There's not really any news here — "may never move." Maybe she will. Maybe she won't. She's mysterious!
In other words, US Weekly knows nothing...
"They will reevaluate toward the end of the school year if they will keep this arrangement or if Melania and Barron will move to Washington," [says the unnamed "family insider."] "They could go either way right now. They will ultimately do what's best for Barron."... but it's still riveting the attention of a certain sort of soft, distanced political observer, the kind that responds to the lure of a cover she sees while waiting in the checkout line at the supermarket.
Just yesterday, I was blogging about the previous week's issue of US Weekly, the one with Trump's 5 children on the cover. The feminist rabble-rouser Jessica Valenti had called for people to cancel their US Weekly subscriptions (as if her readers — or anybody — subscribes to the thing (it's more of a checkout-line impulse buy, isn't it?)). And Mashable's Heather Dockray chided the rag for "normalizing" Trump.
US Weekly may not know much about how the Trumps live their private life, but it must know its audience and what sells magazines. The thing has been around for 40 years. It knows its groove through the culture, the right degree of coziness with politics, the niceness toward celebrities. From its Wikipedia page:
It was acquired by Jan Wenner in 1985 and is a part of Wenner Media LLC, which also publishes Rolling Stone and Men’s Journal... In 1999... Wenner expressed his intention to keep Us "celebrity-friendly" in contrast with the more gossipy character of its competitors. He told The New York Times: "We will be nice to celebrities. A lot of my friends are in the entertainment business."...US Weekly is kind of a safe space for people who want to think that celebrities are nice. If you're not one of those people, you're probably not picking up US Weekly anyway. It's not for you. But the don't-normalize-Trump crowd might get upset because they need the whole supermarket to be a safe space and these Trump covers are impinging on their mental peace. These people have to worry that other people like the magazine, and what is on the cover is presumably what US Weekly knows (or expects) those other people to like.
[In 2007, Tina Brown said,] "I adore Us Weekly. I think it's a genius magazine. I'm a big fan of magazines that fulfill the goal of what they're trying to be."...
The magazine was criticized for allegedly biased coverage of the 2008 Republican National Convention. The September 5, 2008, issue featured Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on the cover with the headline "Babies, Lies & Scandal", while the June 19, 2008, issue featured U.S. Senator from Illinois Barack Obama and wife Michelle Obama with the headline "Why Barack Loves Her."
And the Trumps are getting the usual nice family-love-oriented treatment. From the current mysterious Melania article:
Though living 200 miles apart is unprecedented for a president and first lady, it suits the fiercely independent Donald just fine.Fiercely independent. That's US Weekly's spin on this:
When ABC News anchor David Muir asked January 25 if not having Melania, 46, or Barron around left him feeling lonely, he responded, "No, because I end up working longer. And that's OK."What I like to think Trump was saying there is that he knows he signed up for a big job and he intends to work hard on it, for us, as he said he would do. In this view, living in the White House is not about getting lots of family time. If you need too much of that, stay out of the White House. This is a major workplace, not a domestic retreat.
And if he's the one who goes to her — and she stays in where she is, in place, embedded in her life, with her activities and friends and associates — shouldn't feminists celebrate? Maybe she's one who is "fiercely independent." But look at the "abused Melania" meme:
The presumptions there are outright misogynistic.
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79 comments:
"Normalize" = "humanize". Don't humanize our opponents! Voters might sympathize them, and that complicates turning American politics into total war!
Maybe Melania is concerned that a move to the White House is a move down from her digs at Trump Towers.
That's not exactly been the case for the previous first ladies, but there's a first time for everything.
The September 5, 2008, issue featured Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on the cover with the headline "Babies, Lies & Scandal".... US Weekly is kind of a safe space for people who want to think that celebrities are nice.
Did you notice this contradiction? Do you now?
Melania looks great on magazine covers so they're just making up "acceptable" excuses to put her there.
I'm sure the magazines will give here the same Michelle Obama-worship treatment, right?
