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MICHELLE OBAMA TO SPEAK ABOUT WORKING FAMILIES IN DC TODAY.
Barring some unforeseen circumstance, I'll be reporting later today from the Washington Hilton, where Michelle Obama will be speaking at the National Partnership for Women and Families annual luncheon. EMILY's List founder and president Ellen Malcolm, a once die-hard Hillary supporter who last week endorsed Barack, will also be there.
The National Partnership is a great organization that originally drafted the Family Leave Act in the 1980s and has been instrumental in defending it ever since. Hillary Clinton spoke often about the FMLA during her run, greatly exaggerating her role in passing the bill, which was the first her husband signed once he was sworn into office in 1993. In fact, the key players were Pat Schroeder, Chris Dodd, and Ted Kennedy. Still, Clinton's focus on the issue, as well as on pay equity for women, were welcome additions to the campaign, and mantles that I expect Michelle Obama will take up in her speech today. It should be an interesting corollary to her husband's speech last week on fatherhood. So stay tuned.
--Dana Goldstein
COMMENTS (6)
I'd be interested to know, Dana, if there's anything in the speech on universal pre-k.
Posted by: Bart Acocella | June 20, 2008 11:08 AM
Sure thing, Bart, I'll keep my ears open for that.
Posted by: Dana | June 20, 2008 11:17 AM
Slighlty off topic, but I must confess that I'm fascinated by this woman. As a black woman growing up poor, she and other prominent black people have demonstrated that anyone who wishes to plan and work hard can achieve most anything, even if you're black and poor. What a country!!!
Was this really just luck or do you think she worked hard and planned hard?
The individual is the most powerful force in that individual's life, for good or bad. It's unrealistic to point to those who abuse alchohol, drugs are lazy or simply don't wish to go to school and label them all victims.
Go Michelle
Posted by: El Viajero | June 20, 2008 11:30 AM
El Viajero, Michelle herself has corrected this notion that she grew up "poor." She grew up in a solidly middle class neighborhood in a solidly middle class family. Despite being disabled with multiple sclerosis, her father held a job for decades with the City of Chicago. Despite having "low test scores" (by Michelle's own admission) she made it into Princeton, presumably thanks to affirmative action and the nepotistic policies that allow a sibling to follow another (her brother got in on an athletic scholarship) into these Ivy League institutions. I wouldn't say she's done it all on luck; she's had a huge boost from White guilt and elitist privilege, too.
Posted by: arhooley | June 20, 2008 1:42 PM
Despite having "low test scores" (by Michelle's own admission) she made it into Princeton, presumably thanks to affirmative action...
Ouch! I wonder if Barack benefitted and will be our first Affirmative Action president. Actually, he's benefitting from white guilt now. If he were a white guy, he would never be considered for the presidency with his zero experience.
Posted by: El Viajero | June 20, 2008 2:33 PM
Michelle Obama was a "Legacy" admission into Princeton (like so many more white people, that go to those Ivy League institutions). Her Brother, was a great athlete, as well as a "smart" student (otherwise he wouldn't of gotten in), and that allowed him admission Arhooley.
Posted by: MSL | June 20, 2008 4:42 PM