by Mark Silva
So the question for the backyard barbecue here is: What impact might the spouses play in the presidential election campaign?
NBC's David Gregory put this and two other questions to some invited talking heads.
And look what John Harwood of CNBC, a veteran of the Wall Street Journal and co-author of the new book, Pennsylvania Avenue, Profiles in Backroom Power, had to say:
"Cindy McCain looks a little bit more exotic,'' said Harwood, noting that the Republican candidate's wife is "richer'' and the likely Democratic nominee's wife has two young children. "Michelle Obama has a little bit more of the average housewife look about her...
"I'd say, slight advantage to Michelle Obama.''
What do you say?







Comments
Remember posters the basic rules for discussing potential Presidential spouses in this campaign:
Michelle Obama is always to be criticized an belittled. She hates america completely, and is an elitist since she has made $300,000 a year. Her finances are to be examined and questioned closely.
Cindy McCain is NEVER to be criticized. Her past crimes are NEVER to be mentioned. She is perfection on earth. She is a woman of the people since she inherited hundreds of millions of dollars. Her finances aren't ever to be questioned or examined. She is royalty, lese majeste simply will NOT be tolerated.
Carry on.
Posted by: Victor | May 26, 2008 9:28 AM
She's a bit more "exotic," to say the least, rather like a zombie.
Too many operations on her face, too much bleach, too much unsuitable make-up. It all comes off badly.
She resembles a 70-year old trying desperately to look 40, and the effect is rather grotesque.
Then add the fact she has little to say, and its the charming, bright and educated
Michelle, hands down.
I think necessarily a Cindy on the campaign trail will only serve to re-inforce the idea of her husband's advanced age.
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | May 26, 2008 9:47 AM
Typical backhanded way for the Swamp to write Hillary Clinton out of the race, by not mentioning her spouse.
And is anyone suprised that the NBC/CNBC media pundit prefers the Democrat's spouse? They prefer the Democrat ANYTHING.
Posted by: Bruce | May 26, 2008 9:58 AM
Only til the FALL Bruce--which is why the media is ignoring all of the Obamas' bigger problems--hoping he'll be the one Dems put up against McCain.
We will look back on the coverage of this campaign in HORROR at the way the mainstream corporate lackeys treated the remaining viable Democratic candidate.
CONTRIBUTE TO CLINTON TODAY!
Posted by: USED TA BE 4 OBAMA, NOW 4 CLINTON | May 26, 2008 10:19 AM
Wake up, Bruce. It is over.
Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | May 26, 2008 10:25 AM
Yes, how DARE the media show that Hillary didn't run from the plane under a hail of sniper fire. How dare they remove the halo around her head in all photos. Most of all how DARE they cover the 11 straight primary wins that Obama racked up. If only they had reported those as Clinton victories. Who cares if it wasn't true, they called Texas a victory for her, and that was true, why not the rest of them?
Posted by: poorhillary | May 26, 2008 10:45 AM
Hey PoorHillary, whats your point in ref to this article?
HRC is still in this race and her spouse should be mentioned as it is history that she is running and that her husband has a chance at being the first First Man. Whether she gets the nimination (which looks slim) either way it is way more important to mention a First Man over a First Lady. Been done already so many times!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | May 26, 2008 11:29 AM
Now, who's the elitist?
Posted by: C.Morris | May 26, 2008 11:44 AM
The impact will be Cindy McCain's past. She was convicted of stealing drugs and there is real questions whether she served her mandated time in rehab. Once people start Googling Cindy McCain and see her past crimes and elitist wealth she will become a problem.
Posted by: Scott | May 26, 2008 12:46 PM
Yeah Cindy McCain looks "exotic" on TV and that's apealling. Automatic advantage Mrs McCain.
However she also wins simply because her counterpart, Michelle Obama is mean spirited and none-too-bright... ever try to read Michelle's incoherant Princeton senior thesis? Try and you'll see what I mean.
http://www.slate.com/id/2190589/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2305083/PrincetonEducated-Blacks-and-the-Black-Community
Posted by: MJ | May 26, 2008 3:22 PM
Cindy McCain 'exotic'?!
She look, talks and acts like every successful CEO's wife, equally at home at the country club, charity balls, yachts of friends and her assorted houses.