Danger Alert:If she lives with DJT, she could be grabbed by her pussy.
Wenner using his other magazine to beg for political indulgences from the new PTB.
The media is going bat-shit crazy over a family that focuses on the well-being of their child, a family that embraces immigrants, Jews and women, a president that is the first to come into office supporting gay marriage. That's why I ignore them.
Poor Melania. I suspect she's the foil, for protecting Barron Trump and his suspected Aspberger's/autism from the scrutiny he'd get as a resident of the White House. She stays home in Trump Tower with Barron, under the presumption that Barron is in school and she needs to be there with him.
"In other words, US Weekly knows nothing..."
An evergreen statement. Applicable to other media outlets.
Truman's wife never did the WH thing. She went for the season but did pretty much the minimum. It is much easier to travel from NYC to DC than it was for Bess Truman, and I imagine that it would be very easy for Melania to be a "part-time" First Lady.
It's a bit odd to assume, in this day and age, that a presidential spouse will automatically drop everything to assume the ceremonial role, isn't it? This probably is a little more vivid to me given the very strong probability that we would have been dealing with First Gentleman Bill Clinton by this time. I can't envision him filling the traditional role.
Chuck is not a doctor, but he plays one on the internet.
She wears way too much makeup, it says to me.
A Slovenian woman does what she d*mn*d well feels like doing. If you don't like it, jebi se!
"lifelong republican" Chuck doing his best to channel the worst of the worst dregs of the left.
Chuck said... [hush][hide comment]
Poor Melania. I suspect she's the foil, for protecting Barron Trump and his suspected Aspberger's/autism from the scrutiny he'd get as a resident of the White House. She stays home in Trump Tower with Barron, under the presumption that Barron is in school and she needs to be there with him.
Barron is not autistic.Who says otherwise?
I feel sorry for young kids under house arrest because Dad is President. Four, or eight years of childhood gone. Wht does Trump need to live at White House at all? Many times, Obama was elsewhere but being "kept apprised of the situation". Plenty of people working in Silicon Valley making a one to two hour commute daily With Trumps hyperactivity, he may decide to commute.
Fullmoon, why are you bothering to reason with "lifelong republican" Chuck on this? Anyone, like Chuck, who continues on a mission to toss rumors and innuendo at a 10 year old is not worth the powder to blow him to hell.
Midtown Manhattan needs her to move.
He could hang out with Paul Ryan.
"The presumptions there are outright misogynistic. "
And this is a surprise because?
Most of the misogynistic comments I've seen in the past few years have been against conservative women. Most of the racist statements* I've read in the past few years have come from the left and often are aimed at black conservatives.
Glad you are starting to notice.
* Not counting such "racist" terms as golf or Chicago.
Imagine! A President who believes he was elected to run the country as Job One and a First Lady who believes her Job One is to raise her own personal child and not tell everyone in the country how to raise theirs. The NERVE of them!
And if he's the one who goes to her — and she stays in where she is, in place, embedded in her life, with her activities and friends and associates — shouldn't feminists celebrate?
That would require some rationality, which the pussy-hats are lacking.
Melania has escaped the First Lady gilded cage. Genius.
YoungHegelian said...
Maybe Melania is concerned that a move to the White House is a move down from her digs at Trump Towers.
In terms of personal freedom and everyday pleasure and convenience, it certainly is. Better views at the towers and less riffraff coming and going.
I do hope she moves to DC eventually, just to be a calming influence on The Donald.
readering: "Midtown Manhattan needs her to move."
It does make it difficult there but they will just have to deal with it.
I'm sure Blasio will figure it out.
Heh.
readering said...
Midtown Manhattan needs her to move.
2/1/17, 10:15 AM
What they need is a helipad on Trump Tower. Anyone have data on whether this is practicable (i.e., flat roof)?
David suggests: I do hope she moves to DC eventually, just to be a calming influence on The Donald.
I think that will be Ivanka's role.
"And this is a surprise because?"
I don't understand comments that ask about surprise where surprise has not been expressed?
