POLITICS - In the months after Bill Clinton’s second election, few would have guessed that first lady Hillary Clinton would be just a few years away from a successful run for Senate, a stint as secretary of state, and the subject of front-running buzz to be the next president of the United States.
Of course, it turns out she was. And the current first lady, Michelle Obama, is more popular than Clinton was then. So, what does the future hold for her?
After a winning weekend on Jimmy Fallon’s show and the Academy Awards, it’s clear she will be in demand.
There’s a tradition at the Oscars of an elder statesman of Hollywood (and they are mostly statesmen) presenting the award for best picture at the end of the perennially overtime award show. Last year it was Tom Cruise, the year before that it was Steven Spielberg (his third appearance in 10 years), and before that people like Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Harrison Ford and Clint Eastwood.
So it was a surprise last night when Jack Nicholson strutted onstage and turned skyward to take in the countenance of the special guest being beamed in live from the White House on a giant screen overhead. On the screen, the first lady, standing and chatting with service members in formal wear, doing a classic, “Oh hi, I didn’t see you there” fourth wall greeting. But it wasn’t really that big of a surprise.
Why Michelle Obama? Though the winner she announced, “Argo,” had some Washington drama in it, she made no mention of politics or patriotism or the troops, and only passing reference to children, which has been the focus of much of her work in the White House.
Why doesn’t matter. Obama was simply there to be Obama because she, Michelle Obama, would present the Oscar for best picture and because America can’t seem to get enough of her. (Read the rest … including why the reasons for Michelle Obama’s recent appearances are different … here.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 11 Issue 17
Pub: Feb 26, 2013