No, she really doesn't identify with ordinary Americans, nor does she want to. She's one of those "born on third base but thinks she hit a triple" people.
That said, who cares? She's not running for POTUS.
Posted by: Tom J | May 26, 2008 3:52 PM
Let's see your senior thesis from Princeton MJ. I'm sure that you went to a school at least that good, right?
Posted by: Victor | May 26, 2008 4:00 PM
VICTOR---it's classist, sexist, punk remarks like yours to MJ which has people abandoning Camp Obama IN DROVES!
Posted by: Nasty Obama Supporters Don't Help Our Cause--OR IS IT THEIR CAUSE? | May 26, 2008 4:40 PM
cindy mccain is a recovering drug addict elitist thief. if michelle obama had cindy's background, she would be getting crucified in the media.
Posted by: crud | May 26, 2008 5:02 PM
What tripe.
Posted by: Jilly | May 26, 2008 5:52 PM
It's funny to see a lib attack someone's addiction when just about all of them are pot heads and alcoholics.People go through tough stretches then redeem themselves. Well except for Heath Ledger..Even as old as Cindy is,she's still an absolute knockout and would be a picturesque 1st lady and I'll bet she dosn't nag John intop icking up his socks or put the butter away.
Posted by: Spidey | May 26, 2008 6:42 PM
They are both beautiful women, with the advantage to Cindy McCain, IMO.
Posted by: Debra B. | May 26, 2008 8:03 PM
To my knowledge Cindy McCain is not a marxist/socialist. Advantage McCain.
Posted by: michael loehrer | May 26, 2008 8:32 PM
Must we go there?
Posted by: Blonde Bombshell | May 26, 2008 8:39 PM
Cindy vs Michelle? I can't wait for the clay-mation "Celebrity Deathmatch" version. The real life people involved are both boringly well qualified (overqualified) for the first lady job.
Posted by: Tom O | May 26, 2008 10:41 PM
just woke up from my drug-induced stupor spidey. man, what a night. cindy doesn't nag john about picking up anything because they have a small army of housekeepers, pool boys and nannies to do it for them. they even have that much help at all eight of their homes. do you really want a former drug addict who stole meds from her own relief agency as the first lady? she's such a lying thief, she even stole recipes from the food network and claimed them as her own! and then blamed the help, of course. how picturesque.
Posted by: crud | May 27, 2008 9:43 AM
Has anyone ever NOT voted for someone for president only because they didn't like the candidate's wife? I really don't think so, and I don't think it will happen this year. Michelle's an America basher, and Cindy is an ice queen. I find both of them a bit disturbing, but I'll still vote for one of their husbands in November.
Posted by: sillyme | May 27, 2008 3:25 PM
Michelle has the advantage. She's strong, confident, smart, and real. Cindy is just the opposite: Weak, because she's a rich white woman of privilege that sacrificed nothing which begot nothing. Insecure because she always appears uncomfortable and staged as if it was some act. Dumn because her thoughts are not her own, they're only for political gain. Fake because she looks like some stepford wife, You are so vain Ms. Botox Queen!
Posted by: Beverly | June 11, 2008 12:04 PM
Comparing Cindy McCain to Michelle Obama is a JOKE. There is no comparison. Michelle is an extremely intelligent, well-spoken, hard-working woman. Cindy is a useless airhead that came from a family with money (which by the way, is the only reason John was able to get into politics--shady). They aren't even in the same league. It's like comparing a jimmy choo (Michelle) to an overpriced tacky stripper platform (Cindy).
Posted by: WOW | June 14, 2008 5:26 AM
How on earth people can actually support Michelle Obama is astounding to me. The woman doesn't even like her country. If everyone gave up on America when something didn't go right, we wouldn't be here today.
Cindy may not have the picture-perfect image, but she at least doesn't publicly proclaim public distaste for her country. Just looking at Michelle's expressions on TV and in magazines is disturbing. She appears to be constantly conniving, with an almost evil look. Let's say Barack wins the nomination (also a disturbing thought). What if something goes wrong? What will Michelle do, jump ship? Switch countries?
I'm not sure about the rest of America, but I know I would prefer the wife of a decorated veteran in the White House.
http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?RsrcID=2036
Posted by: what is this country coming to? | June 21, 2008 3:47 PM