Michelle Obama - Baby Mama?

[Anonymous]

One of the top-10 movies playing right now is Baby Mama and so that phrase has caught on in popularity. When phrases hit popular culture, sometimes they no longer bear much resemblance to its original meaning. I'm not defending fox news - they were being pejorative, but maybe not necessarily racist.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:One of the top-10 movies playing right now is Baby Mama and so that phrase has caught on in popularity. When phrases hit popular culture, sometimes they no longer bear much resemblance to its original meaning. I'm not defending fox news - they were being pejorative, but maybe not necessarily racist.

Maybe I need to get out more, but I've never even heard of that movie until just now. But, taking a quick look into it, this makes things even more perplexing. The title of the film clearly refers to one of the leading characters being a surrogate mother. I somehow doubt that Fox was trying to suggest that Michelle was a surrogate mom for Barack's children. I think I'll stick with my original interpretation. Given a choice of Fox misusing ethnic slang or correctly using a popular culture reference, I'll put my money on the former.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As for his wife, yes, they had an affair, and married shortly after his divorce from his first wife was finalized. They have been married for 28 years now, so I don't know if the media calling her a Harlot would be appropriate.

Well, Cindy at least was a harlot. Michelle has never been an unwed mother. Interesting standards you have.

And, just to be clear, I have nothing against unwed mothers. I do, however, object to using prejudicial language in reference to them. To say nothing of using the same language with regard to wed mothers.

Never did I say that Michelle Obama was an unwed mother. I did however say that it was a stupid and inaccurate use of the term, but I didn't think that it was used to be hurtful or racist. I agree with the poster who said it is now a popular term, and that's why I figured someone uninformed more than likely came up with the term, that and it rhymes. Look at all the woman calling themselves Obama Mamas, and again you can see why someone would throw the word baby in there. I am not defending Fox news, heck I never watch it, but i am saying that too often people read to much into things, and are too quick to call someone racist.

As for calling Cindy McCain a harlot, we all know that's a nicer way of calling her a whore. People do stupid things, and having an affair is one of them. She did however marry the man she had the affair with, and they have been married for 28 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As for his wife, yes, they had an affair, and married shortly after his divorce from his first wife was finalized. They have been married for 28 years now, so I don't know if the media calling her a Harlot would be appropriate.

As for calling Cindy McCain a harlot, we all know that's a nicer way of calling her a whore. People do stupid things, and having an affair is one of them. She did however marry the man she had the affair with, and they have been married for 28 years.

Given that his 1st wife was crippled and overweight, it probably was not a difficult decision to dump wife #1 to marry a pretty young thang 2 decades younger than him who came with a huge dowry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As for his wife, yes, they had an affair, and married shortly after his divorce from his first wife was finalized. They have been married for 28 years now, so I don't know if the media calling her a Harlot would be appropriate.

As for calling Cindy McCain a harlot, we all know that's a nicer way of calling her a whore. People do stupid things, and having an affair is one of them. She did however marry the man she had the affair with, and they have been married for 28 years.

Given that his 1st wife was crippled and overweight, it probably was not a difficult decision to dump wife #1 to marry a pretty young thang 2 decades younger than him who came with a huge dowry.

John McCain has himself said that his marriage broke up due to his immaturity and selfishness. Some reports say that he and Carol were seperated when he met Cindy, and others say they weren't. Carol herself said "The breakup of our marriage was not caused by my accident or Vietnam or any of those things. I don't know that it might not have happened if John had never been gone. I attribute it more to John turning 40 and wanting to be 25 again than I do to anything else."
http://www.azcentral.com/news/specials/mccain/articles/0301mccainbio-chapter5.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm stunned at the ignorance on this board. Thank goodness for JSteele. "Baby mama" is a term for an unwed mother. It is being used derogatively here (and incorrectly) to cut Michelle Obama down to size. And Barack Obama has not expoloited racial issues in his campaign; to the contrary, he has emphasized inclusiveness at every turn. Yes, he happens to be black (sorry, I think the term "biracial" is silly), but so what? I can't even begin to refute some of the ridiculous statements I read here. Although I sure appreciate JSteele's efforts.

