Presidents Don't Chest Bump And First Ladies Don't Hump The Floor

Can you imagine the wife of the CEO of Exxon Mobil rolling around and gyrating up and down on the floor during a national television talk show hosted by a lesbian talk show host? Can you imagine President Dwight Eisenhower, President John Kennedy, or President Ronald Reagan doing a mac-daddy ghetto shuffle to a stage where they do chest bumps and fist bumps with those on the platform? Have you ever heard or witnessed Samantha Cameron, wife of the British Prime Minister, gyrating her way from late night show to late night show? Can you point to a time that President Reagan swaggered to the microphone at West Point stopping along the way to chest bump the cadets? Can you identify another wife of a world leader that behaves like Michelle Obama?

Have you ever seen the wife of General Colin Powell photographed time after time shaking her behind for school children? Can you imagine any scenario of First Lady Jackie Kennedy wallowing around on the floor in front of Ellen Degeneres and a national audience? Has any other First Lady behaved as this one has? Have you seen photos of the wives of the Fortune 100 companies appearing in public unkempt, tacky, and with pants so tight that nothing is left to imagination including the type of undergarment they are wearing?

Can you imagine former Naval Officer the late John Kennedy greeting those under his command as Obama does the troops under his command? Has any other First Lady been photographed in the equivalent of a cheap work-out video where afterward the athletic trainer made veiled, earthy references pursuant to her squats?

The answer to all the above questions is no. No other President, First Lady, or CEO of a top company has behaved as these two have. And therein lies the problem. He is the leader of the free world. That means there is to be an inherent respect for the office and position held. But with these two it appears they want to reduce the positions to that of social directors at a hip-hop party in Cabrini-Green.

The reducing of the Office of President to a fraternity house may have started with Bill Clinton, but the Obamas have reduced the Office to levels heretofore unwitnessed. PastFirst Ladies behaved with eloquence and demureness that in no way diminished them–while Hillary abandoned that Michelle has plumbed new levels of commonality.

In the eyes of those blacks who are sans understanding what it means to be president the Obamas are viewed as “keeping it real.” The problem with that is said behavior isn’t synonymous with the office and position they hold. Leaders, be they generals, CEOs, or presidents are called to a higher level of propriety than those occupying other positions. I’m reminded of a conversation between the Michael Douglas character and the Martin Sheen character in the film “The American President.” The Douglas character who was the President and the Sheen character who was the Chief of Staff were alone in the White House shooting pool late one evening. The Douglas character turned to Sheen’s character and told him he could call him by his first name when they were out of public view. He reminded Sheen’s character that Sheen had been the best man at his wedding. To which Sheen’s character responded Yes Sir, Mr. President.


There’s dignity and a requisite level of respect inherent in positions the magnitude of the president, CEO, etc., and those occupying same. That respect is a necessary protocol for the effectual operation of the office. I was a guest, a couple years back, at an event at the private residence of the British Ambassador. General and Mrs. Colin Powell were also in attendance. I can tell you that people were not walking up to General Powell giving him ghetto hugs and chest bumps. Mrs. Powell was not dressed in an outfit that was more suitable for lap dancing or Soul Train. We addressed General Powell as Mr. Secretary or General as we laughed and engaged in casual conversation about the evening, sports, etc. I’ve never walked up to a Congressperson and greeted them with a chest bump nor have they greeted me in such manner. It has always been with a hand shake.

This is why many blacks and young people have so little respect and have dim views of those who behave commensurate with the positions of leadership they hold. In the eyes of many blacks and liberal voters, Michelle Obama may be a rock star, but to those who understand the propriety of her position she is nothing more than a ghetto queen who wears expensive clothing that most of the time is in poor taste for the occasion and unflattering.