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|NEXT STORY »

Michelle Pushes Reform, Recalls Sasha's Illness

First lady turns attention to health care and its impact on women

By John Johnson| Posted Sep 18, 09 11:19 AM CDT|

(Newser) – Michelle Obama joined her husband's push for health care reform today with a personal pitch aimed at women, reports Politico. She recalled her father's fight with multiple sclerosis as well as an illness daughter Sasha suffered as an infant. "I think about what on earth would we have done if we did not have health insurance," she told a group of women at the White House. "What would have happened to that beautiful little girl? ... She could have lost her hearing. She could have lost her life."

Obama appealed to all women to back reform, noting that they are more likely than men to work part-time or for employers who don't provide coverage. "If we want to achieve true equality for women ... if we want to ensure that women have the opportunities they deserve ... then we have to reform the system," she said. "It is holding women and families back and we know it."

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Michelle Obama sits with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius before speaking on health insurance reform and its impact on women today at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Michelle Obama await the start of an event focusing on health insurance reform today in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

First lady Michelle Obama speaks on health insurance reform and daughter Sasha's illness at 4 months of age today in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

No one in this country should be treated that way. It's not fair. It's not right. And these are hard-working people we're talking about. - Michelle Obama

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Books Are Bad for You

30 comments

VIEWING:

inky
Sep 18, 09 11:46 AM CDT

I'm sorry, but this rings a little hollow. She should've stuck with her Dad's MS. The millions of people with kids and without insurance are going to think "WTF is SHE whining about?" Reply

-6

IN RESPONSE:

freethemall
Sep 18, 09 12:45 PM CDT

I've not heard very much about Michelle Obama and her dad's MS. Explain what you mean by "She should've stuck with her Dad's MS?...".

IN RESPONSE:

JaneMP
Sep 18, 09 10:38 PM CDT

Those who have insurance but want to reform it so ALL can have coverage are the caring people! She has insurance but she can imagine how haad it must be to have a very sick child and NOT have insurance. Empathy. Sympathy.

IN RESPONSE:

radnip
Sep 22, 09 4:09 AM CDT

Empathy. Sympathy. Words conservatives sneer at. Loudly.

| 0 minutes ago

lumina
Sep 18, 09 11:58 AM CDT

While I support the idea of a reform in the health insurance scheme of things, this story would have more veracity if I could be convinced that Michelle was in the same boat as the 43 million who had/have no insurance. Reply

-5

| 0 minutes ago

Reader65069154
Sep 18, 09 12:03 PM CDT

The Obamas have never lived like the average American, this rings pretty hollow. Reply

-6

IN RESPONSE:

DJM420
Sep 18, 09 1:15 PM CDT

you are kidding, right?

IN RESPONSE:

Shannonals
Sep 19, 09 12:45 PM CDT

Seriously Reader65069154, did you even bother to read your comments before you posted it? How many, "average" Americans have ran for the oval office that you know of? You act as if anyone running for office is living like the local grocer in your neighborhood.

| 0 minutes ago

hybrid
Sep 18, 09 12:15 PM CDT

there they go, bringing their kids into the polictical wildfire Reply

-3

| 0 minutes ago

freethemall
Sep 18, 09 12:38 PM CDT

I have never understood the rationale of those who opine that only those who have lived it, can credibly advocate for the less fortunate among us. Actually, those living in poverty, don't have the same means and resources to so advocate, as a person who is financially independent. Interestingly, some of those who have managed to escape poverty will take up the cause of those who haven't, while others will maintain that those still leaving in poverty have no one to blame but themselves. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

bahari@bellsouth.net
Sep 18, 09 12:38 PM CDT

Until President Obama wrote 2 books, he was average american. Mr. & Mrs. Dunham were not rich and neither was his mother. I am sure that his insurance came about while he was in the Illinois Senate or he just had a very little policy before that and that policy did not cover everything. She has every right to talk about her father and daughter. People with children do that a lot. I do not have children, but I hear about my co-workers children EVERYDAY. So, let her be HUMAN. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

lindamae
Sep 18, 09 3:04 PM CDT

Don't you think it strange that an average American can write 2 books about his short average life and make millions from it? I've always wondered who bankrolled it? I suspect there is a warehouse with millions of copies of his books bought by someone who wanted Obama to get some royalty money "legally." Just a thought.

-3

IN RESPONSE:

KurtRambis4va
Sep 18, 09 5:55 PM CDT

It's a good thought, but Obama has been big in the community organization arena for at least a decade, and has had many followers in his relatively short career. I think it's real, but it wouldn't be surprising if an ACORN raid yielded 100,000 copies of the book!

IN RESPONSE:

JaneMP
Sep 18, 09 10:40 PM CDT

lindamae --the normal Republican attack. "I wonder" "Isn't it strange?" Maybe a FACT would be helpful. As a writer, I know that Big Names get Big advances because publishers believe it makes the company look good.

| 0 minutes ago

Rocket448
Sep 18, 09 12:43 PM CDT

Ms. Obama is speaking from her heart to women in America, and I guess they'll relate to her better than they do to a bloated AM reactionary when it comes to women's issues. Make no mistake, Ms. Obama is right to call health care insurance reform a woman's issue. Of course Ms. Obama has had the benefit of health care insurance. She knows what it means not to worry about getting care or paying for it. She also can imagine what it would be like to NOT have such care, and can relate to the many millions of working moms who don't have - and can't get - health care insurance either at any price, or at a price they can't afford to pay. You don't have to be poor to imagine being poor, just like you don't have to have a broken leg - or reproductive problem - and have no health care insurance to pay for its treatment to understand what that must be like. Inky and Lumina are mistaken, as time will tell. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

RobN
Sep 18, 09 12:47 PM CDT

Ok, I get it now. It's ok for Michelle to use the kids for political purposes, but it's off limits for everybody else. Reply

-3

IN RESPONSE:

Unaffiliated
Sep 18, 09 1:54 PM CDT

Do you enjoy attacking children? That's sad. And dangerous.