Also comments that say: You're just noticing this?! — when I have said I'm just noticing something for the first time.
There's no way to respond. It's a question that assumes something.
BL asks: What they need is a helipad on Trump Tower. Anyone have data on whether this is practicable (i.e., flat roof)?
I believe helipads were banned in NYC after an accident.
Nonetheless, they need to make an exception now and they probably will. :-)
She is mysterious, she is a genuine foreigner and does not behave according to US expectations. She grew up in her own country with its own values.
What I havent seen is any real coverage of Slovenia and Slovenians, or any real curiosity about her actual nature. The US media is in these decadent times an uncreative, incurious inbred lot. In earlier days Time would have her full dossier, a think piece on Slovenian culture including common phrases in Slovenian. Life would have a gloriously photographed issue full of bucolic scenes. National Geographic likewise.
I'm sure the magazines will give here the same Michelle Obama-worship treatment, right?
I don't think that will be necessary. One is a gorgeous model and the other looks like an NFL linebacker but opinions will vary with political leanings.
Meh, who cares? They aren't a normal family. How could they be?
"What I havent seen is any real coverage of Slovenia and Slovenians, "
It's an interesting country. It avoided all the carnage of the Yugoslav breakup as it had Croatia between it and Serbia.
I have read that it has lots of good skiing.
I did read an account of a visit by a Slovenian immigrant who went back to visit and found lots of Bush Derangement signs around. That was, of course, when Bush was in office.
Barron deserves one surviving parent, so the keep the Target-in-Chief a safe distance from the Mother.
The DemonRats are the ones spouting assassination on orders from Real Nazi Soros.
And Ivanka has an office in the White House that Soros has offered Black Lives Matter to blow up.
Its even more curious in that her story is a natural for the soap-opera romance novel crowd. A peasant girl from some obscure Slavic hinterland becomes - what, the wife of the worlds most powerful man?
And with more than a touch of the risque.
She is exotic in a way that Jaqueline Bouvier wasnt, being as Bouvier was a perfectly engineered powerful mans wife. She was manufactured to spec. Melania Knauss wasnt.
Adults who are in a normal, respectful relationship are more than able to handle being separated for a while and have their marriages and families continue on. People do this everyday for work purposes. There is nothing new, whatsoever, in these arrangements.
The husband, or wife, gets a big promotion at work that requires moving to another city. They have kids in school. The logical thing, if you can afford it, is to have the non promoted spouse stay at home, remain in their job if they have one while the promoted spouse gets to work. Let the children finish the school year, instead of disrupting their life and separating suddenly from friends. The staying spouse can then gradually make the move. Gradually let the kids adjust to the idea and then get back together.
This is normal, rational, planning.
This happens ALL the time to normal people who are not billionaires. The military wives and husbands are expected to deal with this. WE, despicable and irredeemable working classes, manage to survive it. Why do they think that the Trumps will not?
Plus, even IF Melania and Trump decide that her not residing in the White House is going to be a thing.......why should we care. We didn't elect Melania. We elected Trump.
Drago said...
Fullmoon, why are you bothering to reason with "lifelong republican" Chuck on this? Anyone, like Chuck, who continues on a mission to toss rumors and innuendo at a 10 year old is not worth the powder to blow him to hell.
2/1/17, 10:14 AM
That's why I was going to let him live, but now I'm not so sure.
What a sorry piece of trash you are, Chuck. Please come to New York, soon.
Danger Alert:If she lives with DJT, she could be grabbed by her pussy.
You say that like it is a bad thing ;-)
Of all the magazines I would never buy, Entertainment Weekly is my favorite. The National Enquirer sometimes has special issues devoted to the cellulite deposits on celebrities' bodies. Try passing through the checkout line without quick looking through those enlightening pictures......Melania is a trophy bride. I think it will be pretty hard for Middle American women to embrace her to their hearts. Also Slovenians don't really qualify as a minority. They're more like a miniscularity. Who can even tell the difference between a Slovakian and a Slovenian?
