Althouse: The Obamas dancing with the kids in India.

November 7, 2010

The Obamas dancing with the kids in India.

[Click to play video.]

60 comments:

Anonymous said...: I think this is wonderful show of relationship between two countries. Why not leave it that? Why is this is a political issue? The election is over. In 2012, it will be different; GOP will lose badly, very badly.

This is a joyous dance. Enjoy. Please.; 11/7/10, 12:47 PM
kent said...: First Lady Michelle Obama's wardrobe provided by "Florence" of The Jeffersons.; 11/7/10, 12:50 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: I love the whole thing.; 11/7/10, 12:52 PM
former law student said...: This public spectacle at a parochial school suggests the latent influence of the Vatican on the President -- a former pupil at St. Francis of Assisi in Indonesia -- is erupting.

Barack Obama: mackerel snapper.; 11/7/10, 12:52 PM
Anonymous said...: Those blacks sure got rhythm, don't they?

The Injuns, too.; 11/7/10, 12:54 PM
ricpic said...: $200 million a day. A spendthrift wookie is a happy wookie.; 11/7/10, 12:55 PM
Jim said...: I have to say that if I was one of the Democrats who just lost because Obama and the leadership convinced me that my vote for their agenda WOULDN'T be political suicide, I would be PISSED to see him off having a good time in India.

Especially after his lackluster post-election presser in which he pointedly refused to admit that he or his agenda could have played ANY role in the 2010 elections, I'd be ready to throw something at the screen watching him laugh and have fun while I'm packing boxes and putting together my resume.

Good luck to all the newly unemployed Democrats who now will get to experience - up close and personal - all that economic angst that they felt free to ignore for the last two years while they pursued their big government dystopia.

Maybe after a few months on unemployment they'll "get" why they got thumped so badly in 2010 and will again in 2012 if they don't change course abruptly. It may already be too late for some of the remaining Senate incumbents who weren't up for election this year to save their jobs in 2012 if voter opinions have sufficiently hardened already. And Obama stands the very real risk that, no matter what he does over the next 2 years, his opposition has sufficiently hardened as well.

It's going to be interesting.; 11/7/10, 12:56 PM
Anonymous said...: ICICI Bank Ads that automatically play are far more annoying than anything Barack Obama has done.; 11/7/10, 12:57 PM
jungatheart said...: It's a beautiful day.; 11/7/10, 1:00 PM
Irene said...: Yesterday, the First Mom hopscotched. Today, she and the President danced. What will they do tomorrow??; 11/7/10, 1:00 PM
Wince said...: This embedded video starts playing (the into advertisement) on my comuter as soon as I a navigate to the Althouse page, without clicking the video or the post.; 11/7/10, 1:03 PM
Jason (the commenter) said...: It should annoy everyone because it plays on a loop over and over and can't be stopped!; 11/7/10, 1:04 PM
Ann Althouse said...: @EDH Yeah, I noticed. I changed it to a link. I had a selection of clips, but I liked the one with the Indian commercial.; 11/7/10, 1:07 PM
kent said...: What will they do tomorrow??

Oh... you know. Party. Blunder. Fail. The ususal, pretty much.; 11/7/10, 1:08 PM
William said...: Fitzerald said that personality is the unbroken series of successful gestures. I don't know if the Obamas have had an unbroken series, but this is, by any definition, a successful gesture. It was a pleasure to watch...Indians use their arms and shoulders to express the dance; Americans are more expressive with their hips.; 11/7/10, 1:09 PM
Kensington said...: Not since Chewbacca the Wookie danced joyously at the end of Return of the Jedi have I been so moved.

But seriously, this shouldn't bother anyone. Most of us need more moments like that in life.; 11/7/10, 1:26 PM
Big Mike said...: @shoutingthomas, your comment (at 12:54) is in very poor taste.

For the record, I voted "no."; 11/7/10, 1:32 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: Hey, American Piccolo,

I thought your career was on a roll. You were the genius of the Democrats, the next Karl Rove or Axelrod. Counting the millions in future contracts. What happened? Do pseudo-political consultants get unemployment benefits? Have the Dems asked for their money back yet?

Or were you just another mook, in mommy's basement, sitting in your underwear, spouting nonsense?

