Fatuity, Thy Name Is Maureen

Maureen Dowd, evidently worried that she has not yet retired the Gold Medal for fatuity, goes on and on about Michelle Obama's arms.  A snip::

Let’s face it: The only bracing symbol of American strength right now is the image of Michelle Obama’s sculpted biceps. Her husband urges bold action, but it is Michelle who looks as though she could easily wind up and punch out Rush Limbaugh, Bernie Madoff and all the corporate creeps who ripped off America.

In the taxi, when I asked David Brooks about her amazing arms, he indicated it was time for her to cover up. “She’s made her point,” he said. “Now she should put away Thunder and Lightning.”

Jiminy.  Let me help MoDo with a Bold and Provocative column idea:  Michelle's buff, bare arms are a deplorable evocation of the deplorable imagery of the slave as fit only for toting bales and birthing babies.  Oh, people won't like that!  Or play it backwards -  Michelle's bare, buff arms do a wonderful job of turning upside down the deplorable imagery of physically robust slaves.  Sort of, "Hey, former white oppressors, how ya likin' me now?  Tote this!".  Yeah - you go, girl.

For some reason, race-obsessed libs who see symbolism everywhere have mercifully not picked up on this, or so says my friend Google (Or I might be in denial - it is probably true that I would poke my eyes out if I found such an article, yet I am still surprised that I can't find one).  Maureen ought to tackle this Deep Symbolism head on.  I take for granted the result will be dreadful and widely mocked, but at least she will pick up some originality points and won't have to stoop to quoting her fellow columnist's material.

Oh, well - coward.

SILVER LINING:  Heh.  "The RIght To Bare Arms".

REALLY?  Mr MoDo's conclusion:

Her arms, and her complete confidence in her skin, are a reminder that Americans can do anything if they put their minds to it. Unlike Hillary, who chafed at the loathed job of first lady, and Laura, who for long stretches disappeared into the helpmeet role, Michelle has soared every day, expanding the job to show us what can be accomplished by a generous spirit, a confident nature and a well-disciplined body.

Confident?  No chip on her shoulder?

Comments

[kim]

She's wearing 'spousebeaters'. I don't see why y'all don't get it.
===================================

[kim]

Just plain 'beaters' in the argot.
==================================

[JorgXMcKie]

Well, I suppose if kissing Obama's *ss is over, Worf is the only one left. I wonder how long before the MSM tires of Michelle. Probably shortly after she goes off on them.

[bad]

and Laura, who for long stretches disappeared into the helpmeet role,

Poor MoDo...She's never had the blessing of serving in that role or the equal blessing of being uplifted by someone else's support and encouragement.

What's even sadder is that she finds Laura's actions contemptable rather than applauding the notion that the leader of the free world had such a loving, loyal ally in his most intimate relationship.

Laura Bush, I salute you --- and the nation should be grateful for your unselfishness.

I know I am.

[Jane]

Her arms, and her complete confidence in her skin

Everything she says seems to say the exact opposite. She has no confidence in her skin and is going to make sure everyone know how much she resents it.

At least that is what comes across to me.

[kim]

Right, Jane, and 'generous spirit'? That's about like saying that Maureen Dowd has a generous spirit.
==============================

[jorod]

Michelle is a yuppie living the good life. Eventually people will figure this out.

[Rick Ballard]

I don't get the "Deep Symbolism" bit at all. Maybe it's because my thoughts drift to "Babe, the Blue Ox" rather than "tote that bale" upon sight of the First Lady.

[Porchlight]

Amen, bad. Laura Bush is one of the greatest First Ladies of our time.

I was thinking last night also how nauseating it is that the "First Couple" are portrayed as, like, the first ever POTUS and FLOTUS to visibly be "in love." Right, becuase you could just tell Ronnie and Nancy Reagan felt nothing for each other. Or that George and Laura Bush didn't get along. What rubbish.

