The Obama Relationship: A Major Benefit Nobody's Talking About

[babylonsister]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathlyn-and-gay-hendricks/the-obama-relationship-a_b_128896.html

Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks
Posted September 26, 2008 | 08:50 AM (EST)

The Obama Relationship: A Major Benefit Nobody's Talking About


One of the greatest benefits of an Obama presidency is hidden in plain sight: the relationship between Michelle and Barack. They provide a great role model of a healthy relationship, at a time when such models are sorely needed.

For example...

Imagine having a president who is not distracted from the nation's business by the stresses of secrets in the presidential marriage.

Imagine having a president who likes his partner and values her as an equal, a president who touches his wife affectionately in public and actually listens to her when she talks!

Fortunately we don't have to imagine it, because we already have that potential at the tip of our voting fingers. For Americans, one of the most important aspects of an Obama presidency is being overlooked: the model of a healthy relationship. In the 28 years of our own marriage, we've worked with more than 4,000 couples in our office and seminars, so we have a reasonably good idea of what kinds of behavior one sees in a healthy relationship. For example, Michelle and Barack do something we've never seen before in a presidential couple: they actually look directly at each other when they're speaking to each other. They also laugh at each other's humor, and they allow their sexual attraction for each other to be visible. Contrast that with other presidential marriages, in which the sexual attraction to each other was not visible but their sexual attraction to others became highly visible. Michelle and Barack talk openly about their feelings for each other. They're real.

Why would their relationship be a benefit to the American public and the world at large? The main reason is that it would be genuinely useful to have a visible, public role model of what a healthy relationship looks like. Over the last fifty years there's been a parade of not-so-great relationship models in the White House. They range from idol-worship (Nancy's perpetually-adoring glaze, oops we mean gaze, at Ronnie) to the sternly maternal façade of the first Mrs. Bush. We've witnessed White House marriages strained to the breaking point by secrets. The country lost 50 million dollars and a year of the government's focus because one president actually did have sex with "that woman" but wouldn't tell us the truth until he was outed by DNA.

snip//

We have a chance now to make a real difference in the world. If we elect Barack Obama, we can all focus on the critical challenges that must be met now. Speaking personally, we feel a sense of warmth and pride when we think about the support and love the Obamas have for each other. We breathe easier when we see how they live their lives with balance, honesty and clarity. They're the real deal. In November, let's give ourselves this new mirror of our own value.

[seabeyond]

1. it works for me. i use it as a telling of who these people are. really

i told sons a month ago, it is so neat to see the connection, when they look at each other, how they move together, that they are a unit and love. we so often see the male not with love. it is wonderful to be able to watch obama look at his family, his wife, his children with love. it says a lot about the man. good stuff. we like to present a different male, and for me, that is less of a man. this is so much more

i felt the same way with kerry and teresa.

you look at mccain and his wife. he does nothing in body motion, or eye contact that connects him with wife. it is cold. she tries. he ignores. he is front stage. doesnt feel good

[babylonsister]

2. It works for me, too, seabeyond, for all the reasons you mentioned.

:hi:

[OhioChick]

3. K&R

:kick:

[CrispyQ]

4. I think the Biden's have a similar relationship.

It's a great double header for our ticket!