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Cliff Owen / AP
First lady Michelle Obama has her photograph made with patrons at Mom's Apple Pie Bakery in Occoquan, Va., Thursday, June 7, 2012.
DALE CITY, VA --- Campaigning for her husband in Virginia's vote-rich Prince William County on Thursday, first lady Michelle Obama focused on women's economic and physical well-being, telling a largely female crowd of supporters that the administration's efforts to offer preventative health services like contraception isn't an election year ploy.
"Protecting women’s health is a mission that has nothing to do with politics,” she told an audience of about 700 volunteers and Obama backers. “It’s about ensuring that women have the screenings we need to stay healthy and the health care we need when we are sick and it’s about ensuring that women can make basic health decisions for ourselves."
The first lady, in one of her first solo appearances open to reporters, emphasized the president's push for equal pay for women, whom she said often serve as "the breadwinners" in American families.
"It is now easier for women to get equal pay for equal work," she said to applause.
Mrs. Obama urged supporters to keep those accomplishments in mind when they boost the president in conversations with people in their communities.
And that includes "the yoga people."
"Reach out to your friends and your neighbors and your colleagues and your congregation and your social club members," she said. "And the other ladies you have tea with, and the people you walk with in the morning, and the yoga people," she said.
The first lady appeared in Virginia's Prince William County, an area that George W. Bush won handily in 2000 and 2004 but that swung in Obama's favor by a 58 percent to 42 percent margin in 2008. The diverse audience at the event appeared to reflect the area's cultural melting-pot; per the Census Bureau, African-American and Latino residents make up more than half of Dale City's population.
Minority populations -- as well as female voters -- will be key to Obama's efforts to beat Mitt Romney in battleground Virginia in the fall.
That's a fight that will not be easy, she added.
"This election will be closer than the last one," she said. "That we can count on."
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What a class act our First Lady is!
Intelligence, warmth, beauty, wit, strength, wife, mother & grace all wrapped into the real deal!
Barack is a very lucky man! ;o)
First Lady Michelle is out there working hard for military families, children and family health. She is a great role model for mother and women everywhere. A very caring and brilliant woman.
"It is now easier for women to get equal pay for equal work," she said.
President Obama supports and advocates strengthening the benefits of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, via the Paycheck Fairness Act. He continues to look out for fair pay for women - knowing we are all healthier and safer because of it.
Today, women earn 77 cents on the dollar compared to men for the same work. The gap widens for minorities.
The first bill President Obama signed into Law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, helping victims of unequal pay to make claims with less difficulty. In 2010, he established the National Equal Pay Task Force to improve enforcement of equal pay laws. The Equal Pay App. Challenge encourages greater access to interactive tools and data online, to empower women on issues of pay.
This makes me sick Backhouse!
Even worse, if Willard somehow sneaks into the WH - we'll be earning 50 cents on the dollar!
We are very fortunate to have a bright, elegant, classy and warm First Lady representing our country. She and Jill Biden adopting the military families as their area of focus is heart-warming. She is doing a wonderful job in that area as well as addressing childhood obesity. And, she is a great role model for young women.
What a class act!
Obama/Biden 2012 (with Michelle and Jill)
Compare her to the alternative who feels "it's her turn to be First Lady".
Can you imagine..?
BLECH - NO thanks!
I thought equal pay for equal work was settled a long while back. But then again, I thought birth control was too....
PS. Hey Vag-Bob, If you're out there anywhere, Michelle is in town, and she's gunning for ya!
Obama/Biden - 2012
Bob in VA is hiding. Real women scare the sh*t out of him!
Feisty, you ain't kidding!
If Romney and the Big Corporations were to take over the WH, we would be completely knackered.
They will take away every conceivable workers' right, every safety net, every ladder of opportunity to make it in the 21st century.
The top income group has increased its wealth by 275% over the last 30 years, while ours completely flatlined or dropped.
The richest group in America, already the most wealthy in the history of the world, refuses to pay fair taxes or increase US revenues.
