"--Would Black People Have Still Backed Obama if was married to a white woman, or in the case with the Dark Girls doc, if he had been married to a mixed race woman?---"
This goes well beyond colour and race -- in my opinion--
Let's just say that there wouldn't have been a viable candidate Obama without this particular woman, Michelle Obama, by his side---
And contrary to contemptuous bellyaching and envious musings in some quarters, Michelle Obama is simply not and will never be interchangeable with "Jane any woman will do/could have been/done Doe"--
Five years later and after his historic ascent to the presidency, it's far too easy to begin to forget just what it really took --
There's been this rather bizarre, but quite amusing tendency and corrupt instinct by some - and even a few on the president's team, to begin to try to revise stuff -- to downplay the singular importance of this very unassuming but fiercely intelligent, wise, strong, warm, witty, grounded, principled, passionate, astute, dignified, elegant, unspoiled, unaffected, sensible, insightful, dedicated, loyal, disciplined, genuine, sincere, family-oriented and all around amazing woman with whom he has taken this journey together--
I'm not just talking the incredible sacrifices she made for him to live out his dreams and ambitions while she practically gave up all of hers to support his noble aspirations--
She was after all the one who even though 3 years younger than he, was already for all intents and purposes, on the fast track --practicing law at one of the most prestigious Law firms in the country after having made her way against far too many odds, and in what is still very much a story of triumph, from the SouthSide of Chicago to Princeton and then on to Harvard Law school--
He very lovingly and respectfully courted her; and she married him.
If she were looking for easy street or seeking an already made man - which he certainly wasn't -- or an immediately guaranteed future and someone with already actualized "potential" , I think she could have very easily focused on nabbing herself an already established man of which there were many in her newly emerged world-- Because we all know too well that they as a couple, had to struggle and together stretch their scant resources in the early days--
She'd effectively put her own ambitions on ice, bore and terrifically raised their beautiful daughters - even while he was often away pursuing his ambitions---and together they made a humanly perfect family of which she was the principal architect -- with her strength of character, strong values and deep respect and appreciation for the various levels and role of family and its many players - nuclear and extended; order, structure and a great sense of the importance of deeply assured security and love for the children they'd brought into the world together--
When they finally emerged as a couple and family on the national political stage, they thrilled not just Americans of all stripes --- even those who wanted desperately to hate them couldn't help the smiles that came to their faces when the saw this family--- and the whole world fell completely and utterly in love with them as a unit--
The world watched as Michelle Obama -- a very private woman widely known to be averse to politics for all its many awful, corrupt, cutthroat, ignoble and dehumanizing forms ---stepped out -- put herself out there to support and vouch for her husband in the most powerfully moving and compelling of ways --- and as only she could possibly ever have--
Their connection is powerful and their synergy incredible--- They compliment each other in the most powerful and wonderful of ways---
And when he soared, she stepped back to let him shine --never resentful of his success and only proudly cheering him on, fiercely protective of him and intent on guarding his conscience, focus and brilliance and the motivating dreams for a greater good that'd they'd sacrificed so much of themselves and their family for---
So no, it was never really about the colour of Michelle Obama's skin as much as it was about the content of her character--
And Barack Obama rose even more in the estimation of many when people met his wife---
There are a ton of black politicians out there -- always has been--
And they've been married, unmarried, divorced---
Their wives have been black, white and other-- and none of that has ever really made much of a difference--
They've run the gamut from Alma Powell to Michele Patterson--
But Michelle Obama is that incredibly rare political wife---
Let's just say that had Cory Booker nabbed him a woman like Michelle Obama, he'd be much farther along in his political career now -- and certainly on firmer footing--
That wonderful wife (Danny?) would have cautioned him against prematurely declaring for a seat already occupied by a man who clearly only had so many days left in his political and other life anyway---
Much in the same way Michelle Obama, just a few years earlier, had asked her husband not to run against Bobby Rush -- knowing much better than her husband's political handlers at the time that even as much as Rush was not quite the political representative she and her husband had dreamed of, there were unique and peculiar circumstances in that particular instance that made it an unwise move --- Michelle Obama understood too well the politics - and culture of her hometown---
She also understood the value of surrounding her husband with stable and wise friends -- many of whom were her connections -- brother's friends and her friends ---
Let it never be said that this spectacular woman did not help make the equally spectacular man we have in the oval office leading the world today---
And let it be clear that he is indeed there for having the good sense to marry this gloriously unique and rare kind of woman-- The rare time I'll ever probably agree wholeheartedly with Bill Clinton---
For this amazing couple, they are and will always be infinitely greater together than they'll ever be apart---
And we can categorically declare that without question, there are very few women who could even begin to put up with even half of what Michelle Obama has had to put up with in her unyielding support of her husband--- And certainly not with half the grace, dignity and discipline with which she has ---
I know I definitely couldn't--
And it is indeed that rare woman who when asked, would only make her husband promise to quit smoking --- in exchange for getting her blessing to run for political office--
Extracting a promise to stop smoking--?!
Whoever heard of any woman having complete veto power over the next big move in her family, and only briefly exercising it to ask that her guy do better for his health--
That was incredibly telling and pretty much sums up the heart and mind of this spectacular wife, mother, woman--
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