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Michelle Obama Hits the Met
May 18, 2009 6:09 PM
ABC News' Yunji de Nies and Sharde Miller report:
The first lady traded Washington for New York Monday, with a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mrs. Obama cut the ribbon at the re-opening of the newly renovated American Wing galleries and was joined by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.
In a speech that lasted just over five minutes, Michelle Obama praised the arts and said that despite the economic downturn, the country must stay committed to supporting the creative fields.
"Our future as an innovative country depends on ensuring that everyone has access to the arts and to cultural opportunity," she told the crowd of New York City public school children, elected officials and museum trustees.
Mrs. Obama pointed out that the stimulus package includes $50 million in state and regional arts funding.
"But the intersection of creativity and commerce is about more than economic stimulus, it's also about who we are as people," she said. "The president and I want to ensure that all children have access to great works of art at museums like the one here. We want them to have access to great poets and musicians in theaters around the country, to arts education in their schools and community workshops."
Mrs. Obama said she is personally working to expand that access by opening her new home.
"That's what we've been trying to do at the White House," she said. "We've been trying to break down barriers that too often exist between major cultural establishments and the people in their immediate communities; to invite kids who are living inches away from the power and prestige and fortune and fame, we want to let those kids know that they belong here, too."
The first lady then embraced many of the children in the audience and posed for pictures. She also rubbed elbow's with New York City's fashion elite, including designer Ralph Lauren, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, and former supermodel Iman.
FLOTUS Fashion Watch: Mrs. Obama was dressed in a purple Isaac Mizrahi dress and matching knee-length jacket, with a bow clasp. She wore strappy metallic high heels.
May 18, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (15)
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"Oh, by the way, I remember when 'ART' classes were on your school schedule as a must class. What happened over the years?" ~ Tych
The Arts had to give way so that teachers would have time to teach sex ed to kindergartners and teach high schoolers to put condoms on bananas. sThe Arts had to give way So they would have time to read Jennifer Has Two Daddies and Heather Has Two Mommies. The Arts had to give way so that teachers could brainwash our children with Algore narrated nonsense about how evil and bad we are for breathing and killing the Earth.
Social engineering (reforming society by reshaping the attitudes of children) has barely left time for reading, writing and arithmetic.
In a related story, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released a report today revealing only 27 percent of the more than 600 teacher candidates who took the state's licensing exam passed.
The teacher’s licensing exam tested potential teachers on their knowledge of elementary school mathematics. This included geometry, statistics, and probability.
Nearly three-quarters of the aspiring teachers didn't understand how many of them passed.
Posted by: Mondo | May 19, 2009 12:11:50 PM
Nice to see a "low to earth, strong, everyday person" that is not one regional first Lady. Michelle, you lifts us all up. Oh, by the way, I remember when "ART" classes were on your school schedule as a must class. What happened over the years? I guess it was changed to further "make the "have-nots" unintelligent, weak, and not creative", in other words keep "some" of Americans ignorant so they wouldn't know what is happening to them, leaving the "haves" with the power and control. Wake up right-wing republicans. We all want the same for our family and communities.
Posted by: tychisum | May 19, 2009 10:25:54 AM
It's good to see schmoopie getting out a bit..
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | May 19, 2009 9:18:20 AM
Wow, it's amazing how some of you will stretch to find fault! I can't imagine how lonely and bitter you must be!
Nobama - please link some of the things Laura Bush did. She did champion reading and with a VERY light touch education. She is an ex librarian, I do give her credit for that. But, she also said she didn't like the limelight and was a very private person. She could have done SO much more! The things she did, did get coverage. There just wasn't that much.
Posted by: try the truth | May 19, 2009 8:57:26 AM
I suspect there was more money in the stimulus package for the arts, but that it was cut by . .. . you know who . ..
The focusing of media attention on the value of the arts from the first family is worthwhile.
Posted by: danita | May 19, 2009 3:07:43 AM
50 million for the arts? That's all? For the whole country? Give me a break. But they spend hundreds of billions on wars and handouts for the banks.
This is a nice fluffy speech and photo-op, but there isn't any policy to back it up.
Posted by: Karen | May 19, 2009 2:40:43 AM
Yawn
Posted by: Mary | May 18, 2009 10:39:24 PM
Forget the arts and culture -- our future as an innovative country has been stifled by pro-union Obama.
Posted by: paul | May 18, 2009 10:22:43 PM
Wow! I thought Michelle clocked Carlos Beltran. I'm guessing she packs quite a punch. She has muscular arms and all...
Posted by: Mondo | May 18, 2009 10:15:22 PM
They have certainly remade her image.
Posted by: Axey | May 18, 2009 7:56:51 PM
Michelle is as good a roving ambassador for POTUS as anyone. Just check out her poll numbers.
Posted by: matt | May 18, 2009 7:35:34 PM
"I don't recall this number of "puff" pieces being written about Laura Bush and she actually did things that were substantive."
Waaaaahhhhhh!
"This is the reason Obama has yet to have his poll numbers drop."
ROFLMAO!
The rationalizations of the popularity of this president are hilarious.
Posted by: Ryan C | May 18, 2009 7:28:40 PM
It sounds like she at least had some clothes on this time. Usually she is half naked!
Posted by: Betsy | May 18, 2009 6:23:18 PM
YAWN, snore,
I don't recall this number of "puff" pieces being written about Laura Bush and she actually did things that were substantive.
This is the reason Obama has yet to have his poll numbers drop.
The networks and most cable spend their entire programs as support systems for whatever Obama dictates for the day. They even use the daily approved phrases and "take" on the white house designated issue.
Well done comrades.
Posted by: Nobama | May 18, 2009 6:20:27 PM
Finally Artists,the Fashion Community Poets and Musicians have a friend in the White House :-)
Posted by: Kim | May 18, 2009 6:18:02 PM
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