Monday, March 30, 2009

Nia Malika-Henderson Thinks First Lady Michelle Obama Is Doing Too Much - I Think That Ms. Henderson Needs To Do More Thinking Before She Writes

This is "journalist" Nia Malika-Henderson. She thinks after barely 60 days as First Lady, that Michelle Obama is doing too much. The stupidity of this conclusion by Ms. Henderson, says a great deal about her skills as a writer. With folks referring to the First Lady as "trash" and as a "bitch" this knucklehead wants to pile on with some tired crap about her doing to much?

And where's her research, her facts to back up this inane commentary? Surprise! She doesn't have any. Jason Linkins of The Huffington Post clowns Ms. Henderson on her "extensive" fact-finding from "some people." And my fellow blogger Oliver Willis makes quite clear what he thinks of Ms. Henderson's "story" and her advice for First Lady Michelle Obama.

It is also clear that along with not being much of an investigative reporter, Ms. Henderson is not a student of history. Many first ladies have had extremely busy schedules, robust agendas, and large population of folks they wanted to reach. From Eleanor Roosevelt to Hillary Clinton, most first ladies have been quite busy. And one thing that should have been quite clear to Ms. Henderson when she thought this bullshit up, there is no one way to be the First Lady of the United States of America.

Where is the consideration for the first African American woman to serve as First Lady? Of course, she is high profile. Of course, her schedule is busy. And as a black woman, Ms. Henderson should know better, if Michelle Obama tried to be more reserved, more hidden from view, that would be a problem too. Michelle Obama can't win for losing and she really doesn't need black female journalists piling on her with fake stories like this one. It's unfair and irresponsible.

I suppose it never dawned on Ms. Henderson that Michelle Obama might be setting a NEW standard for first ladies. And why in the hell does Michelle Obama have to follow what any other First Lady from the past has done? Clearly in terms of nearly every aspect of the post, she not being treated the same as past first ladies, especially by the media or the right wing cabal.

And on a personal level, it truly pisses me off that any black person would contribute to this the Obamas are "doing too much" debate launched by folks that want them to fail at everything. The Obamas got where they are by doing multiple things well at all times! Most successful black people have the same habits.

There never seems to be any middle ground with people when it comes to black folks. When we are struggling, we are lazy and looking for a handout, when we are succeeding, we are doing too much and need to slow down. That's just crazy talk.

7 comments:

achoiceofweapons March 30, 2009 at 7:34 PM  

Of course, Prof Tracy
You are assuming that the so called journalist has any real choice of the stories and slants of stories she writes. She appears to be quite young and may just be a jobber trying to get in print. Don't be so hard on her yet. Let's follow her a lil while longer then we shall see.
Investigative journalism is all but dead ya know. The ambush tactics of Mike Wallace and his ilk is all that's left.
With love
Say hi to Poncho
Jaycee

Dr. Tracey Salisbury March 30, 2009 at 10:19 PM  

@ Sorry Uncle Nat, but stupid pisses me off.

@Mista Jaycee - you're right...again.

@raina - not the files. LOL!

msladyDeborah March 31, 2009 at 12:51 AM  

Given the pace of the previous president, it probably does seem like the Obamas do too much. They both are actually moving about and handling their business. Perhaps the pace is too fast for those who need slower speeds.

This sistah is young. She probably does more in a day than she realizes. (Even if it is not researching her stories).

Ananda March 31, 2009 at 9:58 AM  

hi prof. tracy. thanks for this post. peace and go nc!

Foxycleopatra April 1, 2009 at 2:25 AM  

I don't know whether Michelle Obama does too much but again, even if she did, by whos standards should she be judged? She sshould have the right to set a new standard.

Also, people should bear in mind that she is getting attention that previous first ladies ddn't get. So her every move is deemed news worthy. Anything she does will make it to the news. For all we knoe, previous FL's might have done similar amounts of work and we didn't know since there was less attention on them.

Personally, I don't even know the point of journalists like this woman to be honest!

HA July 25, 2009 at 11:14 PM  

- Agreed with Chris, she's a young sister and after reading the article she really doesn't doesn't say it outright but seems to draw from pr branding folks "advice" about how Michelle should brand herself. We know she should not be listening to any of it. Be easy on the sister... Politico isn't quite an open forum...there is an agenda which I'm sure isn't free from an editor's pen. Did you contact her?

Anita March 19, 2011 at 9:29 PM  

What do people who are in the business say? "Any kind of press is good press." Or something like that.

I just finished watching Nia-Malika Henderson interviewing Carol Simpson, formerly of ABC, on Book TV (via their web site). I was impressed enough by the interview to Google her and that's how I landed here.

Although I don't know who else she's interviewed, Carole Simpson had to be a "biggy" for her, and she pulled it off.

Perhaps your opinion of her has softened since writing this post; or maybe not.

I plan to visit your blog again.

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