A “Women for Obama” gathering is basically my idea of hell. I cannot think of a better punishment for my sins than being forced to sit with a group of self-important “professional” white women dressed in Lululemon athletic wear, munching on vegan snacks and talking about how important it is that we be compassionate to the poor while planning their first-class European vacations. The smugness alone would be enough to kill me. But it wouldn’t kill me because this is Hell and I must have done something truly horrible to deserve this.
But this fall, these gatherings will be happening across the country. They might be right next door. In fact, you might know someone in one of these gatherings. They could be sitting across from you right now. And mere months from now, they’ll be taking phone calls from Michelle Obama, who will instruct these legions of minions on the finer points of her husband’s re-election campaign, specifically his commitment to force Americans to pay for birth control for other people. And possibly how to effectively wax your forehead hair.
But I digress.
Michelle Obama is being billed as the featured attraction in house parties her husband’s re- election campaign is organizing around the country tomorrow to try to boost his support among women.
The first lady is to appear via conference call at the “Women for Obama” gatherings, President Barack Obama’s re- election campaign said in an e-mail sent to supporters last night.
Michelle Obama, serving as honorary chairwoman of Women for Obama, will “deliver a message just for us about the progress we’re making together and the work ahead in the months to come,” according to the e-mail, which said that “hearing from the First Lady is sure to get us fired up.”
The house parties are an example of the more visible role Michelle Obama is taking in her husband’s re-election campaign…The house parties also follow the Obama administration’s rule to provide women who work for religion-affiliated hospitals and universities access to free contraception through their health insurance. The e-mail mentions access to contraception without a co- pay among the administration’s accomplishments for women, in addition to the president’s signing of the “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act” and the 2010 health-care overhaul…
The first question is, obviously, when faced with a controversial policy that will likely die a slow and painful death through litigation, why double down? Why make everyone else angrier? And moreover, why choose to highlight the most controversial part of the program? Perhaps because the population has been so taken with the plaintive wailing of pseudo-feminists that their altar of reproductive rights has been sullied by the edicts of the Constitution, such that some women may be continue to be stuck shelling out $5 for condoms at the 7-11 (because, the “rule” does nothing to change or limit actual access to birth control)?
I suspect, of course, its because this has brought out knee-jerk female voters in force, which is why its being used as a central theme. Thank heavens for obnoxious harpies who would not deign to inform themselves with anything other than NARAL talking points or the wedge issue as a political device would be so darn unuseful.