With the help of GOP Norquistians, they will cut the rest of us to ribbons.
Feisty - exactly what makes it a person's "turn" to be first lady? I'm still trying to figure that one out. What exactly has Anne done to make it her turn? Has she achieved anything? Assisted anyone? Done anything except kowtow to Mitt? Me thinks not and I will not accept that it is her turn for anything - except to ride the car elevator!
Obama/Biden 2012
Feisty - exactly what makes it a person's "turn" to be first lady? I'm still trying to figure that one out. What exactly has Anne done to make it her turn? Has she achieved anything? Assisted anyone? Done anything except kowtow to Mitt?
Seeking - No! But she can bake a helluva cake........
looks like the Righties are staying away from this issue. They know they're screwed when it comes to women......
Obama/Biden 2012
Can you say entitlement? lol
Everything in her life has been handed to her, why not this as well..?
Feisty - because we say "NO"
GT - so says Mitt but my guess is his taste leaves a lot to be desired!
GT,
There are problems with the 1963 Equal Pay Act. Like, it is illegal to tell someone else what your pay.
The Paycheck Fairness Act straightens out a lot of difficulties that women run into.
Equal pay was a bi-partisan issue until 2010. Presumably, GOP Senators had daughters and wives before 2010, as well as after 2010.
Seeking Sanity: "She and Jill Biden adopting the military families as their area of focus is heart-warming."
Especially since they DON'T just do it when there are cameras around. Jill Biden actually started working with Delaware Boots on the Ground long before she and Joe came to Washington, and would have made a great First Lady herself. I think it's a shame they get so little publicity for all the hard work they do, but that's the way they want it. They are both class acts all the way.
JoAnne - could not agree more. They do a great job and it's one they constantly do. We really got winners in those two - and their husbands!
Hey, by the way.....wasn't somebody trying to claim this morning that the President was looking "defeated"? I just went over to The Obama Diary to see the pictures from Michelle's event and you should check out the ones from his appearance at UNLV today. Wow, I just wish I was that "defeated"!
It was the same dimwit who is claiming she can read internal polls by someones body language! lmao!
How many people have to take their supposed resume to Kinko's to get it bound?
Backhouse - Didn't mean that way back. Didn't the Ledbetter act pass when Obama first took office? If so, wouldn't that constitute the Fair Pay Act?
Wow - definitely a dearth of the usual "haters." I can't believe they finally grew some integrity and are not going to attack our First Lady. I can hope but I find it really hard to believe!
Hey Seeking, Don't bet on it! They'll be back. They have to figure out how to put some spin on it.....
It's actually kind of boring without the little nimrods around......
GT, Hi and in response to your q. about the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
Check out for broad update and details from -
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/06/04/fact-sheet-fighting-equal-pay-and-paycheck-fairness-act
An excerpt on from FACTSHEET FOR EQUAL PAY AND THE PACYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT:
"The very first bill that President Obama signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay
Act, which extended the time period in which claimants can bring pay
discrimination claims, enabling countless victims of pay discrimination to seek
redress where they otherwise could not. The Ledbetter Act supersedes the
Supreme Court's decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.,
Inc., 550 U.S. 618 (2007), which had required a compensation discrimination
charge to be filed within 180 days of any discriminatory pay decision. The
unfortunate result of this ruling was to put justice out of reach for many
victims of pay discrimination, because employees rarely know so quickly that
they are being paid in a discriminatory manner. This was the case for Lilly
Ledbetter, who made less than her male colleagues doing the same jobs for over a
decade before someone left her an anonymous note informing her of this inequity."
Thx for the info, Backhouse.
Compared to carrot top, probably.... but I will never forget Mrs Obama's words at a flag ceremony last 4th of July: "all of this for a damn flag!" guess she thought that whispered comment to Barry wouldn't have been recorded.
classy no, shameful yes!
Good to see you GT.
