Michelle Obama to Enter Campaign Fray

Brian Archive

http://articles.latimes.com/print/2010/aug/17/nation/la-na-michelle-obama-20100817

The White House may risk tarnishing the first lady’s nonpartisan image by sending her to campaign for Democratic candidates this fall.
August 17, 2010|By Peter Nicholas, Tribune Washington Bureau
Reporting from Washington —
First Lady Michelle Obama will soon take her first real plunge into partisan politics since her husband won the presidency 21 months ago, making select appearances for Democratic candidates hoping that her popularity will excite crowds and donors in a bleak election season.
Her campaign schedule won’t be a heavy one, the White House said Monday. She makes public appearances about three days a week, and any campaigning she does for the midterm election will be within that time frame, a White House official said in an interview.
The first lady’s itinerary won’t be set until Labor Day, when the White House political team determines travel plans for the president and vice president, the official said. The idea is to deploy all three in ways that avoid overlap.
Michelle Obama will deliver a campaign speech that is largely upbeat. She won’t castigate individual Republicans, said the White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
The first lady has enlisted Republicans in her anti-obesity campaign, so she would risk antagonizing hard-won allies were she to deliver a fiercely partisan message.
Instead, she’ll keep the focus on her husband’s legislative successes.
“This won’t be a red-meat partisan speech,” the official said. “That’s not her nature, and it wouldn’t necessarily be effective. Things like her Let’s Move campaign have been entirely bipartisan.”
Rather, the first lady will tell voters, “We have a lot on the agenda, and the person I’m standing next to here is an ally in that effort,” the official said.

The White House may risk tarnishing the first lady’s nonpartisan image by sending her to campaign for Democratic candidates this fall.August 17, 2010|By Peter Nicholas, Tribune Washington BureauReporting from Washington —
First Lady Michelle Obama will soon take her first real plunge into partisan politics since her husband won the presidency 21 months ago, making select appearances for Democratic candidates hoping that her popularity will excite crowds and donors in a bleak election season.

Her campaign schedule won’t be a heavy one, the White House said Monday. She makes public appearances about three days a week, and any campaigning she does for the midterm election will be within that time frame, a White House official said in an interview.
The first lady’s itinerary won’t be set until Labor Day, when the White House political team determines travel plans for the president and vice president, the official said. The idea is to deploy all three in ways that avoid overlap.
Michelle Obama will deliver a campaign speech that is largely upbeat. She won’t castigate individual Republicans, said the White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
The first lady has enlisted Republicans in her anti-obesity campaign, so she would risk antagonizing hard-won allies were she to deliver a fiercely partisan message.
Instead, she’ll keep the focus on her husband’s legislative successes.
“This won’t be a red-meat partisan speech,” the official said. “That’s not her nature, and it wouldn’t necessarily be effective. Things like her Let’s Move campaign have been entirely bipartisan.”
Rather, the first lady will tell voters, “We have a lot on the agenda, and the person I’m standing next to here is an ally in that effort,” the official said.