into conservative talk radio or when I visit conservative-leaning message forums any more. It's like the President isn't even news any more, so they just focus on and berate his wife instead.

These people have been saying nasty things about Michelle since day one. Making fun of her looks, chain e-mails with pictures comparing her to gorillas or spiders in the case of her election day dress. Putting words in her mouth by "lip-reading" her from a distance, suggesting she's unpatriotic.

"Did you see that Trashy Whore's Dress She was Wearing in China?" read one recent message post title on a board which I will not name.

Seriously? Did progressives ever seriously make fun of Laura Bush, let alone her looks? (I know her daughters got some attention for their wild partying ways, but nothing as nasty and vile as what's coming out of right-wing circles today.)

Good grief.

[Mister Ed]

1. Theres's a black lady in the White House. Drives the racist scumbags crazy with rage.

That's pretty much the whole answer to your question, I'm afraid.

[Tippy]

5. We have a winner...this is exactly why they do and say what they do...

[secondwind]

9. I totally agree....

[SmittynMo]

11. Bingo!!!

The hatred and racism of the right are despicable. They've proven it over and over in the past few years. They'll never change.

[treestar]

13. +1

While all FLOTUS' are going to catch heat from the opposite side, it's only occasional and the POTUS is the main focus.

But here, the President is half white (they can at least tell themselves that and it makes them feel a little better).

[SmittynMo]

18. Half white?

Do you think that matters to the racist right? Even if he's only 1% black, he's black to them. It's quite sickening that this is more important to them than all the accomplishments he's done over the past 3 years.

[treestar]

19. In a way

In their own sick way, it does. To them a black man being elected POTUS (a very big deal to them) is so disastrous, that they can at least say to themselves, well it's not a totally black man. So in this case, yes. (And Herb is no counter - they have no intent of voting for him when it comes down to it).

[Cali_Democrat]

28. I agree. n/t

[MurrayDelph]

22. They don't have a problem with a black lady in the White House

just so long as she is changing the sheets and not using them.

[uponit7771]

43. +1

[Lydia Leftcoast]

46. Not only that--a black *educated* lady

Drives them crazy.

Remember how they hated Hillary Clinton? Mostly because (while I don't agree with her politics) she is clearly highly intelligent.

[mucifer]

2. They did the same to Hillary when she was the president's wife. nt

[MADem]

3. Because they secretly like her, but they are racists, so they feel guilty!

She gives them a conflicted feeling in their block-n-tackle!

Progressives DID rip Laura to shit. Horribly. They called her the Joker for her frozen smile and odd makeup, made fun of her for killing her boyfriend, ripped every costume she wore (one was likened to the Carol Burnett curtain outfit) and called her the Stepford wife.

It goes with the territory--it is a rare first lady who doesn't take shit. Betty Ford (who stayed smashed for her whole time in the White House) was probably the only one in the past half century or so who didn't catch a major ration of crap.

[Tunkamerica]

4. 'bad lip reading' crosses party lines

[OKNancy]

6. yes, many posts on DU slamming Laura Bush and her looks

Quote: "Seriously? Did progressives ever seriously make fun of Laura Bush, let alone her looks? (I know her daughters got some attention for their wild partying ways, but nothing as nasty and vile as what's coming out of right-wing circles today."

her looks, her clothes. Posters shouldn't get on their high horse. It's disgusting what they say about Michelle Obama, but I cringed many times with some of the posts I read here about Laura Bush and the twins.

[Arkansas Granny]

16. Yep. Some of the comments about Laura and the twins were way over the top.

[Beacool]

31. Bingo!!

I remember the things said about the Bush women. Let alone the things that were said by the RW about Hillary. Last time I checked, these women were white.

People are always judging women by their looks and general appearance. The right doesn't corner the market in this area.

Nonetheless, some of the things said about Michelle Obama are disgusting. I think that she's doing a fine job as first lady.

:-)

[JoePhilly]

7. Because she contradicts thier racist stereotype of black women.

Rush has made a fortune demonizing black women in the abstract.

And now, the most recognizable black woman in America is Michelle Obama.

People who believe a particular stereotype can often change that belief after they actually get to know some one from the group in question. Getting to know a person of the group who does not fit the stereotype undermines the stereotype.

And this scares the GOP. They need their base to remain absolutely terrified of minorities, and to see black women as leaches on society. Its part of what they use to turn out the crazies at the polls.

So if that stereotype starts to break down, it hurts them politically. And so she must be attacked.

Same is true for Barrack. He doesn't fit their racist stereotype for a black male ... and so, he must be destroyed.

