Posted on 06/13/2014 10:46:39 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The Michelle Obama for Senate in 2016 stories are classic examples of an out-of-control media narrative that is based on little hard evidence.
But it may also end up being a lesson on why it’s best not to dismiss rampant speculation.
The rumor that the first lady could run for the Senate in Illinois next cycle appears to have started with a blog item by Keith Koffler at Reuters. And even though it doesn’t appear to be based on any sources, the story spread like a Justin Bieber mugshot across the Internet.
“Speculation Builds on Michelle Obama Senate Run” is the headline of a subsequent NBCChicago story that doesn’t appear to cite any real sources either. The “build” is apparently referring to the flurry of stories talking about the Koffler’s column.
Finally, a Breitbart story begins with, “Tongues are wagging in Chicago that First Lady Michelle Obama is warming up for a run…” But alas, the owners of the tongues are never mentioned.
So, can we put the “Michelle for Senate” hypothetical to bed for good?
I’m not ready to do that yet.
It’s not because there is current discussion about it. The Democratic operatives who are focused on winning Senate races are focused on doing just that in 2014. And the relationship and communication between the White House and House and Senate Democratic operatives has never been amazing.
“The White House certainly didn’t give a [damn] the last time the Illinois seat was vacant,” a Democratic strategist bluntly said about 2010, when President Barack Obama’s former seat, (the one Michelle might run for), fell into Republican hands in the first place.
But, this winter, the attention will quickly turn to 2016. Illinois will be a key state in attempts made by Democrats to regain or expand their majority, depending on the outcome of this year’s elections. As good as the Senate map is for Republicans this year, the 2016 map is just as bad, or even worse, for the GOP. Sen. Mark S. Kirk of Illinois could be one of seven Republican senators running for re-election in a presidential year in states that President Obama won twice.
The bottom line is that if Democratic strategists believe the first lady is the best candidate to defeat Kirk, they will likely make a push to get her to run.
It may sound ridiculous, considering she would have to run during the last two years of her husband’s administration. But it wouldn’t be unprecedented. That is exactly what Hillary Clinton did as Bill Clinton was finishing his eight years in the White House. And unlike Hillary, Michelle was born and raised in Chicago and wouldn’t have to deal with the carpetbagging charges.
The first lady is very popular, even more popular than her husband. She has the advantage of taking stances on non-controversial issues, such as fighting obesity, rather than wrestling with the concept of exchanging prisoners with a foreign enemy. But she’s probably not the only Democrat who could defeat Kirk in 2016.
But at least one of the other potential candidates mentioned, Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., demonstrated the ability to lose a high-profile race to a quality Republican candidate when she lost a race for the House in 2006 to now-Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill. Democrats might look for as close to a sure thing as possible.
There is the minor issue that the first lady has shown no interest in being a candidate before. But it’s hard to believe that Barack Obama chose to challenge an incumbent Member of Congress in 2000, decided to start running for a 2004 Senate seat in 2002, and ran for President of the United States without Michelle’s blessing and support. The Obamas are a political family.
And it wouldn’t be the first time that a candidate denied wanting to run all the way up to the point when they started running.
Pick any black or just very heavy Democrat area and you bet they would install wife of turd as well. What else could they do wrong in the family, right?
She probably would be a shoo-in if she ran. We have so “jumped the shark!”
I was certain she’d carpetbag and boob belt her way into a house in Nueva Yorke instead.
There’s a vacant location in chappaqua.
“Boob belt her way into a house in Nueva York”
I read fashion blogs and they are still praising her for that awful teats display.
If she’s planning on running for the Senate, why buy a house in North Carolina?
Whatever moron thought that. Would look great should be tied in a sack with the morons who decided to praise it as “avante garde” and brilliant, then slowly dipped into pure hydrogen peroxide feet first.
While being forced to listen to a crossmash of pitch bent Justin bieber and Mikey Cyrus.
(Tunes played at same time, pitch bent, max distortion.)
maybe wishful thinking by leftist and/or trying to push her to think about it and run. Basically lying.
Link? I also heard they’re buying a mansion in Hawaii.
Hawaii would certainly seem friendlier territory.
http://www.catholic.org/news/national/story.php?id=55746
You would puke if you saw how much they fawn over her in the fashion industry. Please people, I just want to look at new shoes, not hear about how Lady Obama is such a fashion plate and model modern woman. It’s relentless visual cacophony worse than you described.
Asheville has been referred to as San Francisco East.
Ah. I was not aware of the finer aspects of Carolina politics.
I don’t know about Moochelle but I’d take bets that Chelsea will run for senator. Congressperson is way too low on the ladder for the second smartest woman in the world. I believe she’ll move to another New England state to run. Schumer and Kirstin ain’t goin’ nowhere.
I don’t see her having the motivation for this.
This is just a headline
The Senate would be outside her comfort zone. Why would she put up with having to debate Cruz and Lee?
Obama, Hilary, Biden, Chuck Hagel and anyone similar would never go back and put up with actual debate.
What I’d really like to see is Congressman Joe Walsh win the GOP primary and pull no punches on Michelle because she is black and a woman. He would be the perfect candidate to debate her. He’d probably lose but it would be entertaining.
Kirk has always been too much of a wimp.
“I don’t see her having the motivation for this.”
Neither of them do any work. Other people plan, fetch and carry. All they do is stand in front of a teleprompter and read. The rest of the time Barak plays golf and Michelle reclines while somebody fans her and another lackey peels grapes to drop into her mouth.
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