Posted on 09/12/2008 7:23:00 AM PDT by Mike Bates
On ABC News's Political Punch blog, senior national correspondent Jake Tapper writes "Why Wasn't Michelle Obama at the 9/11 Ceremony?"
Some readers have asked me why it was that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was without spouse at the 9/11 commemoration ceremony today in New York City.
After all, they point out, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was accompanied by his wife Cindy.
Where was Michelle?
The Obama campaign responds that Michelle was back in Chicago with her daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, since this is the first week of school.
The McCain kids, incidentally, have all graduated from high school (some long ago) with the exception of Bridget, who's 16.
CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer questioned White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux about Michelle Obama's whereabouts on CNN's Situation Room today:
BLITZER: Do we know why -- why Michelle Obama decided not to come, or has the Obama campaign explained that?
MALVEAUX: Wolf, they haven't actually explained that. And since -- since we have seen these pictures, I have e-mailed two people from the Obama campaign to see if we can get an answer to that question, whether or not she was with the daughters, taking care of something else at the time, and why it is that she wasn't able to make it today.
Later, Malveaux had the explanation:
MALVEAUX: Well, Michelle Obama was in Chicago. It was the first week of school for their young daughters, Sasha and Malia. So, she felt it was important to be with them for this week.
All parents can appreciate the importance of being there for young children as they begin a new school year. Unfortunately, Michelle Obama wasn't able to be with her daughters yesterday. As reported today by the Indianapolis Star:
FISHERS, Ind. -- Michelle Obama on Wednesday described her struggles to balance career and family -- and spoke of the guilt she often feels when she shortchanges either one.
But her presentation before a mostly female, friendly crowd of 250 in reliably Republican Hamilton County was about more than underscoring that she and her husband, Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, understood family pressures.
Even then, Obama wasn't done for the day. UPI detailed her Wednesday evening:
The National Black Baptist Convention meeting in Cincinnati warmly welcomed Michelle Obama who called on members to "struggle for the world as it should be."
Obama had to wait for the crowd of about 7,000 to calm down before she could begin her speech Wednesday night, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. She began by telling the National Baptist Convention USA she was speaking "as a person of faith who believes we have all have been called to serve our fellow men and women and to honor God's creation."
"We can either settle for the world as it is, or we can fight and struggle for the world as it should be," she said.
It doesn't seem as though anyone in the mainstream media asked the obvious question: If the candidate's wife felt it was important to be with her children this week, and that's why she was unable to pay her respects at the 9/11 ceremony, why did she spend yesterday campaigning in two states?
“When our children were younger we ALWAYS made sure one of us was available during the school day early in the year. There’s no way both of use would have been hundreds of miles away. Strikes me as something any good parent would want to do if possible”
I agree, but she was in Indiana, then Cincinatti, Ohio, all day Wednesday.
Michelle O could care less about honoring 9/11.
But even if she wanted to go, the campaign knows that her appearance would only open up questions and comparisons of her to Cindy or worse Sarah.
A visible Michelle will put the final nail in the Obama campaign coffin.
Here’s the difference between the coverage. For Obama, they just ask the campaign. If Cindy McCain wasn’t there, you can be guaranteed that they would have dug deep to find out why. That event was in the evening also. In other words, school was out and for someone like them they could get on a plane quick to New York.
My guess is that their polling has shown that angry ole’ Michelle has not polled well lately.
“Strikes me as something any good parent would want to do if possible.”
Except that Michelle said in the past that her mother took care of the girls when she (Michelle) was out campaigning, so she had no reason to worry about it.
Nor do I. I question her inconsistency.
Of course but as previously noted that has not stopped her all week to campaign. It just shows what is impotrant to the Obamas
McCain and his campaign aren’t going to say anything about it. But we sure can.
Maybe the Obama campaign should make a promise that if elected he will not subject the American people to his America-hating wife.
ABC better not bring this up, or they’ll be accused of “Swiftboating”.
“I’m tired of people bringing up the obvious. Let’s talk about issues.”
Because she probably would’ve slipped and said “America deserved it”.
Then why isn't she taking heat for being a creationist?
She wasn’t there because the campaign internal polls on her are awful.
My kids started last week ... anyone in Chi know if the start date is valid?
She couldn’t decide what color lipstick to wear?
More time with the family is the universal, all-purpose dodge for any public figure who doesn’t want to give the real reason for some decision.
And, at times, it might even be the real reason, but not in this case.
Anyone else notice this nearly verbatim Saul Alinsky "Rules for Radicals" reference? Geez, you'd think by now they would be trying to tone down the leftist radicalism just a little bit...
That's because Texas isn't as important as New Orleans.
I knew that would be what they would say........it was a set up
Yep. Too many years listening to and agreeing with the Rev Wright.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.