I wonder if you would think "Biracial" is a silly term if you or your children were biracial.

[Anonymous]

Wonder where the outrage was when "Bros Not Hos" t-shirts featuring Obama and Clinton were selling so well? There was no outcry over the Hillary nutcrackers, but if they do a Michelle version, watch out!

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP who thinks "biracial" is a silly term, and, as a matter a fact I AM biracial, and so is my husband. But we don't have any confusion about who we are, and neither do our kids. So don't make dumb assumptions.

[Anonymous]

The degree of willful ignorance in some of these posts is a little astounding. The idea that Fox used "Baby Mama" as a term for Michelle Obama because of a recent movie or because of a desire to make cute rhyme is simply ridiculous.

Rush Limbaugh has recently been talking about a tape that supposedly exists that the radical right is planning on releasing in October that shows Michelle at the church in an angry mode and using the term "whitey". The reality is that no such tape exists.

But reality is not the issue here - it's perception. The radical right - and that includes Fox "News" as its instrument - is trying to associate the Obamas with some American's fears of black "ghetto" culture and people. It doesn't matter who they actually are - if the radical right and their media outlets can shift public perception of the Obamas even marginally, that increases the Republicans chances in November.

And this is just the beginning. We have months to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP who thinks "biracial" is a silly term, and, as a matter a fact I AM biracial, and so is my husband. But we don't have any confusion about who we are, and neither do our kids. So don't make dumb assumptions.

Well perhaps you shouldn't make such "dumb" statements, or tell other people that their assumptions are dumb. Just because you feel the term is silly, doesn't mean that it is, nor does it mean other people will feel that it is.

Asking you if you would feel that way, if you were biracial, or if your children were, was a legitimate question. Your response was a bit hostile, and uncalled for. If you had said that you were biracial, and you felt the term was silly, I would have asked you why.

I know a lot of white women, who are mothers of biracial children, and they are feeling slighted by Obama calling himself black. They think their children are going to deny them, and their heritage when they get older as well. My husband and I go to great lengths teaching our children about both of our cultures. My husband is Asian, I am White, and we are teaching our children about all their ancestry and heritage.

[Anonymous]

The previous poster seems to have some confusion between "opinion" and "fact." I stated my opinion; she's free to disagree. And I'm free to call her assumption (because that's what it was) dumb. Again, OPINION. And, as for white mothers feeling slighted because Obama identifies as black??? That's got to be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard! They need to get over themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey - he's riding the race ticket, and that's a part of it. By the way, not always an offensive term in the black community, although when used by Fox - it's kind of mean.

I have heard it said, and have to agree, that if Barack Obama had his mother's features predominantly, and was still going by "Barry" - as he had since elementary school, then Hillary Clinton would be the DNC nominee.

He is trading on his race - and so this is a part of it, and if he thinks for one moment that his wife will be treated any differently than young Hillary Clinton was, just because she's a "black" female attorney, instead of a "white" female attorney, he's naive and should not be running for President.

I am not one for name-calling, but I just cannot help it. You are an idiot. Through and through. So to you, any candidate of color is "riding the race ticket" and "trading on his race?" Because certainly no person of color could actually just be a good, qualified candidate for public office, right? And I assume you also think that Hillary was riding the sex ticket and trading on her sex? Or that McCain is riding the Old Man Who Cheated on and then Abandoned his Disabled Wife for a Drug Addict ticket? Actually I agree with that last one...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP who thinks "biracial" is a silly term, and, as a matter a fact I AM biracial, and so is my husband. But we don't have any confusion about who we are, and neither do our kids. So don't make dumb assumptions.

Well perhaps you shouldn't make such "dumb" statements, or tell other people that their assumptions are dumb. Just because you feel the term is silly, doesn't mean that it is, nor does it mean other people will feel that it is.

