Stacy Schiff, writing at NY Mag comes up with an exercise in sycophancy: Sexual Politics
How long has it been since a First Couple seemed to want each other?
From the initial question, I guess we’re supposed to believe that forty-one married men who have held the office of President of the US (not counting James Buchanan, the one bachelor) led lives of total celibacy once inaugurated. And then came Obama, who saved the White House from being an eternal monastery:
only now are we discovering what a functioning marriage between equals actually looks like.
I take it we’re to believe all first couples prior to the current one were marriages of unequals.
It only goes downhill from there,
But we’re in uncharted territory here. The gesture is sweetly old-fashioned, redolent of letter sweaters, gallantry, and Cary Grant. The girl is spicy and newfangled. She’s ushering us around a social corner as much as a political one. Professional rivals, Rock and Doris leaped out of bed in those pj’s the year Obama was born; only now are we discovering what a functioning marriage between equals actually looks like. Michelle Obama promises to resolve the mystery Mrs. Spitzer, Mrs. Edwards, and Mrs. McCain left us helplessly to contemplate: What purpose does the political wife serve if she is neither accessory nor casualty? After decades of fake financials and fictitious balance sheets, WMDs that weren’t there and detention centers that were, our new First Lady is the genuine article.
Forgive me if I’m dense but is it really flattering to be compared to WMDs, “fake financials” and detention centers?
She has a real body—arms! Legs! Curves! And she has a real marriage. Here are two people whose bodies speak as eloquently as their words, who hold each other up, who between them get the temperature just right.
Mixed metaphors, strings of non sequiturs, and inappropriate name-dropping are not enough to make a point, noooo, we also get! exclamation! points!
No wonder Malkin gave it the Drool Bucket Award of the day.
Anyway, I’ve always thought George and Martha had the hots for each other. You may remember them as the first First Couple.
UPDATE
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God, that was nauseating. Where’s the barf-bag when I need it.
The Adams were a pretty close couple, too. And I want to see Ms. Schiff try to tell me Ron and Nancy didn’t have “a functioning marriage between equals.”
Blech.
Cue Shirley Temple Music! “On the goooood ship, Lolipop…” What planet are these people from?
Someone bonk them over the head with a history book. Get some perspective people! Oh, that’s right those folks have never actually BEEN to any of the flyover states to see how Married couples behave from this neck of the woods. Too used to all that PDA/hollywood stuff. lord.
Nal
What amused me was the comparison to Rock Hudson and Doris Day, which of course just goes to show that chemistry can be faked; I don’t think Rock was really that into her.
My God, these people are just sickening. I don’t know how the Obama’s can stand (and encourage) this gob-smackingly nauseating ass-kissing.
Check out McGurn’s column at the WSJ, called Dissing Laura Bush. Michelle Obama has no class. One well-placed word from a staffer could stop these sycophantic sex columns and insist that credit be given to Laura Bush. Michelle herself could show a little humility and a little reverence for the role of First Lady. Instead she coming over like Paris Hilton–anything to get noticed. She is just like her husband: both want to ingratiate themselve with the social set of Washington and show how cool they are. They are more interested in being the trendy first couple than doing their jobs.
McGurn graciously calls Michelle accomplished. Where are her accomplishments? All I see are a list of schools and postions achieved through Chicago political connections and affirmative action and perhaps an earmark. I don’t think she is the brightest light, but she certainly has the clout to get a better advisor. Perhaps one who actually likes our country more than the editors of lifestyle magazines.