I'm a foodie. I watch The Food Network regularly. So when an article about an Iron Chef America cameo by Michelle Obama popped up on SlashFood, I checked it out.
It was a nice article about a cooking show that will pit the White House Chef against an Iron Chef in a cooking battle using ingredients from the White House Garden. Great idea. I made a note to watch it.
The link's here:
http://www.slashfood.com/...
Slashfood article on Michelle Obama's appearance on Iron Chef America
Then I got to the comments.
You'd have thought Michelle had ducked her duties for months to star on Survivor.
A few samples:
It's no wonder B.O.'s ratings are falling, he and wife have no time for presidential duties...they are both too busy on World wide family vacations and trying to be TV stars...........OUR tax dollars at work!!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Is there any media outlet where the Obamas DON'T feel the need to get their mugs in the limelight??? OMG!! They are attention hungry, camera hogs with egos bigger than planet earth who seem to think we want to see them all over the place!! ENOUGH ALREADY
The Obama's are having a great time on tax payers money. Every Tuesday night they have a party at the White House. I have never seen such an irresponsible, selfish and child like couple in the White House. They are a disgrace. They honestly belive they are movie starts.
And so on for pages and pages.
Now, I'd find this amusing, except for one thing. How is it that the people complaining forget that George Bush spent more of his presidency on vacation than any other president in history? He spent 487 days at Camp David, and 490 days at his ranch in Texas. In other words, he spent a full third of his eight years in office AWOL. Bush also wasn't shy about television appearances, and neither was his wife. Bush gave out questions on the game show Deal or No Deal, for example. Mrs. Bush hosted White House Christmas programs on HGTV, appeared on Jay Leno's Tonight Show, and hosted an hour of the Today show. Even Barney had regular TV gigs, plus a section of the White House website dedicated to the Barney-Cam.
When rightwingers complain about the Obamas' work ethics and television appearances, have they got collective amnesia? Every president and First Lady does these things. It's part of the job description.
My problems with George Bush were with his policies, his politics, and his lack of brains, not with his TV appearances. And I had a sneaking fondness for Laura--she put up with George with grace, when it was obvious she was a lot smarter than he was. Remember her crack about being the one in the couple who could correctly pronounce the word "nuclear'?
So why are the wingnuts going crazy about Michelle's cameo on Iron Chef?
The theme of the Obamas as publicity hounds is a common wingnut talking point, despite the relatively business-like lifestyle of the current First Couple. Have Republican commentators and audience members got amnesia about the 8 years of the Bushes on TV everywhere, but especially clearing brush in Crawford??
Here's another blast from the right on the subject:
During the eight years of the Bush administration, how many times did we see George W. Bush out running around and getting his face in front of the cameras? Bush gave a weekly recorded radio address and that was just about it other than his annual State of the Union Address.
He didn't make a career of playing celebrity game-show host and constantly arranging for the adoration of his fans before the cameras. He worked hard most of the time doing the work of the president in the oval office. Even when he was away from the White House, he still worked on presidential business and was responsible to his position and the American people. And he didn't blame his problems and everything he did wrong on his predecessor, as the childish Obama does.
I assume the reason Bush didn't blame his problems on his predecessor is because Clinton left Bush with a pretty good hand, not that you can tell that in this article. Bill Clinton didn't hand over two wars, a massive recession, a human rights record that would make China blush, epic failures of government, and a long-term attempt to centralize govenment under the Presidency and party rule.
The whole article is here:
http://www.chronwatch-america.com/...
Chronwatch: Obama as Game Show Host
The only conclusion I have is that it's pure racism. The Republican base can't believe that a strong, smart black couple ended up in the White House, and every time they look at one of the Obamas, they are reminded that what they thought was impossible has happened. Though I doubt they'd acknowledge that. They tell themselves that they're rightfully outraged by the First Couple shirking their duties, when what they really mean is, "We've got a black president. AAGGHHHH!"
It makes me sad. But in the meantime, I'm making a note on my calendar to Watch that Iron Chef episode in January. I bet Michelle and her White House Chefs will do us proud.