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LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Michelle Obama returned to The Women’s Conference today to address a group of 14,000 attendees, most of whom were women. She noted the last time she was at the conference was a few years ago in which she appeared in a panel with four other wives of presidential candidates. It was one of the highlights of being on the campaign, she said, because it was a “chance to step back and breathe.”
“It had taken a little convincing to persuade me that this whole running-for-president thing was a good idea,” she said. “And by ‘a little’ convincing, I actually mean it was a lot. We had two young daughters at home.”
She said that even once she was on board she was reluctant to go out on the campaign trail. “I didn’t like the idea of leaving my girls for days on end. I didn’t have a whole lot of experience on the stump. And to tell you the truth, I was scared. I was worried that I’d say the wrong thing. I was nervous that someone might ask a question that I didn’t know that answer to.”
She was criticized by her husband’s opponents for comments she made during the 2008 campaign and became a lightning rod for the right.
“I have a tendency to do that thing that a lot of women do," she said, "where you get 99 things right, but spend all your time beating yourself up about the one thing you messed up."
She also took the opportunity to speak about an issue that has become a priority for her as first lady. It was an issue, she admits, she wasn’t aware of before she hit the campaign trail: military families.
She highlighted their struggles: having to move every few years; helping kids adjust to new schools; finding jobs in new towns with no connections or how to ace an interview with an employer who’s reluctant to hire someone who might move in a few years.
These were issues that many women face but Obama sought to portray the additional challenges added when there are other obstacles unique to military families.
“How do you keep your fears and anxieties from your kids when, as one mother wrote me – and this is a quote: ‘A good day is when a military chaplain does not knock on my door.’”
Or, she said, when for Christmas, “The only gift your little girl asks for is for her father to come home.”
“I had no idea,” Obama said.
She acknowledged Jill Biden as a strong partner with her on the issue. “With Joe Biden came Jill Biden, who is a blue star mom and knows a thing or tow about military families,” she said.
Jill Biden, who spoke moments before the first lady, talked about her own experiences being a military mom.
“I will never forget the day when my son told me he was joining the National Guard,” Biden said. “I was worried every single day he was deployed in Iraq.”
She noted the troops she has come across as she’s traveled to military bases. “I am particularly humbled by the female soldiers I meet,” adding that women make up 15% of the military and serve in leadership positions of every branch of service.
Maria Shriver, who introduced the first lady, noted that it was the last time she’d be standing before the crowd as the first lady of California. It was a kind of farewell speech for her, as she thanked her staff and conference organizers who have helped put on the conference for the last seven years. At the same time, it was an introspective look at her time as first lady of California and the journey leading up to it.
“I was wrong trying to talk Arnold out of running for governor,” she admitted. “I, myself, didn’t like growing up in a political family.” She was afraid, she said. “I thank him for not listening to me.”
She recalled her mother telling her not to stand in the way of someone else’s dream. In many ways, her speech was a tribute to her late mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
She thanked her kids for handling their situation with “grace,” saying that her family 1 democrat 1 republican and 2 decline to states.
She said at first, she was reluctant to accept a job that she was told was to design the governor’s Christmas ornaments. She was afraid of giving up her career at NBC News. But in the end, she says, she’s grateful for the experience. “The role of first lady,” she said, “forces you to define not just the role, but yourself as well.”
“My past and my present have prepared me well for my future.” She said she’s learned not to be afraid. “Being outside your comfort zone doesn’t mean you can’t handle it, doesn’t mean you can’t do it,” she said. “It means you’re uncomfortable.”
“I’ve struggled a bit this year,” she said, since her mother died. She also talked about her father’s struggle with Alzheimer’s and how painful it is for her at times.
On the closed circuit feed in the press-filing center there were cutaways of women in the audience wiping tears from their faces.
As for what she’ll do after her time as first lady of California is up. “I’ve never made a big decision in my life without my mother,” she said.
“People here are dreamers,” she said. “I feel comfortable here.”
“I’m going to let go of my need to jump into action, my need to have a perfect plan.”
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"If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much." Jackie Kennedy
__________
I always thought Michelle Obama understood this the moment I heard her speak. I remember her saying that her girls' well being were first on her mind when she woke up, and last on her mind when she went to sleep at night.
Priorities. Children & family.