[Lesley]

TM says: "Jiminy. Let me help MoDo with a Bold and Provocative column idea: Michelle's buff, bare arms are a deplorable evocation of the deplorable imagery of the slave as fit only for toting bales and birthing babies. Oh, people won't like that! Or play it backwards - Michelle's bare, buff arms do a wonderful job of turning upside down the deplorable imagery of physically Or play it backwards - Michelle's bare, buff arms do a wonderful job of turning upside down the deplorable imagery of physically robust slaves. Sort of, "Hey, former white oppressors, how ya likin' me now? Tote this!". Yeah - you go, girl."

Dagnabbit TM! Now I'm obsessing on a total race-reversal remake of "Gone With the Wind" with Michelle as Scarlett O'Bama and Barack as Ashley Wilkes-O. Actually, this thought is sort of giving me the giggles.

[Captain Hate]

Well stated, bad. Poor MoDo; nobody appreciates how much better she is than everybody else. Such a perfect mouthpiece for Pinch's journey to oblivion. I can't take pleasure in any blasting she does of D'ohbumbler because it's coming from a contemptible person with zero integrity.

[bad]

Jeez Lesley, what a concept. O as Ashley is a good fit. But I see Michelle more in the role of Scarlett's sister Sue, you know, the one that whined and cried all the time and accomplished nothing.

Scarlett had her faults but when the chips were down, that girl went to work.

[centralcal]

jarod are you any relation to davod?

[DebinNC]

LUN: I wonder if we'll see many pics of Michelle standing with another woman beside her? I bet not, especially if the woman is attractive and not an amazon.

[kim]

Furthermore, Michelle and Barack give me the same 'in love' vibes as Bill and Hillary did.
================================================

[Lesley]

Hehehe Bad - I was following along with TM's logic about a "strong woman" - remember, my aim is political parody. The possibility of humorous substitutions are endless. Oh! and I want Maureen Dowd there too, playing the part of Prissy, whining she doesn't know nothin' about birthin' babies.

Oh man, I'm having a ball envisioning this thing.

[Jane]

My vocabulary increased by a "fatuity" today. Thanks TM.

[bad]

Maureen Dowd there too, playing the part of Prissy, whining she doesn't know nothin' about birthin' babies.

Perfectamundo!!!

[bad]

Okay I'm gonna say this just to hear Sue's reaction. Sue are you out there?

DICK CHENEY as Rhett.

[bgates]

her complete confidence in her skin

It all depends on what you mean by "in". If you mean "confidence in her skin" like "comfortable in her own skin", no, she doesn't seem either confident or comfortable in there.

If you mean something like the commenters here are confident in our ideas and minds, then yes, I would say what Michelle has complete confidence in is her skin. It's gotten her everything she has - college, jobs, husband.

[drjohn]

"She's a man, baby!"

[bgates]

One guess who wrote this typed this dictated this into her mp3 player for a secretary to type suggested her intern write a column about exercise, resulting in the following:

I have four questions:

Why is the most fitness-crazed president in the nation's history sometimes so short on stamina?

Why does someone who bench presses 185 pounds still have an aura that's more scrawny than brawny? (''The chair,'' one Republican moaned, ''has a way of swallowing him up.'')

Why does the leader of the free world, a man with limitless opportunities for stimulation, seem to get really jazzed only when he can run his 6:45 miles?

Does it ever occur to Mr. Bush and his aides to vacate the gym and nail down a Middle East policy?

[bgates]

Ahhhh, crap.

[jean]

And I can't wait to hear Cheney say "Frankly my dear I don't give a damn"

[jt007]

I don't think you can attribute this kind of column to MoDo's fatuousness. It is rooted in liberals' deep desire to prove that they are superior to others. We have been told ad nauseum about how brilliant Obama is (good going on the financial bailout) and how brilliantly he managed his transition (yeah right). We were regaled with the story of his Christ-like rejection of the tempatation of Wall Street riches when he left his "consulting" job to become a community agitator/organizer. We were informed in the sports pages that Obama played on the Hawaii state champion basketball team (although he wasn't a starter). The press has also reported how svelte Obama is and that he may be the most physically fit president we have ever had. Obama and Michelle are portrayed as superior in every way, right down to her super toned arms.