-3

IN RESPONSE:

youngblood
Sep 18, 09 2:32 PM CDT

That's exactly right RobN! Just like it's okay for you to discipline your own children but who the hell are you to discipline my children. As a Parent you call the shots on your own child and not anyone else...is this news to you?

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Sep 18, 09 3:50 PM CDT

Unaffiliated, your comment doesn't even make sense. Honestly, you're just embarrassing yourself.

-2

IN RESPONSE:

RobN
Sep 18, 09 3:55 PM CDT

youngblood, you can't make a big deal out of keeping the kids out of the limelight and then trot them out when it suits your purposes. If you want the media to stay out of their lives, then don't use them in a public debate over a major issue. Is the media entitled now to look into her illness and debate its seriousness? No, you'd be appalled by that. So don't bring the kids into it at all.

-2

IN RESPONSE:

Unaffiliated
Sep 18, 09 8:04 PM CDT

@RobN, in what way do you desire to "use the kids"?

IN RESPONSE:

Unaffiliated
Sep 18, 09 8:10 PM CDT

@RobN, They're not bringing the kids out to push for the Dems' plan. Michelle just told a story about a child that needed medical care, a child who she cares about deeply, her own child.

IN RESPONSE:

Forderon
Sep 18, 09 2:01 PM CDT

http://www.newser.com/user/83540148/1/buh.html

IN RESPONSE:

schmidtkoff
Sep 18, 09 4:06 PM CDT

@buh, are you a duh? or just another sicko? look in your mirror and you will find who looks back. you are not quite all there, and i am being polite. which is more than you are with your rambling,incoherent rant. you really need to take a moral inventory.

| 0 minutes ago

Reader83540559
Sep 18, 09 2:20 PM CDT

There's nothing wrong with reform. There's everything wrong with Government run reformation. When the president and Mrs Obama get serious about wanting to help Amerian people who don't have insurance they will find a country behind them. I will not ever support a government run anything. I know what has happened to all other government run benefits. The electees have spent the money foolishly and stupidly at times. We even have representatives who can't remember to report over a million dollars in income to irs. Duh! Reply

IN RESPONSE:

KurtRambis4va
Sep 18, 09 5:57 PM CDT

Wow a conservative thought with some thumbs up! Amazing

IN RESPONSE:

radnip
Sep 22, 09 4:13 AM CDT

Yeah, I completely agree. That's why I'm on board the remove SEC, FDA, FAA, Medicare, Social Security, TSA route. Government can't run crap! And to think we trust them with our security. Such a dangerous thing to let government do...

| 0 minutes ago

lindamae
Sep 18, 09 2:58 PM CDT

Michrelle is correct - there should be reform: tort reform; simplification of forms and codes (universal); ability to buy insurance across state lines (all states should have the same rules); full court press to prosecute fraud (but if they won't prosecute Rangal, how can we expect them to prosecute medicaid/medicare fraud?) and then some common sense about helping those without jobs. Simple. We don't need 1000 pages and several new government layers - too much already. So- Michelle needs to get busy and get her husband to write out his plan - it doen't exist because he hasn't written it yet he talks about it and asks us to vote for it. The administration thinks we are morons - the way the lie to us. Plus - Congress won't have the same choices we will be given. Plus - Michelle worked at a hospital which was accused of refusing poor patients and sending them to other hospitals if they couldn't pay. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

armywife
Sep 18, 09 7:55 PM CDT

ok, dimwits, try to pay attention - she was saying that these two illnesses were hard for her family to get through even *with* insurance and she is able to imagine that *not* having insurance would have made such an experience even harder. you dont always have to have walked in someone's shoes to be able to imagine what their life is like, you just have to have a basic amount of empathy and imagination. and also, in what deluded universe do you have to be dwelling in to believe that either michelle OR barack grew up with silver spoons in their mouths> these two people and their families worked hard and overcame many obstacles for them to end up where they are. you might try reading some actual non-fiction about the obamas for a change. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

lindamae
Sep 19, 09 12:00 AM CDT

I think my problem is that I did not go to a private school. But I agree with you about both of them working hard to make their lives better through education. I had hoped that Obama's speech to the kids would bring this idea home. I also think Obama needs to make several PSA's telling parents, grandparents and kids that they need to stay in school , get an education and then find a skill that will enable them to earn a living as well as support a family. There is no free lunch - at least that is what I've found out. Still - Obama has not written out a plan, published it for us to read and discuss. Yet, he wants us to buy into something which doesn't exist and we are criticized if we object. If he has ideas - then he should have them written in a bill. Where is it? Until then, he should stay home and write one - not go on TV to get support for something which doesn't exist.

| 0 minutes ago

View all 30 comments »

health care • Michelle Obama • health care reform • first lady • Obama administration • Sasha Obama

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Michelle Pushes Reform, Recalls Sasha's Illness