[JustAnotherGen]

21. I couldn't agree more

. . . "and to see black women as leaches on society"
It worked for them in 1994 - I remember - and I shall never forget.


Not to take the entire thread off course - but I read The Help a bit over a year ago and found it - eh? Not that great of a book. However, the movie came out and people (at another board I visit of only women - the conservative women were overjoyed with both the movie and the book) were over the moon with how wonderful a story it was and what 'Great women the maids were'.

Ahem - why THAT book, and THAT movie now. Did they just like them so much because Michelle Obama, myself, Melissa Blackwell, dozens of women in my family and circle of friends . . . we make them uncomfortable with our education, careers, MARRIAGES, children within marriage and financial success?


Funny - those same people making comments on Conservative boards that HATE First Lady Obama probably just loved those "d*rkies" in The Help. Strange days indeed.

[Number23]

57. The most recognizable WOMEN in America are black

Between Oprah and Michelle, you'd get some serious competition on who has more name recognition right now. (Although I think that Oprah would inevitable win)

And this scares the GOP. They need their base to remain absolutely terrified of minorities

You have hit the nail on the head here. Great post. My only concern is that so much of the focus is on right wing fear of black people. That fear/distrust is by no means limited to conservatives.

[Enrique]

8. no, progressives never made fun of Laura Bush

:sarcasm:

[treestar]

14. Not constantly and they certainly never called her a whore.

[Enrique]

17. they most certainly did

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1124988

[jenmito]

23. I just read that thread (which got locked). Nobody said anything about her looks, her body or face,

or clothes. The OP called her a "whore" for marrying GWB for his money. Many posters said the OP was wrong for using that word. No comparison with what the RWers are doing to Michelle Obama.

[Enrique]

24. "Has anyone noticed how big Laura Bush's butt has gotten?"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1517625#1517843

[jenmito]

25. That's a different thread, which also got locked, with quite a few posts objecting to the OP. n/t

[Enrique]

27. correct, it's one of many such threads

kudos to DU for locking it, kudos to DUers who objected and also kudos to the few Freepers who object to similar superficial attacks on Michelle Obama.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

35. Can you show any instances of Freepers doing that? nt

[jenmito]

36. Funny how he's trying to equate freepers to DUers. n/t

[Enrique]

37. in a lot of ways we are the same

being humans, all of us. I consider that to be a liberal attitude.

[jenmito]

38. Then I guess you'd fit in over there as well as (or better than) you'd fit in over here.

There are humans who want to "throw out the Muslim Socialist Occupier of the White House" and there are others who believe the FACTS about Obama and think he's doing a pretty good job. :shrug:

[Enrique]

39. no, I was banned there after my first post

because I'm a liberal and I expressed a liberal view. Makes sense that they would ban me, just like we ban conservatives here.

[jenmito]

40. So was I...

but I'm not the one who tried to compare freepers to DUers. And you haven't given the other poster any examples.

[Enrique]

45. here's an interesting one

in a thread titled "Michelle vs. Cindy", in the middle of the 2008 election.

Of course they all think Cindy is much better than Michelle in so many ways, but here's a voice of moderation:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2075254/posts

Okay, good points. I was thinking the same thing last night during Cindi’s video.

But to be fair, it must be pointed out that Michelle Obama didn’t have a family fortune to lean on. She had to earn a living, and pay off huge student loans. She couldn’t set up any charities, when she had the mortgage company and fanny mae first in line wanting her pay check!

Of course, in the last few years, with profits from her husband’s books, this would have been possible. I think at a minimum, she could have went with Oprah to Africa to help with the school.

[jenmito]

54. And here's another one:

"Michelle Obama = AMOROSA; angry black woman who thinks she is “entitled”. That is all you need to know"

[JoePhilly]

49. Are there examples of the "liberal media" attacking Laura?

Rush, Hannity, Coulter, many other right wing pundits do little but attack Michelle on a regular basis.

Which well known liberal pundits attacked Laura Bush?

[mojowork_n]

30. By comparison with the amount of abuse The Chimp got,

if you set the yardstick with any expectation of gender equality,
you would be severely disappointed.

When it comes to D.U., Dubya and Laura have
received wildly disproportionate treatment.

The Chimp was derided, mocked, insulted, called to account and
thoroughly and completely scorned and reviled.

Laura, not so much. Even the snarkiest comments I saw in some
of the threads showed a recognition of her, as a person, separate
from her husband, but lamented her role as an enabling spouse. There
was a recognition that her 'guilt' was mostly by association
(or omission, failing to intervene) than for anything she'd done
herself.