It is sickening, but it is liberal psychology on display. They did it with JFK, they did it with Bill Clinton ("the best and brightest") and now they are doing it with Obama. Does anyone remember John Kerrey taking the press out to see him wind surf a couple of weeks after he held his photo op in Utah to show off his snow boarding on the bunny slope? He was infuriated when he fell and he blamed a secret service agent? He couldn't bear to be seen as anything other than superior and he had to show off his supposed skills in these really cool sports.

Liberals can't be content with winning elections, they are compelled to prove how superior they are. It's a sickness and it's pathetic. We can debate whether they are so deluded that they really believe in this fantasy or whether they are horribly insecure. Either way, it is a superiorty complex that is richly deserving of ridicule.

[matt]

how can Dowd even look in a mirror any more? For the past 15 years her columns have been fish wrap; bitter Upper East side rants about how mean any man but those same Upper East Side metrosexuals is a fascist beast and how she just can't seem to find a man. No wonder. How would any man with a pair of cojones tolerate such a witch?

So she has descended deeper and deeper into a strange nether world of endless rounds of the same people in the same restaurants saying the same things over and over.....

[bad]

Thanks Porch and Captain.

[PeterUK]

"Michelle has soared every day, expanding the job to show us what can be accomplished by a generous spirit, a confident nature and a well-disciplined body."

If she is going to build up the part,perhaps Michelle should stand for election.
As it is what she accomplished was marrying Obama.

[Sue]

bad,

I would never, ever, ever, put my most wonderful person in the world in the role of chasing that Scarlett O'Bama. Bill Clinton would suffice in this scenario, but never, ever a man such as Cheney.

[bad]

As it is what she accomplished was marrying Obama.

Ahhhh, the bitterness and petulance explained...

[bad]

ha ha ha ha ha Thought you might see it that way.

[Sue]

However, if I can play Scarlett, then hell yeah, Dick Cheney can be my Rhett Butler. Just so long as we stop before he says, frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

Little known factoid, in the novel, Rhett doesn't say frankly. However, I like the movie version better.

[Sue]

Lesley,

This is kind of fun. How about Hillary as "Mammy"?

[Sue]

And Oprah can play Belle.

[bad]

Get outa my head, Sue!!!

[bad]

Harry Reid as the white trash overseer? and Nancy Pelosi as his wife.

They come to call on Tara and Scarlett verbally abuses them.

[bad]

Blago as Rhett. LOL

[Sue]

Jonas Wilkerson and Emmy Slattery. However, we need a black man and woman to play them. Reid and Pelosi have to play the part of the blacks. So, Bill Clinton can't be Rhett. Jonas Wilkerson can be Colin Powell and Emmy is Maxine Waters.

[bad]

Get outa my head, Sue!!!

That was in reference to Hill as Mammy.

Oprah as Belle cracks me up. Remember Belle was a very smart, goodhearted woman....

[Captain Hate]

bgates, I think the answer to your first two questions is cigarettes. I think on your fourth you meant Zero instead of Bush; although purportedly GWB was in excellent shape which the MSM couldn't use to ridicule or demonize him.

[Sue]

I was really just picturing Oprah dressed as Belle, not their characteristics. But it works either way.

[bad]

However, we need a black man and woman to play them.

Dang, I'm always so damn colorblind. When will I get over that?

[bad]

Captain, I think MoDo wrote that in a column about Bush back in the day.

[Captain Hate]

Dang, I'm always so damn colorblind. When will I get over that?

When you get tired of Ejit Holder calling you a coward.

[bad]

Captain, he'd never have the guts to call me that to my face. The coward....

[Captain Hate]

MoDo wrote about it; no wonder I missed it.

btw, am I the only person for which when I post something typhus doesn't erase what I typed in the comment box. That wasn't happening earlier on this buggy software from hell.

[Donald]

Modo banged Michael Douglas. He then threw her away like a used kleenex. That's one thing I like about Michael Douglas.

[bad]

Captain, I didn't read it either. It just seems like the sort of s**t she peddles.

[Captain Hate]

No wonder Michael Douglas was so good in "Fatal Attraction".

[peter]

Gosh, How I have missed my fellow Just One Minuters since having given up the internet for Lent. I didn't even see the story about Zero snubbing Gordon Brown, ( another douchebag, if you read The Last of The Few blog, you'd know) until today. I am actually doing okay. I get the shakes when I check my email, and I did cheat once, to check on the Dow, but I am doing okay. Love to everyone.

