FIRST LADIES
Michelle Obama’s Melania Trump Diss Shows Just How Bitter This Election Is
Kate Andersen Brower
Sep 21, 2016
Presidential campaigns are tough, but among the First Ladies, there is usually an unspoken civility and sisterhood. Back in 2008, when Barack Obama was running for president, his wife Michelle was heavily criticized when she said off-the-cuff, “For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.” It was George W. Bush’s wife, Laura, who came to Michelle Obama's defense, demonstrating the empathy that most first ladies have for the candidate’s spouse during the campaign, even when that spouse is married to someone from the opposing political party.
“I think she probably meant I’m ‘more proud,’ you know, is what she really meant,” Laura Bush said sympathetically. “You have to be very careful in what you say.”
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While researching my book, First Women,about the modern first ladies, I found that there is a camaraderie among these women, from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama, who have stood by their husbands all the while being expected to play the role of the perfect wife, mother and role model.
But such compassion is strikingly absent now, as the 2016 presidential election has become more personal and bitter than any we’ve seen in recent history.
That was evident last night, when Michelle Obama told Stephen Colbert in an interview on The Late Show that she had “no sympathy” for the opposing candidate’s spouse on the campaign trail. “You have to be in it,” Michelle said, in a not-so-subtle dig at Donald Trump's wife Melania. “Bottom line is, if I didn’t agree with what Barack was saying, I would not support his run. I stand there proudly and I hope they are too, standing with their spouses proudly. So, no sympathy!” |