The entire tale of Trump is epic, the best show playing, far better and more dramatic in every way than the Obama show or even Game of Thrones. And it's got intricate, surprising subplots and back stories all over.
Shakespeare would have taken to this with delight.
But our modern poets don't like the story.
The feminist pigeonhole. They demonstrated the same insularity with Sarah Palin and other women who did not support their political progress. It's an institutional problem under [class] diversity policies.
Jacqueline Bouvier was a trophy bride.
More so really, she was cast into the mold of a trophy. Melania Knauss was found, not made.
If the press were happy about Trump, by this time the general public would be experts in the difference between Slovenians and Slovakians. Slovenes and Slovaks actually.
BTW, San Francisco has a Slovenian hall, I have been to functions there.
THe Demos and the media (I know, redundant) are being such assholes, that it is a reasonable decision for her to try and isolate herself and Barron from that as much as possible. I hope she doesn't, but I can't fault her if she does.
"San Francisco has a Slovenian hall, I have been to functions there."
It also has a good sized Croatian population. There is a good Croatian restaurant, I think, on Lombard street. I was there once with a Croatian friend.
Albona, on Francisco St, (near the famous part of Lombard). Been there.
The Tadich Grill on California street is a civic institution, also founded by a Croatian.
But the menu is its own style of seafood, not "ethnic". Been there lots.
Lots of Croats, Slovenes, and etc. characters out of the Austro-Hungarian empire settled in Northern California. Back in the day the "other side" in the Cesar Chavez activism story were usually farmers with Slavic names.
Staying in NYC means less press about their son, a good thing for any kid. Also, a president who is doing a good job is going to be working an incredible number of hours. Why live in a strange house in a strange town (and in both cases, strange means not only unfamiliar but weird) mostly alone? Plus, think of how many tedious functions the first spouse has to attend if in Washington, life would be a 24/7 cocktail party. It's easy to see why staying in NYC is such an attractive option.
There's no way to respond. It's a question that assumes something.
What about headlines that include the words "may" or "could"? The potential becomes gospel when repeated by those needing a constant outrage.
I had to run errands downtown. It seems there will be another protest today. Everything was placards, and pussy hats.
"Jacqueline Bouvier was a trophy bride."
Twice.
William opines: I think it will be pretty hard for Middle American women to embrace her to their hearts.
I'm not sure whether or not I'm a 'Middle American' but I am a woman and I find her lovely and elegant and have embraced her to my heart. And I have a friend who lives in Prague & London who knows her personally and who says Melania is extremely nice and easy to work with. The difference between her and Hillary Clinton is Yuuuge. In a very good way.
Did they ever have a picture of the Clintons on the cover with the Headline 'Separate Lives"?
The only time they have shared a bed is when Bill was fucking a starstruck Dem girl while Hillary was unnoticed under the covers next to them, blacked out from Vodka.
I'm sure Bill learned his lesson: never fuck a girl when your wife is Blacked Out next to you and Shits the Bed.
I am Laslo.
Slovenia is a really cool country and close to Italy!. Great mountains (don't know about skiing) and fantastic old style castles. Check out Lake Bled. Their capital Ljubljana* is trying to be a youth cultural center. Lots of young European artists and hanger-oners. Great city with lots of energy. I wish I had bought a house there after the war.
*Sounds like Lube-lyana.
Always seemed to me that the White House would be an awful place to live.
My apologies, Ms. Ann. My snark (by writing just noticing) was directed at you.
But it was actually intended to a general comment. I mis-fired at a target that did not deserve it.
I am continually frustrated by the endless racist/misogynist/homophobe calls from the left when I see the most egregious examples coming, predominately, from the left.
I'll strive to do better.
Last week I was sitting at Panera and overheard a couple of 60-ish women discussing the Inauguration. One of them said "I saw him turn around and say something to Melania, and her face just dropped, and I thought, he must have said something awful to her".
This person has no idea what happened there, but is quite SURE he's a POS who figures, at his own Inauguration, why not turn around and insult my wife while I'm at it?