[Soylent Red]

Either way, it is a superiorty complex that is richly deserving of ridicule.

We are witnessing an administration, and Beltway support system composed entirely of Patrick Batemans.

It's friggin' Versailles on the Potomac. Every time I read some of this ass-kissing nonsense I am reminded of the movie Ridicule. I highly recommend it as a sort of video field guide to the vicious, shallow people we are saddled with.

[peter]

Any body builder knows that racial and genetic makeup have a lot to do with definition. Many champion body builders are African American or Italian. so Michelle's arms aren't all that impressive.

[JM Hanes]

TM:

I'm surprised you went with a riff on arms, when the possibilities for plumbing racist depths are so much richer here:

Americans can do anything if they've got good skin!

Am I the only one who suspects that MoDo's secret vainty is her own?

If Michelle wants to show off her arms it's fine with me. I was equally glad that both Michelle and Sarah Palin didn't feel compelled to outfit themselves in sexless pants suits. I objected to Michelle's sleeveless, clingy V-neck at Obama's NotSOTU because it was tacky, tacky, tacky. Sort of like wearing white to a wedding or otherwise upstaging the bride.

bad:

"Laura Bush, I salute you --- and the nation should be grateful for your unselfishness."

Apparently they are! She's had fabulous favorables, no matter what her husbands numbers looked like.

jean:

"And I can't wait to hear Cheney say "Frankly my dear I don't give a damn""

I bet he's going to count the ways in his book! I can't wait till it hits the shelves. I hear GWB has one in the works too. Nothing beats getting the last word. The worse the reviews, the better the sales.

[bad]

Miss ya Peter.

Are you cheating?

[Jane]

Hey Peter, hang tough. WHen exactly is lent over?

[Soylent Red]

Jane:

On Easter.

[peter]

WHen exactly is lent over?

April 12, 2009.

[Porchlight]

peter, good for you. Keep it up!

[Jane]

I actually knew the Easter part Soylent, but I have (had) no idea when that is.

[Porchlight]

Sundays are feast days even in Lent, so it's okay to have a little of that which you've given up. I am not as brave as peter and only gave up sugar in my coffee, but this morning I had some, and I might just have an extra cup today. :)

(I also cheated yesterday and Friday with the sugar. But I'm back on the wagon tomorrow, honest!)

[Lesley]

For Sue: sample characterizations and dialogue for your enjoyment!

Mammy O'Clinton [about Belle Wattling e.g. Oprah Winfrey] "Who dat? I ain't never seen hair that color before. Do you know a dyed haired woman?"

Scarlett O'Bama: "Wish I knew that one. She'd get my money for me!"

[centralcal]

I have to say I have enjoyed the sequel to Gone With the Wind here today.

But, changing the subject back to Obama (just for a moment) and his upcoming visit with the Queen of England (who I hope disdainfully snubs the hell out of O and Michelle), I figure Prince Chas and Zero would make quite the BFF's. Don't know what Camilla and ME-chelle will do (they don't seem compatible).

I figure two empty shirts will get along great.

[MayBee]

Hey Peter!

The Michelle is comfortable in her own skin bit is pretty funny, since they started adjusting her clothing image soon after the "never been proud of my country" speech.
She started wearing florals, and they fixed the severe arch in her eyebrows.
Then when Cindy McCain was criticized for her wealth, we got Michelle on the View in a $99 dress (and the campaign made sure everyone knew it, but emailing the info out to Politico,et).
When Sarah Palin was criticized for the cost of her wardrobe, we got Michelle on the Tonight Show with Jay "casually" asking her about her clothing. J Crew!
Once she got compliments on her arms, she started featuring them frequently. You can find pictures of her in the Summer in long sleeves, but now that it's winter she's in sheaths.

I don't begrudge her her wardrobe manipulations, in fact I think it's important. I just don't like people pretending it's something it isn't.

[JM Hanes]

Soylent:

"Every time I read some of this ass-kissing nonsense I am reminded of the movie Ridicule. I highly recommend it as a sort of video field guide to the vicious, shallow people we are saddled with."