Asking you if you would feel that way, if you were biracial, or if your children were, was a legitimate question. Your response was a bit hostile, and uncalled for. If you had said that you were biracial, and you felt the term was silly, I would have asked you why.

I know a lot of white women, who are mothers of biracial children, and they are feeling slighted by Obama calling himself black. They think their children are going to deny them, and their heritage when they get older as well. My husband and I go to great lengths teaching our children about both of our cultures. My husband is Asian, I am White, and we are teaching our children about all their ancestry and heritage.

I am a white mother of a "biracial" child and do not feel slighted whatsoever that Obama identifies himself as a black man. Nor would I feel slighted to hear my own son identify himself as a black man. What the heck is white "heritage" or "culture" anyway? It does not exist. Think about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I figure some old, fat, white guy was trying to be all hip on lingo, and figured mama rhymed with Obama, so they might as well use it. While I think it was a stupid and inaccurate use of the term, I don't think it was used to be hurtful or racist. After seeing the clip, I in some way feel as if it is to make fun of the documentary that is discussed in the clip.

Interestingly enough, conservative pundit Michelle Malkin says in this video that there will only be backlash against conservative criticism if conservatives take "gratuitous and cheap shots" at Michelle Obama rather than criticizing the substance of what she says! Ironic, isn't it!? Using the term "baby mama" (and implying that liberals used the term) certainly falls into that category of cheap shot since it has nothing to do with what Michelle Obama said! (Another banner, "Obama's bitter half," while nasty, had to do with what she actually said -- okay, I'll buy that that's fair game.)

And as for being stupid and inaccurate, this wouldn't be the first time someone was stupid and inaccurate *and* racist, even if they didn't mean it. Well-meaning and nice but stupid people can be racist, too!

On another note, it would be unfair to equate calling Michelle Obama a "baby mama" with calling Cindy McCain a "harlot" (or my preference "a little thing on the side" because it's more contemporary) because, as has been pointed out, Michelle Obama is *not* an unwed mother while Cindy McCain did have an affair.

I hadn't heard about what happened with the McCains. It sounds horrible but I will try to reserve judgment until I hear more. (It's also true that a number of Vietnam POWs got divorced after they got home but that had more to do with their wives becoming accustomed to having more autonomy while their husbands were gone.) It won't be an issue for me unless McCain runs around talking about the sanctity of marriage and how gay marriage would ruin all that. (or has he done that already?)

I'm so tired of being lectured by right wingers who can't seem to stay married to one person on how we all ought to behave better. How about better behavior from them first?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As for his wife, yes, they had an affair, and married shortly after his divorce from his first wife was finalized. They have been married for 28 years now, so I don't know if the media calling her a Harlot would be appropriate.

As for calling Cindy McCain a harlot, we all know that's a nicer way of calling her a whore. People do stupid things, and having an affair is one of them. She did however marry the man she had the affair with, and they have been married for 28 years.

Given that his 1st wife was crippled and overweight, it probably was not a difficult decision to dump wife #1 to marry a pretty young thang 2 decades younger than him who came with a huge dowry.

John McCain has himself said that his marriage broke up due to his immaturity and selfishness. Some reports say that he and Carol were seperated when he met Cindy, and others say they weren't. Carol herself said "The breakup of our marriage was not caused by my accident or Vietnam or any of those things. I don't know that it might not have happened if John had never been gone. I attribute it more to John turning 40 and wanting to be 25 again than I do to anything else."
http://www.azcentral.com/news/specials/mccain/articles/0301mccainbio-chapter5.html

Joh McCain can say whatever suits his political career. "Immaturity and selfishness" are pretty benign excuses. I'd be suprised to hear the truth ... (My wife is fat and dumpy and I want to relive my lost youth). How does Carol's response support John's having an extramarital affair with a 20-something young woman? It was icing on the cake that Cindy is an heiress. The issue is not that he remarried but that he had his affair while still married. I hope he doesn't preach family values to everyone else.