Right. That must be it.
Years ago, I saw an interview with several models and television presenters who had traveled a bit. When asked their favorite place, almost all said Croatia.
"I saw him turn around and say something to Melania, and her face just dropped"
Perhaps Donald said, "Honey, we have to dine with the Obamas again. And that creepy woman from Panera is still watching us."
"Also comments that say: You're just noticing this?! — when I have said I'm just noticing something for the first time."
That was supposed to say "haven't"!
Anyway, triumphal fairy tale or exotic marital disaster-in-the-making, this thing is interesting all the way. A story worth telling. The storytellers are missing it.
I think she should stay in New York if that is what she and her son want. It refreshing to have a first lady with no pretensions about doing good for the country- we didn't elect her to any political position.
If I had to "go to Melania" I'd want a faster Air Force 1. Maybe a Strike Eagle.
Didn't Bess and Harry live apart? I seem to remember that she hated Washington and went back to Missouri when he was in the white house.
I am another somewhat Middle American woman who has taken Melania to my heart. The Mean Girl treatment from the left-feminists infuriates me.
And Chuck, shame on you. To repeat despicable lies about a child is too low, even for the shitposting of a comment section.
Richard Mcenroe suggests: If I had to "go to Melania" I'd want a faster Air Force 1. Maybe a Strike Eagle.
The AV8B Harrier II might be just the thing.
Jump Jet
I was not even aware a "poor Melania" meme existed. Odd, since there is plenty of video of the couple laughing together as though they actually enjoy each others company. I would love to see and hear less from the first spouse. Mr. Thatcher and Mr. Merkel were/are not constantly paraded about or expected to give silly speeches to men's groups on eating and child rearing.
Mr. Thatcher and Mr. Merkel were/are not constantly paraded about or expected to give silly speeches to men's groups on eating and child rearing.
Exactly! And thank heaven for that.
"The presumptions there are outright misogynistic." True -- I appreciate the observation and the absence of faux surprise. Cuz the left vilifies pretty much every woman on the right. First immigrant first lady dares to not follow her husband as he makes a career move? For shame! (So much for "feminism," of course. Sisterhood is a little, umm, selective.)
Who can even tell the difference between a Slovakian and a Slovenian?
Slovak women are hotter, but maybe I'm biased since I'm married to one. Slovenian ladies tend to be heavily mustached, at least that was my observation in Maribor. Beautiful country, though.
Why not? The left is up-ending so many of our traditions. So why can't a first lady decide to stay in her own home?
Cue Green Acres. Darling.
@JAORE
Thanks. It's fine. Not a huge problem, it was just a type of comment that I see a lot and have a peeve about. Just happened to pick on yours as the example.
@JaimeRoberto, Slovenian women are hotter!!! Slovakian women are fit only to pull ox carts.
Melania is a model. Look at Google images and you will see lots of old pictures of her with the same pouty model face. It must be a drag to be always lightly sucking in your cheeks, but that's what many models do. Melania sucked in her cheeks to make her face look thinner and to make her cheekbones more chiseled. After smiling (which puffs out the cheeks), she went back to the pouty, sucked-in cheeks look that she (and many other models) have used for decades.
The abuse speculations are not only offensive, they are just plain dumb.
...or even Game of Thrones.
Ha! Great catch! Trump's mother was a MacLeod, Siol Torquil, descended from the Norse.
As everyone that lives south of Northumbria knows; nobody holds a grudge like a Scot. No. Body.
See the Black Dinner of 1440 and the Massacre of Glencoe from 1692. To this day, the door at Clachaig Inn in Glen Coe has a sign on the door denying entry to Campbells.
"I believe helipads were banned in NYC after an accident."
There are some somewhere in Manhattan.
" triumphal fairy tale"
You know you can't spell triumphal without TRIAL.
(I know, it should say TRUMP but I thought that too obvious.)
rhhardin,
"too much makeup"
Somebody had to link this.
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