The Obama family are a lovely lovely family. And not by accident. But by paying attention.
________
I remember Maria talking about when she was a child, her mother would drive her to school with no make up and her hair a mess and Maria would be upset that her mother wasn't "made up".
But of course, this is exactly what Maria ended up doing while driving her children to school. Didn't we all? LOL.
Pat: You must be in the inner circle. Lucky you. How else could you possibly know who these people really are or what they really do?
BTW, Jackie failed to explain to JJ that risking your own life when you don't know how to fly a plane is one thing but risking the lives of others, including your wife and sister-in-law, is quite another. Big failure on her part there. Sorry to have to crap on Camelot.
You are a twathead
She is irrelevant.
Waterdog - Idiot - John Kennedy knew how to fly a plane. Unfortunately, with the weather conditions he was flying in even experienced flyers often have problems. How disgusting you would have to make fun of the death of someone to get your kicks.
Oh, you mean like… "For the First Time in My Adult Lifetime, I'm Really Proud of My Country"
I just bet they had to twist her arm for the ultimate ENTITLEMENT she felt she deserved
Michelle had to get into the campaign because her husbands political equity is a liability for those he stumps for. Love the liberal media spin...
Oh honey, get out the barf bag. Let me give you a subtle reminder of something else our illustrious first (eh-hem) lady said - ON THE STUMP - at the dnc while wearing her infamous black widow spider dress.
Really? So I guess in her mind's eye it was ok to say to the entire country - not to mention the world - the she is finally proud of her country. I don't think those of us who heard this statement will ever forget. And she hasn't really done anything to redeem herself since.
PS: I just backed up and read FedupwithFed's post. Nice that at least we're on the same page. I hope a lot more remember as well. It does not bode well for her.
I am so laughing at you old biddies! You are so jealous you can't stand your own self...you are hillarious! Look in the mirror - see those wrinkles? That is because you are so wrapped up in yourself...your obvious inadequacies...you can't figure out how The First Lady got to where she is and you are SO STUCK where you are....you are so hysterically funny and....wrinkled!
Nice way to make people feel bad about their self issues. I always said if you want to plan something evil and vicious let a woman plan it. Now I have to add to it...... Let a liberal woman plan it.
What a sad and pitiful lot you are. YOU are what is wrong with America. The First Lady is an intelligent, attractive and gracious person who obviously loves her husband and her two daughters. She is a hard worker who truly cares about our nation's children and want every one of them to have a chance at the American dream.
As she said, you do 99 things right and spend all your time beating yourself up for the one thing you fumbled. In a moment of euphoria she wanted to thank the American people for their history-making vote but it came out wrong. The GOP hate mongers jumped on that one mis-statement and has harped on it every since.
What a sad and divisive bunch you are. I would pity you if I didn't find your inability to understand and appreciate the First Lady so very dangerous. I feel certain if some tragedy were to befall the First Lady or the President you would all cheer and dance in the street just like the Palestinians did on 9/11. You are sad, pitiful, ugly people. Get some counseling, stop listening to Rush Limbaugh and try to do something positive with your negativity-filled lives.
juanita, I'd like to stick something in you.
No need to be nasty! We all have a right to our opinions. Nasty words show your class level.
As far as Obama and his wife....neither one has accomplished anything great in their lives. They are simply....just THERE. They have NO previous accomplishments. Nothing to be proud of.
The only thing I see in Michelle Obama is a crude lady that does not think before she speaks. Such as (on Oprah)...."My husband's feet stink, he has bad breath and leaves his dirty underwear on the floor. I won't let him in our bed....I sleep with my girls..."
Sorry....that was my first impression! Not a good one.
LIke your post, Paul. I agree she is crude. Those who disagree are most likely as crude, since they can't tell the difference.
LittleJoe - I'm still laughing at your post. Good one.
Biddy or not Juanita - she said it, and you can't change that, like you can't unring a bell. I stand by my comment that time will be her real judge.
Sues-343312...can I borrow that BARF BAG???
I admire Michelle Obama so much . . . what a great lady. I am also very impressed with Second Lady Jill Biden. These are two very talented and sincere ladies.
America is being well represented.
P.S. Maria Shriver is such a powerhouse as well! :)
I am so proud that Michelle Obama and Jill Biden represent us so capably. They have done a wonderful job.
