More from Michelle Obama on ‘Pride’
By Sarah Wheaton
February 20, 2008, 5:49 pm
Michelle Obama sought today to clarify her “pride” in her country after two days of criticism, most notably from her potential Republican counterpart.
In Milwaukee on Monday, the wife of Senator Barack Obama said, “For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country. Not just because Barack is doing well, but I think people are hungry for change.”
Asked today to clarify the remark by a local news station in Rhode Island, which holds its primary during the next round, on March 4, she said, “What I was clearly talking about was that I’m proud in how Americans are engaging in the political process,” according to the Associated Press. “For the first time in my lifetime, I’m seeing people rolling up their sleeves in a way that I haven’t seen and really trying to figure this out — and that’s the source of pride that I was talking about.”
She added that she has “absolutely” always felt proud of her country and that she and her husband owed where they are today to America’s possibilities.
Some saw her original comments as ungrateful, and on Tuesday, Cindy McCain, wife of Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, told a Brookfield, Wis., audience, “I’m proud of my country. I don’t know about you – if you heard those words earlier – I’m very proud of my country.’’ It was widely seen as a swipe at Mrs. Obama. |
