I just saw this tweet:
I did love Michelle Obama’s speech tonight, but I blinked a few times at the reminder that her father had MS and never complained. Was it an obvious comparison to Anne Romney, who has MS and was devastated and had to buy a dancing horse to cheer herself up?
It seemed very pointed to me.
Actually, the first place I turned after the FLOTUS speech was FOX News, because I wanted to see how they’d react (tears?). I heard “So, this was a speech about the economy,” and then I changed the channel. I mean, that was a stretch.
But is it a stretch to think she brought up the MS to remind us that Ann Romney is more of a whiner than FLOTUS-pere, or to remind us that she has strong arms and is the fitness FLOTUS and the other girl is sickly?
Here it is in context:
My father was a pump operator at the city water plant, and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and my brother and I were young. And even as a kid, I knew there were plenty of days when he was in pain. And I knew there were plenty of morning when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed.
But every morning I watched my father wake up with a smile, grab his walker, prop himself against the sink and slowly shave and button his uniform. And when he returned home after a long day’s work, my brother and I would stand at the top of the stairs of our apartment, patiently waiting to greet him, watching as he reached down to lift one leg and then the other to slowly climb his way into our arms.
But despite these challenges, my dad hardly ever missed a day of work. He and my mom were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only dream of.
I don’t know. If I were cynical I’d think that was to make us picture Ann Romney in a walker. (Shaving.)
6 responses to “So now we’re playing the political MS card?”
Yes, I caught that too. I so often want to be swept along, and then the old critical thinking skills kick in.
Those arms are really something, though. It must be wonderful to look and feel the way she does, so lucky her. But I saw many mere mortal females in the audience, so that made me feel better.
I think it was justified, because the Romney campaign is using the wife’s MS to beat back the image of their being ultra-privileged and never having suffered. If I were Michelle, I think I would feel a little bitter about that, especially having watched her father work so hard with probably not-as-good medical care. I’ll give her a pass on that one.
Also? The Romney campaign persists in subtly portraying working class African Americans as lazy and shiftless. I think this was more a response to those accusation than to Ann Romney’s MS.
Hattie – But I see from your blog you watched Bill C. I bet you got swept along there. (Nice toes, by the way).Suburbancorrespondent – Well put. I just heard another MS shout-out today. The Nun from the Bus gave an example of 10-year-olds who “were trying to care for their bedridden mother who has MS and diabetes.” There! Nun says I raise you a diabetes.
Thanks. The Big Dog still has it! Those 50 minutes just flew by! And I actually learned things from his talk.
Actually, she told her father’s story in 2008. I remember that level of detail, but I think the point she was making about her father was that he was a hard worker, he was determined to see his kids get educated, and the importance of having health care available for everyone. I think it’s a stretch to assume she might be implying Ann Romney is a whiner.
Hattie – Gary now says things like “You know how I know the new bed is bigger? One word. Arithmetic.”
Marcia – Well, they go over those speeches so intimately I had to ask. I wonder if AR is paying 4K a month for the drug.