As to the dancing- who cares? Instead of working at, you know, being the President, the guy goes to India to dance, praise Islam, apologize- it will come- and generally make a horse's ass out of himself.

The world has a name for Barack Obama- laughing stock.; 11/7/10, 1:41 PM
pm317 said...: Well, not everyone is happy. It is quite remarkable how this guy, Obama leaves a trail of disenchantment and dissatisfaction everywhere he goes.

God’s truth, the city was glad to see him go.; 11/7/10, 1:51 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: I think that Michelle Obama truly loves children. The only time she seems happy and relaxed is when she is interacting with the children, either her own or in photo ops like this one.

I am annoyed that they are spending so much money on a bogus showboating trip that really doesn't have much to do with either economics or politics.; 11/7/10, 1:51 PM
Martin L. Shoemaker said...: New "Hussein" Ham said...

ICICI Bank Ads that automatically play are far more annoying than anything Barack Obama has done

Wow... I'm glad I missed it. I didn't think anything could annoy you more than President Obama, Ham.

I wish the poll had a "No big deal" button. When heads of state visit other countries, they partake of and participate in local cultural events. So what? Unless he committed an embarrassing gaffe -- something no one has reported, so I assume he didn't -- why should I care?

If you want to argue with the visit itself, that's been argued to death. Good idea or bad, it's happening, it's a done deal.; 11/7/10, 1:56 PM
Shanna said...: The kids were cute. Michelle wasn't wearing the right outfit to do those kicks and Obama looked like a dork dad dancing. But nothing offensive one way or another.; 11/7/10, 1:56 PM
Anonymous said...: The Drudge page at this moment has pictures of Obama doing the Hoky-Poky at a what looks to be a midget festival and Vladamir Putin in the cockpit of a Formula One race car snugging up his Nomex gloves....; 11/7/10, 1:58 PM
Mr Evilwrench said...: What would make me happy is if she could do that there every day from now on.; 11/7/10, 2:02 PM
Anonymous said...: @shoutingthomas, your comment (at 12:54) is in very poor taste.

For the record, I voted "no."

No kidding! I am practically known worldwide for my very poor taste.

And, I also voted no.

No one would accuse you of having a sense of humor.

Go to Diversity Training much?; 11/7/10, 2:06 PM
kent said...: Michelle wasn't wearing the right outfit to do those kicks

... and "worked it" like an emu attempting to achieve airspeed velocity.; 11/7/10, 2:08 PM
pm317 said...: Ann, here is a better video of it; 11/7/10, 2:13 PM
Methadras said...: Oh, isn't it so nice to see our post-racial, post-American president dancing with the 8th worlders and only getting $10B to show for it?; 11/7/10, 2:20 PM
pm317 said...: It is all nice, at some level but who cares? What matters is that I am not sure he can get through his speech at the Parliament if that TOTUS conks off.; 11/7/10, 2:21 PM
kent said...: Obama's security dog named 'Khan': Muslims irked.

Ah, yes. "Smart" diplomacy.; 11/7/10, 2:21 PM
garage mahal said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/7/10, 2:45 PM
garage mahal said...: Oh, isn't it so nice to see our post-racial, post-American president dancing with the 8th worlders and only getting $10B to show for it?

Obama last week in India 54,000 jobs.
GOP last week -10,000 jobs.

Or, roughly what you would expect.; 11/7/10, 2:47 PM
Anonymous said...: $200 million a day. A spendthrift wookie is a happy wookie.

Based on reports, I think we've been low-balling the number.

But really, what does it matter. Because Obama is having the time of his life, and he will continue to have the time of his life as long as we're willing to pay for it. Even through the nose.; 11/7/10, 2:51 PM
Anonymous said...: ...only getting $10B to show for it?

Accepting the number at face value - kindly deduct Obama's $2B gift to Pakistan, which will be used to placate the ISI, who in turn will rearm Waziristan (i.e., Al Qaeda).

Next, deduct another $1B for the trip (junket).

Then there's the standard kickbacks, minimally 10% going, 10% staying.

