WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama is jumping into the midterm political fray in a big way: She’ll headline at least nine fundraisers in six states next month for endangered Democrats.
That‘s a fairly big commitment for a first lady who’s always said she’s not a political animal, but the White House insists Mrs. Obama is eager to get out there.
And it‘s no surprise that the Democrats are anxious to use the first lady’s star power: Polls show she’s more popular than her husband, President Barack Obama.
Among those Mrs. Obama will campaign for is Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, who passed up a chance to appear with the president on Labor Day in Milwaukee. Feingold, in a tough re-election fight and slightly behind his opponent in spending, instead opted to attend a parade in his hometown about 60 miles away. He‘s also not expected to attend the president’s rally in Madison next week because the Senate will be in session.
Overall, the first lady’s political schedule tells the tale of the 2010 midterm elections: She’s raising money for candidates who are trying to defend embattled Democratic turf, not stumping for challengers trying to make inroads in Republican terrain.
But don’t expect Mrs. Obama to go negative against GOP challengers.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Mrs. Obama is “a popular ‘ask’ on the campaign trail and I think she will go out and make a forceful and positive case” for the administration’s achievements.
In addition to Feingold, those Mrs. Obama will be campaigning for include Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Patty Murray of Washington, Barbara Boxer of California and Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias of Illinois, who is trying to hold the Senate seat once held by Barack Obama.
The first lady also will attend Democratic National Committee fundraisers in Los Angeles and New York for the party‘s Women’s Leadership Forum, and appear at events for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Illinois House contenders Debbie Halvorson, Bill Foster and Dan Seals.
So far, it all adds up to nine events over a 12-day span, Oct. 13-27, and aides said more political events are sure to be added, especially in the final week before the Nov. 2 elections.
The first lady’s campaign schedule includes three days in California, where Boxer proclaimed herself “thrilled” to have the first lady’s help. Andrea Saul, a spokeswoman for Boxer’s opponent, Republican Carly Fiorina, countered that it was a sign of how nervous Democrats are about Boxer’s seat “that they are forced to send in reinforcements.”
White House aides said the first lady’s political schedule was crafted to place her where she can be most helpful politically while she also tends to her official duties as first lady and the needs of her young daughters, Sasha and Malia. As for why the first lady will be appearing at fundraisers rather than rallies or other public events, White House aides said Mrs. Obama avoids travel on the weekends, when her girls are home from school, and that it’s difficult to put together big rallies on workdays.
“From the beginning, she’s wanted to hit the campaign trail,” said Susan Sher, chief of staff to the first lady. “It was just a matter of figuring out what would work with her schedule and what would be most useful.”
Recent first ladies all have stepped forward to help in the midterm elections.
In 2002, Laura Bush stumped for congressional candidates in bone-chilling cold and pronounced herself “emotionally vested” in their fates.
In 1994, Hillary Rodham Clinton served up one-two punches with her husband at a string of his-and-hers campaign events for Democratic candidates.
In 1990, Barbara Bush taped TV ads in Florida, debated Iraq policy on the stump in Nebraska and headlined a Hollywood fundraiser for a GOP candidate in California.
As for Mrs. Obama, “she’s campaigning to advocate, to rally voters behind specific candidates based on what we can do together to build a better future,” said Stephanie Cutter, an administration adviser. “She comes to this as a mom, and that‘s the lens through which she sees the world and that’s her test for every issue — what it means for her daughters and all of our kids.”
___
Associated Press writers Darlene Superville in Washington, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wis., and July Lin in Sacramento, Calif., contributed to this report.
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Comments (73)
bobojake
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:03amMooooooooochellllllllllllle the king of the moooooooooochers
Report Post »jerryod1627
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 6:45amWhy would anyone respect anything about her after the remarks she made about the United States during his campaign? It is obvious that both of them hate the United States and want to destroy it, so why do people think she is so great!
Report Post »red penny
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 6:08amGeez Louise—-It P—-s me off to have to foot the bill for Ms OBOZZO as she gadflies about the nation!!!O well,screwed again.Gotta run my,limo is waiting—–everyone have a good Conservative day.
Report Post »ANGELUL
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 5:41amFrankly, can our country afford more of the Obama’s? NO!!