And before the hateful comments continue---I would say the same thing about Laura Bush---she, too, represented our country all over the world in ways that we could be proud of. It is a thankless job to be a political spouse and these ladies do it beautifully.
I never had anything against the woman until she eluded that she had never been proud to be an American until he husband was elected President. That wasn't too bad, but then she proceeded to scare the bejeezus out of hispanic kids everywhere with her comment eluding that law enforcement was out to get their parents for being hispanic. Some things you just don't say to kids for political gain of the television viewers.
Allen you ar a dickhead!
There is not a single "first lady" in my own memory that I would down. They all back as far as Jackie were poised and helped their husbands present a good face to the public. In my opinion the least strong of these as a first lady was Hillary. But that is just because she had political aspirations of her own. It must have been hard to stand by him when she probably thought she could do a better job as commande-in-chief.
You're dreaming Nashville. I realize you are trying to be a supportive American. However, Michelle Obama is NOT a great first lady at all. And in time history will reveal a lot more than what you think you are admiring now. It always does after the fact. As for Steeler Fan I would say the same thing. Time and history will be her real judges.
For both of you since you are so easily swayed, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I like to sell you.
I beleive that all first ladies should be treated with respect even though this one did make the major gaff of saying the Proud to be an american now thingy. Until.....and here is the caveat, until they get involved in politic's. If you toss your self into the fray your fair game. And Mrs Obama is now fair game.
Good point LIttleJoe.
And what would a First Lady McCain be doing at this point? After changing Pres. McCain's diapers for the 10th time today, she would be hurling slices of cake from the residential floor of the White House down to the masses of poor that once was called the middle class.
Oh brother.
That was definitely unnecessary and uncalled for. Where in the post is there any reference to John McCain? Personally, I think the man has sold his soul for political benefits. But to turn this discussion when it's completely unrelated is a reach.
Pat: If I said what I think of you, I would be suspended from Newsvine. To say the least, you're not worth it. I'll quit now while I'm ahead.
Ah, Waterdog - Once again you've expressed my sentiments precisely.
Pat Huntington, NY, The horseman is scraping the barrels. All he has left is his wife. What a waste. To let the First Lady campaign. Everyone has jumped ship and only the 5th Horseman is left riding with his shovel. Americans, Hell is riding around the country. Vote for Americana.
are you insane? what a tool........
JuvenBachan - what a stupid comment. You must be smoking something!
We long ago established that Juvenbachan is the Fifth Horseman. He is IGNORANCE and he is the one who makes the depredations of the other four possible.
Death, War, Famine, Pestilence would not exist if not for IGNORANCE.
Ignore him at your peril for he is the harbinger of the other four.
women should be seen (in a bikini and heels , ask charley sheen) and not heard ..
i certainly hope you're kidding, lenny.
lol..
JuvenBachan, I have no idea what you just said. Not everyone has jumped ship. I am disappointed that Obama did not push harder for his agenda -- I wish we had single payer healthcare and that the financial bigwigs who caused the financial crisis were in jail. But I certainly would not vote for a republican and give the reins back to the people whose selfish self-interests got us into this mess. Note that I don't call them "idots" because I think that would be to let them off the hook. I think they know exactly what they're doing in continuing to obliterate the middle class.
well said, ssm.
sheep......
SSM - Yay!
Xanadu79 - moron!
I certainly hope she took her husband's teleprompter with her, eliminates "most" mistakes from her writer. Maybe the V.P. should do the same.
Now, I really wonder why she is upset that she is back on the campaign trail. I can hardly wait to hear her "motivating speeches" when she hits the stump for her husband's 2012 Lame Duck campaign.
Yep, I would be highly reluctant to hit the campaign trail again since the writing is on the wall.
Xanadu
SHEEP? The Lamb of God was also "sheep."
They didn't call Him the "Elephant of God" or the "Lion of God". He was the "Lamb of God" because he preached tolerance, understanding and above all PEACE.
If we are sheep, then you and Juven are certainly followers of the anti-christ, which in this anology would be Rupert Murdoch and beelzebub Rush Limbaugh.
I would much rather be "sheep" than a dung beetle like you.
