Michelle Obama's Performance

On Monday night Michelle Obama took center stage in Denver, Colorado and tried to present a different and softer image from what voters had gotten use to. Furthermore, she tried to convey some specific messages to persuade voters going into November that Obama is their man. The reviews as to whether she achieved such objectives, thus far, have been mixed at best.

Democrat strategist James Carville had little good to say about the convention, saying “Well, if this party has a message it has done a hell of a job of hiding it tonight I promise you that,” Carville said on CNN Monday night. “Right now like I say we are playing hide the message pretty good.”

Michelle Obama has described the US as "mean" and, until her husband enjoyed national electoral success, she wasn't very proud of it. One of her main objectives was to placate the concerns of many over what type of First Lady would be in the White House. Historically, one of the prerequisites for being in the White House was being a fan of this country. Because of the statements above, people have had their doubts. She attempted to wipe out those concerns by announcing that she "loves this country." The jury seems to be out as to whether this statement alone will reverse concerns.

She jumped in with an effort to show that she and her family was like so many others around the country. A person who was concerned about her daughters and who wants to provide hope for all Americans who have been "left out." Her husband didn't take a fancy Wall Street job (typical of a fresh Ivy League graduate), but worked in the inner city and represented those who were largely without hope.

Although she loves this country, she also said there is the "America that is" and the "America that should be." The latter one seems markedly different than the ones we all know and makes many wonder what she loves about this country? That remained unanswered in her speech.

She spent part of her time doing an inventory of the many great things done by others. Joe Biden, who "represents" the working class and is a voice for so many Americans who have "no hope" and Hillary Clinton (whose delegates are still less than happy) was praised for the contributions the Senator has made for the advancement of women in politics.

In the end, the presentation was largely a family friendly infomercial. Michelle was articulate and passionate, but she expended energy in a speech that most will find of little lasting value. James Carville has said that the Republicans should be a party on the run and in total defensive mode. Neither Edward Kennedy nor Michelle Obama acted as people who saw the Democrats as a party on the move. Instead, Michelle Obama behaved as a woman who has a party and a husband that needs to be defended. That has Obama and the Democrats operating from a position of weakness instead of strength. That is not the way to begin a convention.

The truth may be in the numbers. Typically such speeches by potential First Ladies lead to a polling bump. Obama's Gallop Poll numbers are down two percent since the speech. Again, not the way to begin a convention.

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Is Michelle Obama About to Fade?

Rumor has it, the aspiring First Lady and spouse of Barack Obama will be seen much less on the campaign trail and much more at home raising her young daughters. The question being asked by many isn't "why", but "why did it take so long?" She has tried to position herself in a way very similar to Hillary Clinton when her husband ran for President in 1992. Hillary, too, had to tone it down after promises of getting "two for the price of one" started to turn off voters.

Michelle Obama has, in many respects, been the Republicans best weapon. Here are just a few of the controversies surrounding her:

* Following electoral success of her husband, Michelle declared that she was proud of her country "for the first time." There are things our government does that makes me less than happy, but I have always been proud of this country. This is a sentiment shared by the vast majority of Americans and her statement has continued to haunt her.

* She has actually complained about the high costs of her and Barack Obama's student loans. She has been privileged to go to Princeton University to do her undergraduate work and went on to graduate from Harvard Law School. Meanwhile, her poor husband received his BA from Columbia University and went on to Harvard Law. As a result, they have made millions in salaries, books, and he had relationships that contributed to a successful career in politics. For some reason, I'm not hearing violins.

* Finally there is the statement reported in New Yorker that largely slipped under the radar screen. According to the magazine: "(Michelle) Obama begins with a broad assessment of life in America in 2008, and life is not good: we're a divided country, we're a country that is 'just downright mean,' we are 'guided by fear,' we're a nation of cynics, sloths, and complacents. 'We have become a nation of struggling folks who are barely making it every day,' she said, as heads bobbed in the pews. 'Folks are just jammed up, and it's gotten worse over my lifetime. And, doggone it, I'm young. Forty-four!'"

It will be interesting to see if Michelle Obama attempts to reinvent herself. In the mean time, the above examples begs the question, why didn't they have her "fade" long before today?