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 5:08amSorry but Mrs. Obama is just as much an elitest and marxist as her husband. It appeared during the campaign that she was calling the shots. I wouldn’t align myself with her any more than with him. Caviar anyone??
Report Post »medcam
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 4:35amShe’ll probably throw out the call to arms against butter at the fundraisers, too… After all, “dessert is not a right” and all of that. Then she will take a few more vacations…
Report Post »M.Witherington
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 4:06amWill she give everyone a cheap collection of DVDs in a format that won’t work?…..I need the Beck brand duct tape and some industrial-strength M&Ms.
Report Post »lightening1952
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 2:58amBoth Mr. and Mrs. O are being asked more and more not to show up for candidates. I‘m from Colorado and I can guarantee she will NOT help Michael Bennet’s campaign. He is gone in 2012. And good riddance!
Report Post »morgan11
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 2:34amI don”t know why anyone would waste thier time on this self centered person, who cares nothing about the average person out there. Her and her husband can”t even come off as sincere when they try to suck people into believing they care about the average person. They have to be the most arrogant, wasteful, it”s all about us WH residents. I don”t even look at him as a leader. He was under qualified[no experience], thin skinned,[no critisizim], educated[no common sense],ungrateful [shows no true love or respect for a country that has given both of them every opportunity one could hope for].His facial expression when the woman tried toexpress her fear of the direction he was taking this country with his policies, looked like he was holding back from claiming she was an uncle tom.He never looked as if he felt her pain or fears.Anyone can go to college, doesn“t prove they”re intelligent.Hope Michelle can muster up a better performance of caring as they try to convince the voters they are trying to fixthe economy.[Most of us have figured out he is h_ll bent on turning us into a third world country.] JFK had areal love of hts country ,BHO is only concerned about making us slaves to the rest of the world. If we stay united we can take back OUR country and honor all those who sacrificed life and limb to give us the ability to live free. GET OUT AND VOTE ON NOV.2 Lets restore America to the great country our founders turned over to us so we can hand it down to our children and grandchildren.
Report Post »Craig Harriman
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 2:32amShe came to A military base on the west coast about 7-10 months ago and lets just say no body on the ENTIRE base wanted to attend and hear her speak SO they had to volun-told people to go (Forced to go) (appointed place of duty) LOL
WHO IS GOING TO BE PAYING FOR HER 6 VACATIONS/ FUNDRASIERS?????
Report Post »burnside
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 2:29amAwesome tragedy,… I mean, strategy.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 2:12amwhat EVERYONE IS MISSING………..the transfer of wealth that these people are talking about is not what Americans think it is. This is not a transference or redistribution of wealth from rich Americans to poor Americans….. dont seem to grasp the true concept. This is a redistribution of wealth FROM America to the rest of the poor……in the REST OF THE WORLD. You have to realize every American is considered rich compared to most median calculations of income to other countries. They have already started the machine by Obama shutting down drilling and giving upwards of 4 billion dollars to Brazil and Mexico to do exactly what Obama has shut down the U.S. from doing. In the same area in order to “save the world and environment.“ This was not done to ”save the environment”, but was done to limit our production and greatly assist in a poorer country to produce a product that we then will be forced to purchase from them. This has allready started with solar panels and light bulbs- (of all things……cheap to us right now, and you say so what, but everything is cheaper to make elswhere….mexico/ china etc. with the de- industrializing of our nation helped along by union reps (not union members mind you ) whose self stated goal is a world union….WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE……WORKING IN COLUSION WITH THIS OBAMA ADMINISTRATION and the FED in their goals to create a world bank and a world government that will strip America of its wealth and spread it around with them in control of everything this IS COMING AND MUCH SOONER THAN YOU THINK UNLESS WE STAND UP AND STOP IT
I do not believe our government has the countries best interests as a goal. I know these videos are kinda long but if you watch these videos and then look at the goals of the big union bosses words of a world government, the veiwpoints and ideologies of all the people working with this administration who controls the fed bank and glenn becks 9/21 show it will help you all to make a decision on what these peoples goals really are.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAaQNACwaLw
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5232639329002339531#
Report Post »needanotherReagan
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:46amAfter all of those fundraisers she’ll need another three or four vacations.
