Remember how hard the so-called mainstream media was on Barack and Michelle Obama? Neither do we. But the new Showtime series The First Lady lives in an alternate reality where hateful CNN, NBC and CBS journalists freely yelled at Michelle over whether she was a “terrorist” who “hated America.”
The series also distorts conservative Cal Thomas in a clip from Fox News, attempting to smear him as a racist.
The ten part drama recreates this infamous February 19, 2008 remark by Mrs. Obama at a speech: “What we have learned over this year is that hope is making a comeback. And let me tell you something, for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country.” Instead of suggesting there’s something wrong with that statement, the April 24th First Lady features a staffer ranting about “fucking racist fucks” on the right exploiting it.
Then, the series features reporters from NBC, CBS and CNN ambushing Mrs. Obama at home, walking her daughters to school:
FEMALE REPORTER: Michelle, do you have any terrorist affiliations? Do you hate America or Americans?
SECOND REPORTER: Why are you not proud to be an American?
THIRD REPORTER [to Obama daughters]: What do you think about your father running for office?
In reality, as the MRC's Brent Baker wrote on February 19, 2008, ABC initially spiked the “first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country” comment. NBC blamed... Cindy McCain, the wife of GOP presidential candidate John McCain:
Michelle Obama proclaimed that “for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country,” but instead of putting the burden on the Obama campaign to defend her admission of a lack of pride in her nation, NBC on Tuesday night framed its coverage around Cindy McCain's “rhetoric” in issuing a “political jab” over the remark and concern over whether that “was a knock at Michelle Obama?” But at least NBC highlighted the comment from Monday. ABC's World News didn't utter a word about it while CBS's Jim Axelrod pointed out how the Obama “campaign says don't slice apart the quote to infer she's not a patriot.”
The Showtime series also tried to imply that Fox News hosts Cal Thomas and Jim Pinkerton were racist. Inserting a clip, from months later on the June 14, 2008 Fox News Watch, into this fictionalized show. Here's the clip as it aired on Showtime:
CAL THOMAS: She's always angry every time she gets on television.
JIM PINKERTON: I think the American people deserve a thorough examination of everything about her.
THOMAS: The angry black woman First Lady?
Now, here’s the full context:
THOMAS: In this campaign, we are being asked to accept three things simultaneously, the first woman with a credible chance of being president, the first African-American with the chance to being president and, whoever Michelle Obama is going to be styled, the angry black woman First Lady? This is an awful lot. If she's going to be out there talking about policy, being a surrogate for her husband, then, within certain boundaries, she is open for criticism and critiques just like any other political figure.
JANE HALL: (American University) I think one way that people who are going to try to defeat Obama is to somehow prove he's other -- he's not one of us. If they can't prove he's a Muslim, then let's prove his wife is an angry black woman. I think it's going to get ugly. I don't think John McCain will sanction it.
...
PINKERTON: I'm kind of curious about Obama, where he lived, what he's done and what he believed. The people that surround Obama so far, Reverend Wright, Father Pfleger, Tony Rezko, these people don't exactly satisfy all your concerns, do they, about who he is and what he stands for and so on. I think this is entirely legitimate.... But I think the American people deserve a thorough examination of everything about her, especially when they know the MSM are giving her the Jackie Kennedy treatment, trying to just sail her off into Camelot.
THOMAS: I want to pick up on something that Jane said about the angry black woman. Look at the image of angry black women on television. Politically you have Maxine Waters of California, liberal Democrat. She's always angry every time she gets on television. Cynthia McKinney, another angry black woman. And who are the black women you see on the local news at night in cities all over the country. They're usually angry about something. They've had a son who has been shot in a drive-by shooting. They are angry at Bush. So you don't really have a profile of non-angry black women.
As you can see, when Thomas said the “she's always angry every time she gets on television,” it wasn’t even about Michelle Obama. He was talking about the perception of the “angry black woman” by the media. Apparently facts don’t matter for the “historians” behind this fact-free Showtime series.
To contact Showtime and complain about Showtime's blatant distortions, go here or call 212 708-1600.
Here is a partial transcript from “Voices Carry,” the April 24 Showtime episode of The First Lady. Click “expand” to read more.
The First Lady
4/24/2022
9:09 AM ETMICHELLE OBAMA (played by Viola Davis): I feel privileged to be a part of even witnessing this. Traveling around states and being reminded that there's more that unites us than divides us. [At another event.] Thank you. Thank you so much. I am honored and excited to be here. This has been an amazing year for us. Just think where we were one year ago. Barack was standing in front of the State Capitol in Illinois to announce that he was running for president. What we have learned over this year is that hope is making a comeback. And let me tell you something, for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country.
....
MEL WINTERS (played by Donna Lynne Champlin): We better get going. Fucking racist fucks.
OBAMA (What's going on?
WINTERS: -Sorry. They-- They twisted your words. They twisted your words.
OBAMA: What? What?
WINTERS: "I'm proud of my country for the first time."
OBAMA: Shit. "I never loved my country."
WINTERS: Right. Okay. -Come on. Let's keep moving.
[Real clip of Fox News. Actually from Fox News Watch for June 14, 2008.]
CAL THOMAS: She's always angry every time she gets on television.JIM PINKERTON: I think the American people deserve a thorough examination of everything about her.
THOMAS: The angry Black woman First Lady?
...
[Walking out of her house, Michelle Obama is accosted by angry reporters from CNN, NBC, CBS.]
OBAMA: I wanna walk my girls to school today. It's a beautiful morning, and we need the fresh air and a break from all of this.
FEMALE REPORTER: Michelle, do you have any terrorist affiliations? Do you hate America or Americans?
SECOND REPORTER: Why are you not proud to be an American?
THIRD REPORTER [to Obama daughters]: What do you think about your father running for office?
MICHELLE OBAMA: I will not respond to these lies, nor will I stand for you bringing my girls into all this. That's what we're not gonna do. But I will say this. I am genuinely proud of all the excitement building around Barack's campaign. It makes me hopeful. People of all shades and-- and ages and creeds all working together. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to walk my daughters to school.