I loved that movie; the complexity of the verbal sparring was daunting! The fact that such much-ado-about-nothing was also a fast track to power made it all the more remarkable, didn't it?

One of my favorite books is a little treatise called Mirrors of Infinity: The French Formal Garden and 17th-Century Metaphysics. Buried in slightly turgid academic prose is a fascinating commentary on a culture in which your fate hung on being "seen" by the king. Lliterally. If Louis XIV deigned to gaze upon you, or looked away, your fortunes could be made, or reversed -- much of which took place during his famous promenades in the garden. Louis even wrote his own little Handbook on the correct procession called "How to Present the Gardens of Versailles."

Oh good grief! Another new feature from Typepad. Now we have to Preview and Edit on different pages? Switching the Post & Preview buttons is a nice touch too.

[bad]

I'm glad everyone who is complimented on having a great ass, is continuing to keep them covered.

[Thomas Collins]

Don't be too harsh on MoDo. In measured amounts, we need fluff to take our minds temporarily off the Mullahs' Nukes and the Great Financial Contraction.

On the other hand, I can understand the argument that scotch and red wine are better distractions than MoDo.

[JM Hanes]

MoDo is the abstraction of distraction, Thomas.

[Thomas Collins]

I love "abstraction of distraction," JMH. I guess MoDo retires that moniker.

Now, for a real distraction, let's turn to TM's Yankees. See LUN for an article on A-Hip's problems.

[thelonereader]

"Michelle has soared every day, expanding the job to show us what can be accomplished by a generous spirit, a confident nature and a well-disciplined body."

Excuse me, but just what am I missing??? What are these great accomplishments that are expanding the job of first lady? Just asking.

[PD]

I was thinking last night also how nauseating it is that the "First Couple" are portrayed as, like, the first ever POTUS and FLOTUS to visibly be "in love."

It seems to me that these characterizations are mainly being put forth by reporters who secretly (and sometimes not so secretly) want to jump or the other of the First Couple.

[Porchlight]

I missed that part, too, lonereader. My guess is that MoDo really has no idea what the job of First Lady entails, but just assumes that someone she likes would be expanding it.

As far as I can tell Michelle hasn't done a damn thing except party with Barack, do photo shoots, give interviews and sit down with Sarah Brown for 20 minutes. (I'm sure she's also tended to her kids, but that's hardly unique to First Ladyship.)

[PD]

s/jump or the other/jump one or the other/

[PD]

As far as I can tell Michelle hasn't done

I believe that she's visited several Federal agencies to meet the folks there and address them. Seems that these addresses serve as opportunities for flakking hubbie's awful policies and programs.

In other words, she too is in campaign mode.

[thelonereader]

Thanks PD for the input.

[Porchlight]

Thanks, PD, I remember hearing about one of those but didn't realize it was one of many.

[JM Hanes]

thelonereader:

She served soup to the homeless -- who were taking pictures of her on their cell phones.

[Extraneus]

I'm glad everyone who is complimented on having a great ass, is continuing to keep them covered.

Ha! Top that, someone else. I dare you.

[bad]

She served soup to the homeless...

It would be lovely to read an article about her soup kitchen experiences and work on behalf of military families, prior to the Presidential run.

You'd think someone would have done that by now.

[thelonereader]

bad
You are so bad and I love ya for it. You go girl.

[bad]

Thanks Ex and Lonereader!

I live to serve...

[Stephanie]

Well, I just wish the democrats would hide their asses and boobies instead of promoting them to leadership positions..

[bad]

Ha! Top that, someone else. I dare you.

I hope no one compliments her ass.

[bgates]

Bad, you're behind the times.

Or perhaps behind the Behind of the Times.

Title on that second link: "Should Michelle Obama's Booty Be Off-Limits?"
-Which should probably go in the Yuck-a Mountain thread, now that I think about it.

[bad]

lol bgates

As always, I bow in your direction.

[PD]

Fixed bgates links (I hope): behind the times

[PD]

... for those who dare.