Report Post »Lazlo
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:41amIf this is your go to in a tight election year, you’re doomed. Good luck heading Michelle Antoinette out to the masses to quell the outrage. Let them eat Kobe beef.
Report Post »WE-SURROUND-THEM
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:35amI am still trying to figure out why, when he has gne completely against the constitution, that he (the annointed one) has not been brought up on treason charges yet! He swore an oath to protect and defend the constitution and he does exactly the opposite. That’s TREASON!!!
trea·son /ˈtrizən/
[tree-zuhn]
–noun
1. the offense of acting to overthrow one’s government or to harm or kill its sovereign.
2. a violation of allegiance to one‘s sovereign or to one’s state.
3. the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.
—Synonyms
1. T reason , sedition mean disloyalty or treachery to one’s country or its government. T reason is any attempt to overthrow the government or impair the well-being of a state to which one owes allegiance; the crime of giving aid or comfort to the enemies of one’s government. Sedition is any act, writing, speech, etc., directed unlawfully against state authority, the government, or constitution, or calculated to bring it into contempt or to incite others to hostility, ill will or disaffection; it does not amount to treason and therefore is not a capital offense. 2. See disloyalty.
treason (ˈtriːz ə n)
— n
1. violation or betrayal of the allegiance that a person owes his sovereign or his country, esp by attempting to overthrow the government; high treason
2. any treachery or betrayal
treason
early 13c., from Anglo-Fr. treson , from O.Fr. traison (11c.; Fr. trahison ), from L. traditionem (nom. traditio ) “a handing over, delivery, surrender” (see tradition). O.Fr. form influenced by the verb trair “betray.” In old English law, high treason is violation by a subject of his allegiance to his sovereign or to the state; distinguished from petit treason, treason against a subject, such as murder of a master by his servant.
Main Entry: trea·son
Report Post »Pronunciation: ‘trEz- & noun
Function: noun
Etymology: Anglo-French treison crime of violence against a person to whom allegiance is owed, literally, betrayal, from Old French traïson , from traïr to betray, from Latin tradere to hand over, surrender
: the offense of attempting to overthrow the government of one’s country or of assisting its enemies in war; specifically : the act of levying war against the United States or adhering to or giving aid and comfort to its enemies by one who owes it allegiance — trea·son·ous /-&s/ adjective
NOTPC
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 2:00amIn Federalist No. 65, Alexander Hamilton described the subject of impeachment as:
“. . . those offences which proceed from the misconduct of public men, or, in other words, from the abuse or violation of some public trust. They are of a nature which may with peculiar propriety be denominated POLITICAL, as they relate chiefly to injuries done immediately to the society itself.”
Report Post »leftylemn
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:29amMichelles popularity numbers will drop too. The more people see and hear her the more they will see her negativity toward us common folk.
Report Post »rocktruth
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:54amThis is not about Michelle’s popularity but how she will help Liberal candidates like Barbara Boxer win votes.
Report Post »Rational Thoughts
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:27amI know nothing about fashion but her clothes look funny… We had a cousin we called “high pockets” cause he pulled his pants up near his arm pits…
Report Post »scaanderson
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:16amUntrue, unpopular and unknown until just recently and now unwanted.
Report Post »grnhrn
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 12:56amOther than the children they are only greatly destroying our country and sacrificing israel, and freedom the world over they are lying, hippocritical, cheating sore losers how many lawsuits will they file against arizonia or gulf state oil drilling. Can anyone give one example of a small city that is totaly powered by wind-sun and no fossil fuel whatsoever
Report Post »rocktruth
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 12:53amPlease God, I do pray that Barbara Boxer loses her seat Carly Fiorina. But I wish it was Chuck Devore she was losing to.
Report Post »rocktruth
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:38amRight now Boxer is beating Fiorina in the polls. And with Michelle Obama campaigning with Boxer next month will most likely make things worse for Carly Fiorina.
Sarah Palin supported Carly Fiorina and we should too, even though it’s not DeVore. California needs help more than ever. California state effects all of us.