Len, you might as well just type "I'm an unhappy person" and leave it at that. It's the same message received either way.
look you crackpot, I don't know who you are . you might as well type that Barry -411365 is an idiot and a loser. you're a J.O.
She is wonderful, huh? Flying around in OUR jet campaigning for folks who will keep her old man employed. He has lost all touch now I'm sure.
Never worked for a living before so why start now. Oh yeah, who is running the White House? They have both been on the road for about a month now. Guess the economy and immigration are not big deals when it comes to campaigning. That is what they do best you know.
Never worked for a living? You must have forgotten that both Michelle and Barack are Harvard trained lawyers and that Michelle was a lawyer in a top Chicago firm before even meeting Barack.
BT--your ignorance is showing. After her education at Harvard Law School, Michelle Obama worked for many years as an attorney, in a law firm and also for a hospital.
You also do not know that campaigns reimburse the government for the cost of travel on government planes. This happens with both parties.
Define "worked."
BT - you clearly have not knowledge of anything outside of your limited existence. Michelle Obama has been a successful attorney and also headed a hospital redevelopment program. And, when Bush was in office, he and Laura campaigned as much as the Obama's are.
Uh, W. Goin, you better check your own existence. Michelle Obama had her license to practice law revoke. Check it out. She was NOT successful at anything and will always be remembered for her nasty remark after her husband was nominated, I'm finally proud of my country. Of course that is not the exact quote, but rather the gist of it. You better read more posts and even more about MO. History will not be kind to this woman and well it shouldn't.
It does not matter whether Michelle enters into politics or not campaigning for democrats who are in trouble. This is not a campaign about looks, or charms or cute anecdotes. This is a campaign like no other in recent memory. It is about issues, it is about people and it is about getting even for false promises made, it is about raising false hopes for people who were hoping for change. It is about the unemployed who was left holding the bag. It is about revenge. It is about taking the country back.
Antonio - and you did so much better under the GOP? Hardly. Revenge is a dumb motive for voting. No one did anything to you personally. The whole country is in trouble and has been since the Bush agenda was put into action. It will take time to get us back on track and any reasonable person knows this.
Such a celebrity-driven culture...do these people really have any clue about real issues women and men face on a daily basis??..they are just looking for a stage and telling us how reluctant they are to be on that stage...gag!
Wow...what an idiot you are.
To all those that are critical of Michelle Obama, Jill Biden, Maria Shriver and for that matter the President: I ask, have you lost all decency? If the Republicans win On Nov 2nd what will you comlain about next. Once the Republicans get in power again, we ALL will experience the final collapse of the US economy. Read Krigmans article in the NY Times on Jumping the Chasm. He stated, correctly, that all the Republicans have done is prove they defeated Obama and then they will go back to the same policies they practiced during the Bush administration. they will offer no more unemployment insurance to the unemployed, they will privatize Social Security ( wont life be great when your Social Secuirty is reduced by 0-60% because the Wall Street greedies got greedy again) , Medicare will be curtailed. The country will finally experience the depression that Obama started to get us out of. How are the Republicans going to bring back the outsourced jobs? By deregulating business even more? Where are they gopig to cut the spending? What's next? A revolution because so many people went along with failed policies of the past that its only the small group of haves versus a very large group of people left with no hope.
God help us all. because on Nov 2nd I am afraid the lemings are going to vote in the Republicans and things will get very bad, very quickly. I give it two years and we are in the depression.
It's KrUgman. And for him, Obama isn't even liberal enough lol. And he didn't state the Republicans defeated Obama. He said Obama was not courageous enough to present a STRONGER economic stimulus plan. That his economics and economic advisers were failures. That they were totally wrong on their unemployment projections based on their OWN MATH. So blame Obama if you want to support Krugman. You had a Dem majority all this time for years anyway. The first "cut" is going to be the stupid stimulus money that's still unspent. The second one is going to be Obamacare, now that the true costs are being revealed day after day with every new study and report.
Do yourself a favor and look up Galveston opts out of Social Security 1981.
I will give you one link. http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba514
They did not invest in the stock market.
Their plan, put together by financial experts, was a "banking model" rather than an "investment model." To eliminate the risks of the up-and-down stock market, workers' contributions were put into conservative fixed-rate guaranteed annuities, rather than fluctuating stocks, bonds or mutual funds. Their results have been impressive: They've averaged an annual rate of return of about 6.5 percent over 24 years. And they've provided substantially better benefits in all three Social Security categories: retirement, survivorship and disability.
