If Michelle Obama’s is Angry, She has Right to Be

Fighting Back

The shocking surprise is that instead of holding her tongue, as she has done until now, the first lady is striking back. During a recent interview with Gayle King of CBS News about Kantor’s book, Michelle Obama attacked the right wing’s portrayal of her: “That’s been an image people have tried to paint of me since the day Barack announced, that I’m some kind of angry black woman. … There will always be people who don’t like me.”

Most conservatives, such as Limbaugh and Webb, are outraged that the first lady has the gall to stand up for herself and confront race so forthrightly, to use the words “angry black woman.” Many Democrats are afraid the first lady’s new approach will give Republicans yet another blunt weapon to use as the presidential campaign heats up.

Here is my take. The first lady and the president have been models of civility and restraint in dealing with matters of race. They are loath to play the so-called race card. In fact, the Obamas always have been forced into racial confrontations.

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