Michelle Obama, the conservative? How to keep big government out of your lunch
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How's this for a counterintuitive source on conservatism: Michelle Obama is now offering novel advice on how to keep the government from meddling in peoples' lives.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 like the doctor,聽if you don鈥檛 like government, if you don鈥檛 like folks messing with your life, the best thing to do is make sure you鈥檙e healthy," Mrs. Obama told Cooking Light in a piece entitled, " "Because that鈥檚 going to increase your odds for making sure that you don鈥檛 have to deal with the system.鈥
The interview was a first for Cooking Light 鈥 the first time in its 30-year history that it has featured a person on the cover. It was also a first for the "first lady," who has long been known as a determined crusader in the fight to promote quality eating.
This is, of course, the same anti-obesity crusader聽who rocked with a turnip to Lil John's "Turn Down for What." This is also the Michelle Obama who hosted the first-ever at the White House to cap a nutritional recipe challenge, who started a White House garden, a Let's Move! campaign, and who has campaigned hard to change school lunches.聽
In other words, if not a change of heart, Michelle's latest comments appear to be a change in tactics: Promoting good eating habits by promising less, not more, government.
How are conservatives reacting to Michelle's newfound conservatism? What they aren't saying appears to be more telling than what they are. They aren't exactly applauding the her comments - the conservative , "So, essentially, Michelle Obama seems to be suggesting that if you do what she says, she鈥檒l be more likely to leave you alone." That said, the kind of overwhelmingly negative coverage, as Mrs. Obama experienced for other eating policy initiatives, is largely missing.
In fact, it isn't the first time Mrs. Obama has turned, somewhat surprisingly, to the right. After the release of "American Sniper," the controversial film that served as a flashpoint for pro- and anti-war activists, as well as conservatives and liberals, the First Lady spoke out publicly in support of the movie.
"While I know there have been critics, I felt that, more often than not, this film touches on many of the emotions and experiences that I've heard firsthand from military families over these past few years,鈥 Mrs. Obama recently, at the launch of 鈥6 Certified,鈥 an initiative toward accurate portrayals of veterans and military families in movies and television.
In singing the film's praises, Mrs. Obama publicly joined the conservative choir of Sarah Palin, Blake Shelton, and Kid Rock, all of whom have spoken out in support of the movie.
That said, are Michelle Obama's Cooking Light comments part of a larger Michelle-volution? Is this a deliberate move counter the portrayal as an "unpatriotic, angry, black woman," when her husband first entered office, one who was criticized for her designer taste and Oscar appearances, to an "American Sniper"-praising, government-distancing all-American patriot?
Not quite, but after more than a decade in politics, it is evidence that Michelle Obama is getting the hang of things.
, Mrs. Obama admitted that change is difficult, particularly when dealing with a personal issue such as eating habits.
鈥淐hange is hard for anybody. And when you鈥檙e talking about food, food is really personal,鈥 she said. 鈥淪o when you鈥檙e telling people to rethink their dietary habits that they鈥檝e lived with all their lives, it鈥檚 really personal.鈥
Part of her strategy, Breitbart continued, was to be more 鈥減ositive鈥 and less 鈥渁ccusatory鈥 without 鈥渕aking people feel judged.鈥
As with life, so with politics, as a famous food-centric adage goes: You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.