Extra Credit Reading: The Economist on The Other Obama

I have to admit the title of this piece confused me. Even with the picture I figured they were writing about Michelle Obama's mother or some other woman not in the spotlight, because we all hear about Michelle Obama ad nauseum.



Like many other young, eager, wide eyed and bushy tailed women, I became enthralled with the image of Michelle Obama during the 2008 Presidential election campaign season. She was smart, high achieving in business and cool. I even campaigned amongst friends for Michelle Obama as First Spouse sometimes ignoring the politics of actual candidates. And as this obsession with her cool emerged in the media, the emphasis on her career and education became secondary to her down to earth manner, ability to connect and her wardrobe.

Part of the issue lies in what defines cool within larger society. Princeton and Harvard are impressive, but fusion high and low end dressing is cool. In last week's Economist, Lexington (yea we have no idea who writes this stuff...part of "Economist" policy) called on us to bring this into check and remember Michelle Obama for her accomplishments and consider her opinions and views in "The Other Obama". Since I am a glutton for chick lit, I know from American Wife that Alice Blackwell-the fictional Laura Bush- would tell her to go for it. After living eight years under the shadow of Hilary Clinton's time as First Lady she dared not step out of the bounds of the East Wing and in the fictional account ended up in turmoil over her decisions at the end, because she was not expected to have a view on topics outside the safety of education. (my brief summary...I'm not Curtis Sittenfeld).

I'm aware we elected Barack Obama and not Michelle Obama, but it would be nice if we celebrated her entire being a bit more. I'm not calling on her to be an advertisement or to become a shadow member of the government, inserting her own concerns out of a marriage rite. But I am offering a friendly reminder that Michelle Obama is cool...not just because she dresses nicely, has toned arms, is married to Barack Obama, or is the descendant of slaves. She's cool in spite of it all.

But now that I mention it, I wonder if anyone cares about what Carla Bruni-Sarkozy thinks. Is it just an American phenomenon where we are so intrigued by the spouses of those we elect into power to the point where we expect to be bewitched by them and are invariably saddened by their impact on policy be it too much or too little. Should I be able to pinpoint the issues that the first lady has pushed for for the last few presidencies? Oh Eleanor, what have you wrought?

Thoughts?

Read the article here: http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13326771

My President is Black? MICHELLE IS TOO!

Way back when I started blogging, one of my first posts was an acknowledgment of a family hobby-rewriting song lyrics to fit whatever we felt like. So yes, as a recent college grad I penned "Bouncing" the broke girl's version to Jim Jones's "Balling." Unfortunately I'm still Bouncing since I said forget a job and went back to school, but that doesn't mean I have lost my ability to make awful remakes of current rap blockbusters.

I bring you the beginning of my latest opus: "My President is Black....And Michelle is Too." These songs tend to get written on the train, and this one was born as I crossed the Manhattan Bridge two days after the inauguration. I have to print the lyrics to the actual song so I can match the rhyme scheme and include some of Michelle's other traits (i.e....her education, career, overall flyness).

My President is BLACK/ AND so is his BOO/ She's the new "M.O." with a fly hair do/Italian Leather Gloves/ and silk shifts in navy blue/ Forget the Gap we all shop at J. Crew...- Me, expressing my love of Michelle Obama

--Original Version: "My President is Black " Young Jeezy
Remix with Nas
Jay-Z Take

My President is Black-Vanity Dark
In case you haven't realized: I'm kind of a joker and not aspiring to be a real rapper...ever. This also isn't an endorsement of Young Jeezy, even though this song is ridiculously catchy.If someone wants to get me real video editing software, I can get high tech like this dude.





HAUL,
Kim

WE HAVE A BLACK PRESIDENT! A CHANGE DONE COME!!!!

AND MICHELLE OBAMA IS FIRST LADY!

I had given up on blogging, but this is an auspicious occasion.

Michelle Obama Dances Better Than Barack!!!

As if there was ever any doubt. Michelle for first lady!

In Honor of Barack Obama's Presidential Nomination: A Music Playlist

I've pretty much avoided most Barack coverage, because there is more than enough on the Internet for everyone to read on the topic. Instead, I'll provide something a bit more in line with this blog and give you a music play list that goes along with this moment. It's random, but it brings together a lot of the themes I thought about during his speech: heroism, woman's rights, racial relations, celebrity, fate and well, change . It's also very eighties heavy, but Journey is appropriate for every moment of life.

That was all written before I accidentally deleted the play list. So this is what we're left with.



And yes, I'm still obsessed with Michelle Obama.

Happy Belated Birthday to Me!

I've been so busy not posting even though I spend every day starting at documents on my computer I completely missed the fact that my little blog has had a birthday. It all started back with my obsession with Vanity Fair and the fact that they put out a twenty cover issue dedicated to Africa. Check it out here: http://vanitydark.blogspot.com/2007/07/vanity-fairs-twenty-cover-issue.html. Back then me and papa magazine were on very good terms. Our relationship is a little shaky now because of some silly stunts they've pulled that I haven't had time to go into detail with over here at Vanity Dark.

At the moment though, they are reconciling with me since they put Michelle on the top ten best dressed list. Since we're obsessed over here we welcome any one else with an obsession.

I do have a My Favorite Scenes birthday edition that's been in the works for some time (since my real birthday), but I just can't find some videos that i want to include. And instead of watching every episode of Living Single on You Tube, I'm dealing with my dissertation.

But I will bring at least a Throwback Thursday this week. Until then, take some time to find the nostalgia in everything.

HAUL,
The Queen.