Memo to Michelle Obama: Toughen Up Sweetie

Any presidential candidate that puts their spouse or any member of their family on the campaign trail making speeches has to accept that those people are going to be scrutinized just as the candidate will or should be. The Obamas need to toughen up and accept that if Michelle is going to be shooting her mouth off on the campaign trail she is going to be attacked.

Remember my campaign slogan: DON'T RE-ELECT INCUMBENTS!

 

Memo To Michelle Obama: Toughen Up Sweetie

Posted 5/20/2008 6:09 AM CDT

In an interview with Good Morning America, during which Barack Obama called the so-called attacks on his wife Michelle "low class" and "detestable" and warned the Republicans to "lay off my wife" he seems to ignore a basic reality of politics–when someone chooses to enter the political arena, whatever they say becomes fair game for the other side.

Responding to an ad by Tennessee Republicans in which they used Mrs. Obama’s remarks about being proud of her country for the first time in her adult life, Obama said this:

"The GOP, should I be the nominee, I think can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record," Obama said. "I've been in public life for 20 years. I expect them to pore through everything that I've said, every utterance, every statement. And to paint it in the most undesirable light possible. That's what they do."

But I do want to say this to the GOP. If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful. Because that I find unacceptable," he said."

The Obamas seem to have forgotten how those in their campaign "attacked" Bill Clinton for statements he has made while campaigning for Hillary. Lord knows I’m not one to defend the Clintons, but fair is fair. Bill was criticized sharply for calling Obama’s lack of experience "a roll of the dice", for calling Obama’s opposition to the war a "fairy tale", and for his comparison of Obama to Jesse Jackson after South Carolina. Retired Gen. McPeak, an Obama co-chair, even compared Bill to Joe McCarthy at one point.

Cindy McCain’s lack of disclosure of her tax returns has been in the news as well. In fact the DNC has promised that it will continue to be an issue during the general election campaign.

When the Obamas complain about what they perceive as unfair tactics it comes across as whining, just as it does when Hillary laments about the alleged media bias against her. Again, if a spouse injects themselves into the campaign process, like it or not, their words and their actions are going to be fodder for the opposition.

My advice to Mrs. Obama is this; you’re in the big leagues now, sweetie (sorry ladies I couldn’t resist the temptation) either get a thicker skin or get off the stage.