Feminine Views in the Feminine Style: Convention Speeches by Presidential Nominees' Spouses

Why We Love Michelle: Understanding Public Support for First Lady Michelle Obama

“…Nevertheless, Michelle Obama recognized the public's preference for tradition and adeptly crafted her image as first lady to fit within those expectations. By giving up her career, consistently emphasizing her role as “mom-in-chief,” and refraining from political or policy influence (Guerrero 2011; Hayden 2017; Kahl 2009; Vigil 2014, 2019 Wright 2016), Michelle Obama was able to embody traditional expectations and reap the benefits in terms of public support. Thus, even though Michelle Obama challenged some aspects of the traditional image of presidential candidate spouses through her race and “modern, striving, edgy, ironic” personality (Cottle 2012), she attracted some level of bipartisan approval because of her decision to behave in a traditional manner.…”

“…A key element of the new traditional expectations of first ladies is their willingness to embody the historic ideals of American womanhood—putting their children and family first, acting as role models for women, and doing all this while looking glamorous (Borrelli 2011; Duerst-Lahti 2014; Mandziuk 2017; Vigil 2014). In this section, we examine pollster inquiries about Michelle Obama as well as other first ladies concerning their status as mothers, role models, and fashion icons to provide further insights into the ways that Michelle Obama's adherence to new traditionalism drove her popularity.…”

“…The challenge of fulfilling the motherhood expectations of the first lady was more complicated for Michelle Obama given her status as an African American woman operating in a society with long-ingrained negative stereotypes attached to black women and black mothers (Guerrero 2011; Harris-Perry 2011; Hayden 2017). Soon after becoming first lady, Michelle Obama began referring to herself as “mom-in-chief,” making it clear through interviews and high-profile appearances that despite her Ivy League education, law degree, and accomplished career that her priorities in the White House would be to take care of her daughters and her family (Hayden 2017; Vigil 2014). According to Harris-Perry, “As Mom-in-Chief Michelle Obama … subverts a deep, powerful, old public discourse on black women as bad mothers” (2011, 283–84).…”

“…This approach benefited Michelle Obama politically, but it came the expense of upending the highly gendered parameters that define the position of first lady, an outcome that many progressive feminists who wanted her to speak out more forcefully on major policy issues found disappointing (Harris-Perry 2011). As Vigil (2014) has noted, the traditional self-presentation and issue selection of presidential spouses may help their popularity, but at the cost of reinforcing the idea that political issues divide into a traditional masculine-feminine dichotomy. By choosing to spend her eight years as first lady, emphasizing issues relating to motherhood, children, and families, Michelle Obama missed the opportunity to show that women can hold a variety of diverse policy interests and goals.…”

Narratives of the presidential nominating conventions : branding the parties and candidates

“…Wives of the candidates have been almost restricted to traditional or stereotypically feminine topics. The wives tend to use a personal speaking style and focus on home and family while ignoring policy topics, including those topics with which they may have great expertise (Vigil, 2014). Blankenship, Robson, and Williams (1997) introduced the concept of a feminine style within campaign discourse, specifically emanating from the 1996 conventions.…”