If you know anyone who lives in California please tell them to vote for Carly Fiorina. This is important for the whole country. Pray for a Miracle.
visit and share: http://www.carlyforca.com/
VIDEO: Barbara Boxer becomes a Millionaire while millions of people lose their Job.
Report Post »http://youtu.be/b8XVMU5obkc
13thGenerationAmerican
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 12:45amGreat First Lady Great President and exceptional family. I wish her well.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 2:10amyour delusional
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 3:07amI second that, psyhosis
Report Post »Nemesis
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 3:24amYou Sir or Madam are a dumba$$ please stop drinking the Kool Aid before it’s to late for all of us. Obama’s = Raciest, White Hating, Muslim Usurper, Traitor and when they kill all the larger corporations and small businesses your Welfare check will disappear along with those people’s jobs.
Report Post »Rob
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 4:20amThat is not what I wish her…
Report Post »GeorgeWashingtonslept here
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 4:49amEvery liberal I know is on some type of anti-depressant. And the ones that aren’t should be. Which category do you fall in to? Hmmmm.
Report Post »seayalater73
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 6:35amStop resonding to 13GyrationAntiAmerican. He is a Blog Troll. Go to http://scienceblogs.com/omnibrain/2007/04/research_trolls_wanted.php for more information about his particular species of non-reptilian brain.
Report Post »bobojake
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 7:04amhehehehehehe just a female rev wright/billy ayers
Report Post »krenshau
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 12:44amEvery AP story I see on here makes me want to never come back.
Report Post »staythecourse
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 12:40amI have never understood why Mrs. Obama’s role has been downplayed so much by those who are looking closely at what this administration is really all about. In reading a biography on her…in reading Mr. Obama’s books, and in watching all of the video’s “out there’from the election campaign, it is very very obvious that Mrs. O holds considerable power. This make believe that she is “just a mom” as posted on the whitehouse pages is an outright lie. She is very much a political power and influence. Do not underestimate either her political savy or her political intent. Look carefully at her background, her contacts, and her visions for America.
Report Post »grnhrn
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 12:36amReally I think she is disliked at least as much as her bo. I admit I did not read the whole story just enough to see that she will be helping my state get rid of patty murray I pray to god. Although I’ve had a couple of good debates with her staff. Remember america is a downright mean country. At least I am when it comes to her and her ilk
Report Post »I am 'We the People
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 1:51amI understand how you feel. MUST GET RID OF DIRTY HARRY!
Report Post »realAmerican
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 3:00amYou really think Dino Rossi is going to win? Hahaha, that guy has lost again and again and will continue to lose because he does not represent the views of most Northwesterners. Keep dreaming.
Report Post »AndrewOH
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 4:14amIsn’t it about time she has another vacation? It’s been what–a few weeks, hasn’t it?
Report Post »seayalater73
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 6:29amrealAmerican,
“most northwesterners?” Don’t you really mean most residents of King County and western Washington who are fast tracking the Pacific Northwest to the same fate as the Rust Belt? Or are you really taking about all the California and Northeastern transplants that want a free ride and not to get their hands dirty? Your right he won’t win, becuase Wahsington State on whole is too far lost.
Report Post »shotgun
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 12:27amHaHaHa… Good Luck.
Report Post »PostProgressiveAmerican
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 6:28am“For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country”
I wouldn’t want her campaigning for me.
Report Post »Man From Maine
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 8:09amGoing to be very short speaches if she‘s going to talk about her husband’s achivements.
Report Post »RCScrolls
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 9:30amWe need to have Her BMI checked she looks overweight and unhealthy to me.
Report Post »I guess If Obama cant do His job His wifey will. LOL
This will be interesting is She still proud of America today!!
RightWrite
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:12amWake UP! This is the Obama Progressives answer to Hillary — the Obama plan to have Michelle be the next president. Can’t you just see them laughing after the last election, saying Barack would be prez for 8 years, then it would be Michelle’s turn for 8. Put yourself in their egotistical shoes — the all powerful Obamas, leaders of the world.
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 11:41amWhat is she going to do.. tell everyone they are FAT SLOBS and BAN FOOD ??
Report Post »bunnyblueeyes
Posted on September 22, 2010 at 10:21pmI can’t get into the story, because I can‘t get past trying to figure out what she’s wearing!
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