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“She will do things that fit in with what she cares about, like health care reform and the implications it has for family and kids,” said Camille Johnston, Obama’s director of communications. “She will spend her time focusing on where policy and people intersect.”
For the health care reform push, which got something of a reboot last week with President Barack Obama’s address to Congress, the aim is for the first lady’s imprimatur to put a friendly face and a noncontroversial spin on a complex, highly partisan issue.
She won’t get into the weeds on health care, pushing specific details or plans as Clinton did. Instead, she’ll make the soft, soccer-mom sell, highlighting the need to eat healthy, exercise and get preventive care. On Friday, Michelle Obama will appear at an event where women and families will talk about the health care system, and she will deliver remarks that will “amplify the president’s message on the need for health insurance reform,” according to the White House.
This is great for two reasons.
1. It's tough to protest Michelle, she's more popular than her husband is right now (and contrary to popular opinion, he's still pretty popular), and she's not actually IN office. Sure there will be some assholes out there who try to start something, but it won't be nearly as bad as the jerks that go after Obama. Also, I think the backlash would be A LOT worse if they go after Michelle, especially since she won't be wading into the weeds on the policy and legislative stuff.
2. She's a GREAT person to pitch what her husband's health care plan will mean to the average person. Anyone who saw her give speeches during the campaign knows that she just has this ability to connect to people (and she tends to NOT use a teleprompter). She can (and apparently will) break it down so the average person can understand how the reforms will affect them which will more likely ADD to the level of support Obama's plan has now.
I think this further cements the fact that President Obama is planning to finish out health care by treating it like a campaign, which as someone pointed out on MSNBC last Saturday is the best way for him to go about it because we KNOW he's a kick-ass campaigner. Michelle will be another way for President Obama to talk PAST/OVER the talking-heads and straight to the American people.
All in all, I'm excited we'll get to see more of our First Lady! I guess now that the girls are back in school, she's got to have something to fill her time :o)
Cross-Posted@ DailyKos
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