Unequal pay for women is not an issue for many Republicans who have argued that women have already enjoyed equal pay - but the apparent inequality is due to the fact that women voluntarily take time off work to take care of family members, family issues, and other personal issues, thus pay deductions. Not employer's fault, it's women's own fault. That's the Republican argument.
Is it true?
BTW, Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts was under scrutiny from women's groups during his confirmation a few years ago. His previous court opinion before joining the Supreme Court was that it's natural for women to earn less because of family duties and other related reasons.
Bill T........that has never been proven. Why I ask you are you willing to believe the worst of our wonderful First Lady? If you could answer that here honestly it would make your post more honest.
That was originally sent around by some nasty rightwingers who are only too willing to smear the President and First Lady, again I ask, tell me why.?
She was originally of accused of that at a 9/11 ceremony, not on the 4th of July, so right there you lie. Read this explanation from snopes and if you have a shred of decency in your miserable right wing bones you will give her the benefit of the doubt. http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/forflag.asp#PoH0bi5vw38pkY8j.03
Bill, that was a pretty popular YouTube video for a while... I first saw it on my local news show who aired it the week it occurred. Can't find it anymore... and didn't hear anything more about it from the liberal media...of course, no surprise there, lol!
When she said it to Obama he just nodded and smiled and continued to watch the Scottish bagpipers play. You know that smile... arms crossed and chin up! Etched into my memory like it was yesterday!
Bill T,
Sorry to correct you but it was at a 9/11 ceremony. People see what they want to see, and three different lip readers came up with three different views.
Lip readers, that cracks me up.
That's correct thetotas... it was at a 9/11 function last Sept
GM, No one believes snopes anymore... especially when it comes to stories about Obama or stories linked to Obama. They've been outed as being biased and error in favor of the President on several postings.
As a matter of fact, the couple that run snopes have stayed in the White House as guests of the Obama's, not a positive for impartiality wouldn't you say? We don't use snopes anymore for political fact checking preferring instead other websites that do the same and w/o the bias!
I've seen the same clip and believe Michelle did say those words, but I'm admittedly biased myself, lol! I suppose snopes refuted her words at the inaugaration as well, "For the First time in my life, I'm proud of my country". Have to agree with Bill on this... no class Michelle, no class!
Feisty (aka MSNBC): That has already been done. Have you been asleep or are you trying to create a liberal issue where none exists. BTW: This is another case of Obama creating laws that don't exist. Maybe he should direct his Attorney General to prosecute -- I'm sure Holder, if directed, can find something to hang his hat on. BTW: Do you really think that Obama is not complicit in Holder's deceptions to congress and ignoring it's subpoenas. Obama's campaign tactics as spouted out by you (MSNBC) make me sick.
Robin Hot (I doubt it) in MN - SNOPES HAS NEVER been proved to be anything but accurate you stupid liar. And, Bill T - that was disproved over and over. Why is it you republicans have to resort to lies? If I constantly had to lie to promote my candidate - I'd pick another candidate.
Robin, Bill, Gil - the rest of you Gross Old Perverts - liars all of you. You prove there is no sanity, class, intelligence or integrity in the GOP!
Wow ! Seeking Sanity is on YET ANOTHER rant of personal attacks ! You call one person a "stupid liar", then you refer to Robin, Bill and Gil as "Gross Old Perverts" ..... before finishing with a carpet-bombing attack on all in the GOP saying their is no sanity, class, intelligence or integrity !!
Geez, do you have some health issues there girl or what ???? You and Feasty seem to always be focused on name-calling with sexual connations .
Michelle is simply being used by her husband as yet another "tool" for his re-election attempt. She is now in a bunch of "public service type" commercials because Obama wants her to be a rock star like him, They are always seeking the camera ..... Narcissist Obama and Michelle !
Maybe they plan on Hollywood career attempts after Obama is thrown out of office.
Woops ! Should be "connotations" above...... or maybe just "hangups" would be more accurate.
Thought equal
For the first time in my life, I'm proud of our First Lady.
There she goes, giving encouragement and purpose to a Republican enemy. Partisan sedition against a government in the congress that has done nothing.