Liz Smith | 06/12/2008 12:00 am

Liz Smith Wants Michelle Obama to Just Be Adorable

In response to: What advice do you have for Michelle Obama?

Feminists will put a contract out on me and I NEVER thought I’d say this but it would be relaxing if she acted like being First Lady in the traditional sense was the first order of business. Devote herself to the arts or something like that. But stay out of politics, religion, and not offer the strong-minded opinions that have gotten her and him in so much trouble. And double on abandoning any evidence of taking revenge on anybody. Just be Mrs. Obama for THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. I have always wanted First Ladies to be so much more than they ever are, but in her case, I just want her to be adorable.

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Read more about: Election, Michelle Obama, Politics, Relationships

15 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

uuuugggghhhhhh! In other words you want the same-old-same-old? Not only do we need a new direction but it is refreshing to see a young couple that share their thoughts and actions. I think she will be an inspiration to all women to stand up and say what they think.

By Maggi D on 06/12/2008 12:08 am

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Maggi But isn’t that essentially good advice in order to get him elected. She is not running for office and first lady is not an office it is just a title and she can make it into whatever she wants to. Like Hillary said in her speech the other day that in the last 40 years there has only been 3 democrats elected as POTUS and President Clinton was two of those. I can remember their first campaign for President. She knew what she had to do, she stayed out of the limelight as much as possible. The media will misunderstand her and tear her apart. What purpose would that serve? HE is running. I say, save yourself. She is no inspiration to me. There are many women everyday who stand up and say what they think. Don’t you?

By Frannie Em on 06/12/2008 12:27 am

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Frannie Em - Yes there are many women everyday who stand up and say what they think but nearly enough. In 1970 I was not allowed to buy my husband a birthday gift on credit because the credit was his, not mine. Over the years I have had to deal with speaking my mind in order to survive but I can tell you honestly that the people I have spoken my mind to have been mainly men. There are not enough women who are strong CEO types and I think Michelle could qualify. I think this because of her actions so far. I would love a woman in the White House that is more interested in helping to make changes and being loud about it than a woman who is on the front page of People mag. because of the designer dress she is wearing.

By Maggi D on 06/12/2008 1:08 am

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Michelle isn’t running, her husband is. There is nothing more exhausting than a spouse who steals the limelight. This is not sexist, remember … Bill. He should have remained in the background … as Obama remarked, he didn’t know whom he was running against. Let the candidate be the candidate.

By Lucinda Herbert on 06/28/2008 10:44 am

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Just be herself. It is difficult to utter any kind of statement or opinion as the press jumps over it. Don’t take anything personally, and know that many, many people love you and your husband. You are terrific. You are the future.

By Esther Bradley-DeTally on 06/12/2008 12:46 am

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Ditto, Esther..I “heard” a bu mper sticker this week that said “Be yourself, everybody else is already taken.”

By georgia fatwood on 06/12/2008 8:57 am

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Very tactful, Liz.

By Kay Sara on 06/12/2008 5:07 am

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This is just historic just historic to see a woman a highly intelligent black woman .like the women that I grew up around who always been there.Just to see the country talking about this highly intelligent woman Mrs.Obama

By rashida howard on 06/12/2008 3:38 pm

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Be true to yourself, but stay focused on the goal. Your loftiest public aspirations, your words - no matter how brilliant, your passion and energy, will never be recognized as clearly as when coming from you in the White House. And love that man with all you’ve got.

By Chef Zee on 06/12/2008 6:13 pm

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Hi Liz, I’m like you, I want Michelle Obama, to be adorable, so many people has their wants and needs to be something else, but I feel just being his wife and the 1st Lady is enough. There is going to be all kinds of opinions, but I believe she is strong enough, to stand her ground. But feel she will bring some flavor to the WH, there have got to be some change. Juanita

By Juanita Ward on 06/12/2008 9:12 pm

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Sister Liz, there is definitely some validity in what you’ve said in spite of those who say you’re suggesting that she be a Stepford Wife. Michelle Obama is a strong black woman. She is secure in her feminine power as I perceive it. She is the culmination of black women who have lived in this country since the very first slave ship arrived on its shores. I am not offended that you say she should be adorable, she should. Because by being adorable she can disarm those who see her as powerful and/or unworthy. She will always have haters. Those haters see her glory, but they don’t really know her story. Michelle Obama’s story is OUR story- the story of the Black woman in America. So, she must be gracious, smart and empathic to master this unchartered territory. I believe she can do it.

By Lena B on 06/14/2008 9:00 am

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Lena, Michelle running as just a Black woman whose forebears were slaves accomplishes nothing. We all know this and don’t want lectures on black history and liberation. Michelle IS liberated. it’s just the rest of us gals [whites,asians, included] that have not yet become liberated. We can vote, but the rest stinks. Michelle should not become a demure Stepford wife and no one will believe this role.But she does neeed to be in the background as Hillary was to get Bill elected. Making her Jackie Kenndy is ridiculous , and there’ll be a backlash. Let’s stop hearing about your angst Lena. We many others have also has a hard time and have learned to survive in a difficult.discriminatory world with a huge glass ceiling. Let’s get behind sexism which is the NEW racism and work behalf of women and their progress in our coming atmosphere of change. Women of all colors and backgrounds throughout the world are the Second Sex. Hopefully an Obama presidency would encourage Michelle and others in his cabinet positions to work in behalf of womens rights which this and past presidency’s have sorely overlooked. Stressing Mchelle as a black woman in this contest actually can isolate her from voters. Michelle must back her husband who must appeal to and reach out to all women of every color and economic backgrounds in order to be elected.

By mitzi morris on 06/20/2008 5:32 pm

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Every relationship has an alpha and a beta. Sometimes it switches back and forth, but we are naturally drawn to those who fit to our position. With the Obama’s she is clearly the alpha, and he is very deferential to her. I see her struggling to not play her alpha role, and sometimes the tension in doing that causes her to start giggling. She doesn’t want to be quiet, she wants to lead. Should be interesting.

By Bella Mia on 06/14/2008 10:12 am

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Liz, it is valid to say that you want the first ladies to be much more than they ever are. It is also important to take into consideration what things they have been involved in and recognize those as extra-ordinary. June 12, 2008 ROME - US First Lady Laura Bush arrived in Rome today after putting up a 10.2-billion-dollar contribution for Afghanistan reconstruction at a conference in Paris, Telenews agency reported. Bush leaves Germany for Italy Bush begins his European tour Bush, wife of US President George W. Bush, was to deliver a speech at the Rome-based World Food Programme. In France, she announced the US funding for a planned five-year, 50-billion-dollar development plan and said: “Afghanistan has reached a decisive moment for its future. We must not turn our backs.” “If Congress approves all of this funding, it will add to the more than 26 billion dollars in US humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan since 2001,” when US-led forces ousted the Islamist Taliban militia from power, she said. http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=784042 I just checked her website and saw the many areas that she has personal direct involvement, and it is very impressive. People like Mrs. Bush are usually very effective in their activities because they are very focused and very determined but tend to fly under the radar to get things done. http://www.whitehouse.gov/firstlady/

By Bella Mia on 06/14/2008 10:28 am

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This is a link to an interview Laura Bush did yesterday on Air Force One between Rome and Paris, about her current projects: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080613.html

By Bella Mia on 06/14/2008 10:39 am