Yesterday, Michelle Obama, prominent mother of two Sidwell Friends students, gave the first remarks on her listening tour of federal agencies at the Education Department, detailing her commitment to public schools.
She entered the room to loud applause, working a long receiving line before she began her remarks. Her speech included the standard promises to "invest" in public schools, of which she counts herself a product. She touted her husband's stimulus plan as a way to inject millions into the education system. She also showed a glimpse of the distinct lack of grace the normally disciplined Obamas sometimes betray.
While thanking the loud crowd for its enthusiasm, she added an aside:
I am -- I am honored to be here this afternoon. First let me tell you that you couldn't be luckier than to have as your leader this guy by the name of Arne Duncan. (Applause.) Barack and I, my brother, my family, we've known Arne for a very long time, and we've seen his growth, his leadership develop over the years. And he is someone who is committed, hardworking, passionate. But he's someone who is fair, who is honest, who is decent, and who knows that getting to any goal means you have to build a team from within, from the bottom up. And I know he's already beginning to do this.
This kind of turnout and enthusiasm is sort of for me, but, you know, you're behind -- (laughter) -- but I know you're also excited about your new secretary.
Memo to Michelle: You're a very important woman. People are almost always going to cheer for you, and pay attention to you, as they should. In acknowledging such attention, remember this simple rule. Self-deprecation: Good. Self-congratulation: Bad.
Michelle is more prone to the occasional mean-spirited or pompous soundbite than her husband, which is why part of her heralded campaign-trail makeover last year entailed not speaking so much. She once famously called America "downright mean," and declared that the campaign was the first time she'd been proud of her country. She also once derided Bush's $600 stimulus checks because they would allow women to buy little more than a "pair of earrings," doing nothing to help the Obamas' reputation for elitism.
But both Obamas have been occasionally heavy-handed in their dealings with D.C. denizens since Obama's inauguration, usually to their detriment. Barack's "I won" advocacy for his stimulus package didn't win any supporters among House Republicans. His attack on Rush Limbaugh, meant as an admonition to Republicans, got even political writers in San Francisco chiding Obama for his "first tactical error" in elevating Limbaugh. His insensitive joke about pop star Jessica Simpson's weight this week got him frowned upon even in the notoriously unkind world of celebrity blog comment sections.
Update: And, how could I forget Obama dubbing the people of D.C. weather wimps on his first week here? His comments about bringing some "flinty Chicago toughness" to the city triggered an angry response from local callers to radio shows and local press. Always wise to move to a new city and promptly insult all of its residents on national TV.
With public support of Obama's stimulus plan falling about as quickly as support for Democrats on the generic ballot, these two could stand to be a little nicer. They're learning very quickly that simply making promises and declaring one's political prowess in Washington, D.C. does not translate into policy victories. It's hard to reach across the aisle if you can't stop patting yourself on the back.
As the British journalist Simon Hoggart once said, "In Washington, success is just a training course for failure." Did Barack's success teach him the right lessons?