The current SS is unsustainable. We have went from 16:1 providing benefits for each worker in 1950 to 3:1 today. We can pretend a problem does not exist, or we can continue to pay for those drawing or near drawing age, and set up a different model for younger earners. One benefit of a new model.....Congress will not be able to touch it!
She also said her husband left her for hours and hours all night long traipsing around Chicago when her baby was young doing his ~organizing. Hard to believe she was so "against" politics considering Valerie Jarret was the one who hired her into her political office at a young age. Valerie Jarret the life long political operative and Chief of Staff to the Chicago MAYOR. eyeroll on you Michelle. Meanwhile, how does it work that POTUS and his wife and their huge staffs fly all over doing Dem campaigning on the taxpayer funds? Seriously how? Why doesn't the DNC have to foot that bill?
you are the most crazy people I have ever read about in this section. This country has had Presidents before. How do you think they travel? They did not pay their way. I am a tay payer and I saw my dollars go overseas and help others countries when the Rep. was in office we spent billions of dollars in helping them. The Rep. took our tax dollars and closed all the small businesses and took their insurance from them so they had to close. Where was your head the last eight years when we started this depression? Talk things you know and not what you don 't.
Truly sad when our celebrities (sic) are politicians, and especially when they are unqualified ones at that
Jill, Michelle lots of time for making cookies after Jan 2013
dumbass
You won't have to fear much more as Dumbo will be out of office in 2012. Relief.
I bet you said the same thing about Clinton in 1994. Boehner as Speaker guarantees an Obama victory in 2012.
I have to say how short sighted and with bad memories to boot so many Americans are. First--TARP was passed when Bush was in office and most GOP member voted for it. Second the stimulus did work, it saved us from a total collapse and a depression. The problem with the stimulus was it wasn't enough to counter continuing layoffs. Third the economic hole was deep but under Obama there has been more job creation in 18 months then in the 8 years of Bush. Fourth, I honestly believe that not all, but a significant number of Obama haters if they accepted all of the above as being accurate and then were asked if Obama should have a second term, the answer would still be know because they don't like having a black president and all these false reasons are just cover.
Good grief Steven, are you still using the Bush's fault whine? I thought all you guys gave that up a while ago. Guess not, you're here keeping it alive and not too well at that.
I'm with you J.Wesley. This was certainly a bad move on the part of the American people. The best we can hope for now is the big change - when he's voted out in 2012. For me it can't come soon enough. I say we send him and his family on vacation till next election before he does anymore damage. Besides, vacationing is what she does best anyway. How about staying on a permanent one.
Oops-==last sentence should read . . .the answer would still be NO because they don't like having a black president and all these false reasons are just cover.
Old fat legs should have left her big bulbous butt at home and kept out of this losing effort by her jug eared husband.
It's so sad you losers who denigrate the Obamas' WOULD NEVER in person confront anyone unless you are within a mob, or touting a firearm. I know this to be true when I confronted a man with a caricature of the President as Hitler, I told him be a man and stop with the fake "it's about the the deficit " crap and admit it's because he's BLACK, having said this to him he went "off message" and admitted yeah that was true but....
Wake up folks this country like it or not is moving towards anglos being the minority and It's killing you folks, How's that WORKIN' OUT FOR YA!
wow...anyone who doesn't agree with Obama is a racist...seems like i've heard this before...get ready for the landslide....it's coming
Michelle seems out of place in politics, she seems to decent to do something like that. It's like she stepping down into something icky, and you just cringe, please don't do that. She needs to clean up good after that, maybe just soak for a day or two. It would be alright if it were just sensible adults discussing things, but alot of this stuff is just plain filth. She should just stay above the fray, we know how she votes, people need someone like that in all this filth. Elections are just for the bad side of America to come out, get center stage, it's not for decent people. So much of the election stuff is just below the dignity of good people. So many just say and do such vile things, it's just not appropriate for many good people, voting is sufficient. No need to get down in all that filth.
No he is just another misinformed, ill advised, media shepherded air headed American that doesn't know a good thing when he sees it. What is sad is that his type are multiplying exponentially these days.