[Ann]

bad,

I hope someone does compliment her ass because she will then display it and finally uncover.. what she is. Read that article and replace ass for arms:

Let’s face it: The only bracing symbol of American strength right now is the image of Michelle Obama’s sculpted ASS. Her husband urges bold action, but it is Michelle who looks as though she could easily wind up and SIT ON Rush Limbaugh, Bernie Madoff and all the corporate creeps who ripped off America.

In the taxi, when I asked David Brooks about her amazing ASS, he indicated it was time for her to cover up. “She’s made her point,” he said. “Now she should put away Thunder and Lightning.” (OR THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY)
-----------------
He said the policy crowd here would consider the dress ostentatious. “Washington is sensually avoidant. The wonks here like brains. She should not be known for her physical presence, for one body part.” David brought up the Obamas’ obsession with their workouts. “Sometimes I think half the reason Obama ran for president is so Michelle would have a platform to show off her ASS.”

During the campaign, there was talk in the Obama ranks that Michelle should stop wearing SHORT dresses, because her ASS, combined with her potent personality, made her daunting.

---------

Her ASS, and her complete confidence in her skin, are a reminder that Americans can do anything if they put their minds to it.

[bad]

bgates, I'm really worried. The arms were complimented and now it's bare arms all the time regardless of the weather.

Now you show me articles swooning over her ass.

I shudder to think what will be revealed in the future....

[bad]

ANN, ROFLMAO

[bgates]

Ann, that reworking to incorporate Michelle's ass is tremendous. I guess it would have to be, wouldn't it.

Bad, the ass articles are old. Old and stale.

[bad]

the ass articles are old. Old and stale.

Ahh, accurate reporting for a change....

[Ann]

I think DebinNC had a great link to HH and a sound campaign theme for us: From Bear In The Woods...THE TRUTH. And pointing out the oppositions hypocrisy is a must, so I am determined to show the left that Chrissy Mathews is not what he now proclaims.

Fatuity, is a good word for our revolution. It means:
1. Smug stupidity; utter foolishness.
2. Something that is utterly stupid or silly.

Like Modo, it isn't really hard

[Ann]

continued..(I hate typepad)

Like Modo, it isn't really hard to show how utterly stupid or silly these folks are, just take a look at a book that Chrissy Matthews wrote in 2001*. On the back of the jacket in 2001 he wrote:

"When you think about it, we Americans are different. That word "freedom" isn't just in our documents; it's in our cowboy souls."

And for eight years he tried to bring down the country he proudly wrote a book about and profited from; so I am going to read each chapter again and report on Chrissy Cowboy and our MSM.

Let's take a chapter from Ann Coulter and report on the reporter. Let us see how they stand up to their reporting of Sarah Palin and Joe Plumber. Let us start a real story of "Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think About Our Media.. America".

*"Now, Let Me Tell you What I Really Think" Chris Matthews

[Gary Ogletree]

The First Bow Wow looks strong enough, but how fast can she pick a bale of cotton? Where is the MSM on this traditional benchmark and why has this been neglected by academia? The White House gets to pick the cotton field.

[Porchlight]

I'm no fan of Michelle, Gary, but cotton picking jokes are not cool.

[kim]

Yah, Ann; the makings of a real theme. When you add up all the Democrats' hogwash about Iraq and foreign affairs, Obama's flimflammery about everything, and the onset of global cooling, the populace is going to be looking for some real truth and soon.

Where is our media to tell it? Well Robert Samuelson, of Newseek, yes, NEWSWEEK, calls Obama the Great Pretender in an article available at RealClearPolitics, today.

Pretender, huh? Anybody check his eligibility?
============================================

[kim]

And Jeff Jacoby's article in the Boston Globe, yesterday, about global cooling is on the 'Most Read' list at RCP, too.

Our MSM has filled the populace with so much pap that they are beginning to hunger for something nourishing. The stuff of fantasies just doesn't stick to the ribs very well.
=====================================

[bgates]

Gary, it's softhearted idiots who thought a black man was owed the presidency to make up for morons like yourself and your jokes about slavery that got us in this mess.

[sbw]

Fatuity?

Is that the name for the stuff that hangs down from your upper arm when you reach... ah... maturity?