I actually did a page-search for Laura Bush, on D.U. The top results
clustered around the Family Guy/"Laura Bush Killed a Guy" shocker.

I read through more than a few.

But maybe I needed to go through more. Show me a specific post
in whichever thread, where some D.U.'er began to approach the
level of bigoted, hysterical and demented antagonism Michelle's
received??

PS

Laura actually got some props, too, for having interesting books
on the shelf behind her during an interview, and for having drawn
the ire of Freepers.

Even very harsh, sharp criticism wasn't "personal," and showed
a level of respect. (Even if it was a little holier than thou.)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5556271

edit: delete double-paste of link

[GoCubsGo]

48. I tend to agree with that.

Most of criticism of Laura Bush from the left was about her fashion sense, or the occasional stupid, out-of-touch comment she'd make, such as the one about Hurricane "Corrina". But, I don't ever recall her being called a "trashy whore" or likened to a zoo animal. Sure, some people made fun of her figure, but the right has been a zillion times worse about Hillary, her "fat ass", her "cankles", etc. And, they have been incessant about it over the past 20+ years. I suspect that if Hillary were younger when she was First Lady, they'd be calling her a "trashy whore", too.

[karynnj]

59. Both were 45 - Michelle had just turned 45 and Hillary had become 45 in the previous October

when their husbands became President.

I think the bigger difference is that Hillary dressed far more conservatively and really was less stylish.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

34. Bullshit comparison. nt

[Hutzpa]

42. You think you're clever.

:argh:

[secondwind]

10. They hate losing elections, period.... and they hate strong, opinionated women.

[ClassWarrior]

12. Why are they obsessed with any strong woman? Because they're misogynists.

NGU.

[WI_DEM]

15. Why were they so obsessed with Hillary when she was First Lady or Chelsea Clinton

with that hate monger Rush saying cruel things about her? It's just the way they are.

[krawhitham]

20. Intelligent, beautiful, Strong black woman in the white house, are you really asking this question?

[certainot]

26. you mean mooochele? team limbaugh and 1000 radio stations set the tone in US, because they can

and because the left has no response to it.

a real representation of this sentiment would be 100 such radio stations, mostly in the southern states, but it is a well coordinated subsidized monopoly that kicks progressive ass.

[chrisa]

29. Black, female, beautiful, and powerful

Their heads must be exploding.

[FrenchieCat]

32. Cause they can't fucking stand it......

http://static1.puretrend.com/articles/3/33/34/3/@/205648-michelle-obama-le-23-juillet-avec-sa-637x0-3.jpg























http://www1.pictures.stylebistro.com/gi/Michelle+Obama+Heels+Pumps+3lg50_KAlYZl.jpg
http://hiphollywood.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/First+Lady+Promotes+Youth+Exercise+Olympians+zl7fBzrieR_l.jpg

[GoCubsGo]

41. I never saw that picture of her with Bo in the garden.

Thank you for posting it! That 7th photo looks like it was straight out of Vogue magazine. I can see why the rethugs can't stand it! Barack is a lucky man.

[uponit7771]

44. +1

[Cigar11]

33. Smart-Independent-Black-Female

Those are scary realities for Conservatives.

[JoePhilly]

50. Undermines their stereotype of black women.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

56. Exactly.

To that bunch of racist a-holes, all black women must be either skanky crack whores or fat, ignorant welfare mothers with 10 kids. Michelle Obama is educated, elegant and attractive. They can't stand that.

[ram2008]

47. Because she counters all their black women stereotypes that they hold so dearly..

It's probably a culture shock for them. They can't believe that their overly simplistic racist view of black females isn't true and is coming crashing down.

Michelle Obama shoots down the idea that black women are unreliable, uneducated, welfare-dependent and constantly angry at "whitey."

The idea that Michelle Obama represents Independence, Education, Strong family values, and strong principles destroys their racist rhetoric and shows how wrong they truly our. It's a culture shock and they can't handle it.

[JoePhilly]

51. My post #7 is on this same point. If that stereotype is undermined ...

it hurts the GOP politically.

[Skittles]

52. she's a lovely, accomplished African American gal

that alone is enough to give repukes the vapors

[1StrongBlackMan]

53. Why????

Because they would like to have sex with her; but know that they have zero change. People tend to hate that which they can not have.

[Harry Monroe]

55. Because they're assholes and racists

Next question.

[Monk06]

58. Because they secretly hope that the Obamas will respond to the slurs but the Obamas have too

much class to stoop to the level of even commenting
on RW bigotry. And that is what is driving them
nuts about Michelle. She is confident enough in herself
to ignore the insults.