Think Obamamania is limited to only His Messiahship and Michelle Obama's well toned arms and J. Crew wardrobe? Think again. Today's front page of the Washington Post features "Move Over, Miley. In Washington, The Obama Girls Are the Latest Craze" by staff writer Ellen McCarthy. The tone of this thoughtful analysis is set early in the article:
The tween girls of the Washington area have transcended differences of race, class and wealth to reach a single, resounding conclusion: They really, really, really, really want to be friends with Malia and Sasha Obama.
They lap up every shred of information about the first daughters, dream about meeting them and strategize ways to make it happen. Minivan rides and dinner table conversations are dominated by questions about the girls: What's their favorite food? What kind of dog did they get? Where can I get a coat like Malia's?
"Sometimes I go up to my room and I just think, 'I want to meet them, I want to meet them, I want to meet them,' " says a desperate Sophie Metee, a fourth-grader at Wood Acres Elementary in Bethesda.
Later we learn that fascination with the young ladies "may also have a great deal to do with President Obama's popularity in the country and the region -- he won an overwhelming majority of Washington area votes and enjoys significant approval ratings."
Yes, the president does have significant approval ratings, something the mainstream media remind us of frequently. What we don't hear often is he also has significant disapproval ratings. Today's Rasmussen Reports daily presidential tracking poll notes:
Overall, 55% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance so far. Forty-four percent (44%) disapprove.
Pretty evenly divided, yet the Washington Post and other news outlets rarely mention almost half the Nation has misgivings about Obama.
No doubt the Obama daughters are of interest to some people, particularly young ones. Does this interest deserve front page coverage at a time so many critical events and issues merit attention?
The Washington Post obviously thinks so. Folks there really, really, really, really want to be friends with the Family Obama.