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Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

The Message Behind New Yorker's Obama Cover

The recent cover of New Yorker Magazine, a publication noted for a liberal bent and elitist flare, shocked most readers this month with a satarical depiction of Mr. and Mrs. Obama celebrating their victory in the Oval Office of the White House. In the drawing, Barack Obama is wearing a turban and his wife is sporting an Afro and carrying a machine gun. Meanwhile, in the background you see an American flag burning in the fire place and a picture of Osama Bin Laden hanging on the wall.

Both the Obama and McCain campaignd have declared the cover "offensive" and there is an expectation of an apology. It was suppose to be funny, even outrageous, but for some reason it has struck a nerve. New Yorker Editor David Remnick told the Huffington Post that “Obviously I wouldn’t have run a cover just to get attention — I ran the cover because I thought it had something to say. What I think it does is hold up a mirror to the prejudice and dark imaginings about Barack Obama’s — both Obamas’ — past, and their politics, I can’t speak for anyone else’s interpretations, all I can say is that it combines a number of images that have been propagated, not by everyone on the right but by some, about Obama’s supposed ‘lack of patriotism’ or his being ‘soft on terrorism’ or the idiotic notion that somehow Michelle Obama is the second coming of the Weathermen or most violent Black Panthers. That somehow all this is going to come to the Oval Office.”

The same magazine has depicted Bush as a maid serving Dick Cheney (reported by Fox News) and even a "Brokeback Mountain" comparison between the President and Vice President. Bush and Cheney wisely ignored the comparisons because they are laughable. But Obama has been up in arms, almost as though the satire hits a little too close to home. Many are convinced that he is protesting too much for his own good.

Many Americans actually believe Obama is Muslim (12 percent according to Newsweek). Bloomberg was early in reporting Obama's relationship with "William Ayers, a former member of the radical group the Weather Underground who is now a professor of education at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Ayers donated $200 in 2001 to Obama’s Illinois state Senate campaign and served with him from 1999 to 2002 on the board of the Woods Fund, an anti-poverty group."

"The Weather Underground carried out a series of bombings in the early 1970s — including the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon. While Ayers was never prosecuted for those attacks, he told the New York Times in an interview published Sept. 11, 2001, that 'I don’t regret setting bombs.'
Bill Burton, Obama’s spokesman, said Ayers 'does not have a role on the campaign.' Ayers said he had no comment on his relationship with Obama." These are the type of stories that have over shadowed Obama for months and would have likely derailed his campaign if they came out early. I'm sure this will keep Hillary Clinton anxiously waiting in the wings.

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Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

Barack Obama's Legacy

There is no question that Barack Obama will go down in history as one of the most significant individuals in US political history. Love him or hate him, he is huge on the political landscape. This is true, regardless if he wins or loses. He is the first African-American candidate that was able to break the color barrier and transcend virtually all ethnic groups. But will that be his legacy?

Certainly that would have been the case at the beginning of this election cycle with his theme of "unity" seen through out his literature, commercials, and messages. But will that be his historic legacy? The following are some areas that could harm that reputation.

* The issue of elitism

His words are now famous: "You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them," Obama said. "And it's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." Such elitist rhetoric tends to divide, not unify.

* His United Church of Christ

Obama finally walked away from his beloved church of twenty years, but most would describe that action as "too little, too late." This came after his former pastor, Rev. Wright, was found yelling "God d--- America" and sounding very supportive of the attacks the US has faced on video and a Catholic priest, Michael Pfleger who described Hillary Clinton as an entitled racist, who believed she should get the nomination just because she is white. This offends most Americans and was the straw that "broke the camel's back" and lead to Obama breaking ties with the church.

* Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama stirred quite a ruckus when she said that "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country," she told a Milwaukee crowd, "because it feels like hope is making a comeback." This was shocking to most Americans. We may not like some of the things are country does, but I am proud of this nation every day. Most Americans fit that bill.

Later Mrs. Obama complained about her huge student loans she and her husband have had to pay for their undergraduate and law educations. She doesn't mention that, partly as a result of those educations, they both made over $4 million last year in salaries and book sales. Furthermore, she failed to mention that she attended Princeton and Barack attended Columbia, and that they both attended Harvard Law School. They probably should have went to more affordable schools or, at the very least, be extremely grateful to have the opportunity to attend the most elite schools in the country and to have the incomes to afford such. This separates them from the rest of us.

Any of these on their own would leave a devastating impact on a politician's legacy. Combined they have the potential of taking an individual who has clearly worked very hard to appeal to many and making him one who is historically recognized as acceptable to few.

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Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.