And I haven't factored in union dues, ObamaCare, and advertising.; 11/7/10, 3:06 PM
Unknown said...: I wonder if The Zero et famille have a descendant of Marie Anoinette's PR manager setting up all of this.; 11/7/10, 3:41 PM
Kirby Olson said...: I'm against the Obamas but they dance well here, and are enjoying themselves, and building a relationship with the Indian people via the dance. It's good that the Obamas have some skills. Dance is clearly one of these. They should go around the world and dance for the next two years and build relationships of friendliness with the people of the third world instead of trying to make our economic system more like the third world's. I think this was a positive thing, and it made me happy to see that the Obamas can dance so beautifully. They both have rhythm, and are clearly enjoying being with this group of nice kids.

I was happy to see them do something good for America for once.; 11/7/10, 3:46 PM
Icepick said...: I think that Michelle Obama truly loves children. The only time she seems happy and relaxed is when she is interacting with the children, either her own or in photo ops like this one.

Not really a surprise. Children are probably the only people she deals with these days that aren't completely and relentlessly scripted to score political points. THat would also include private interactions, and probably also includes her husband.; 11/7/10, 3:54 PM
Anonymous said...: Oh come on, naysayers, dancing with the natives is diplomatic tradition! They would have disappointed the kids if they didn't.

I thought it was just great.

Michelle can really bust a move, and I'm glad to see Barack as something other than a stiff backed scold.; 11/7/10, 3:55 PM
Big Mike said...: @shoutingthomas, I am positively renowned for my sense of humor. But you, sir, are no Lenny Bruce and shouldn't try to emulate him.

I log onto our online diversity training once a year, as required by company policy. But I don't need diversity training to call you out on poor taste.; 11/7/10, 4:07 PM
Trooper York said...: Why didn't they teach those kids
a native American Dance?; 11/7/10, 4:41 PM
Anonymous said...: I log onto our online diversity training once a year, as required by company policy. But I don't need diversity training to call you out on poor taste.

Well, Big Mike, I'll call you out for being a pain in the ass.

Take a hike.; 11/7/10, 4:43 PM
Roger J. said...: Obama does almost nothing right, but I suspect this will score some points in our relations with India--and that relationship is IMO quite important--I will certainly give him a pass on this one.; 11/7/10, 5:09 PM
Fen said...: Obama should pre-register a Request For Political Asylum while he's over there.

Maybe the North Koreans will have him. Although China won't let that happen. Not when he's the reincarnation of Nero.; 11/7/10, 5:39 PM
Fen said...: but I suspect this will score some points in our relations with India

Obama has India confused. Obama has slighted them several times, so badly that some of their diplomats are openly wondering if its "payback" for being so cozy with Bush.

"smart" diplomacy.; 11/7/10, 5:43 PM
Michael said...: He dances like Mandela, horribly. I am afraid his white half is his dancing half.; 11/7/10, 5:48 PM
virgil xenophon said...: "I'm afraid his white half is is dancing half."---------Michael

LOL! Michael wins the thread!!

I remember back in the 70s when Bill Russell, recently retired from the Boston Celtics, was doing color commentary for net-work TV BB games and they were covering a game involving the old Baltimore Bullets where there was a fan crowd-pleaser black guy called "Dancing Harry" who would put on a spontaneous freak-show court-side during time-outs. Russell, after they featured his act during a break laughed and said: "Well, that just goes to show we don't all 'got rhythm'."

LOL. Obama as "Dancing Harry!"; 11/7/10, 6:30 PM
Kevin said...: I am annoyed that they are spending so much money on a bogus showboating trip that really doesn't have much to do with either economics or politics.

Actually, there is a very pointed message to the trip. Obama is having a high-profile visit to India, and isn't visiting Pakistan.

When Faisal Shahzad nearly detonated the car bomb in Times Square, we told the Pakistani government that if he had succeed, we would massively strike numerous terrorist targets in Pakistan, whether the Pakistani government liked it or not.

Obama is sending a message to Pakistan that Pakistan is one successful terrorist strike in the US away from a rather major change in US policy towards Pakistan.; 11/7/10, 7:12 PM
roesch-voltaire said...: Yep we sure do love to seem them black boys and girls dance with all their "rhythm" for our entertainment. Why how could that be considered annoying, unless we think it an act of defiance to our expectation?; 11/7/10, 7:59 PM
kent said...: Children are probably the only people she deals with these days that aren't completely and relentlessly scripted to score political points.

"Mmmmmmm, mmmmmmm, mmmmmmm."; 11/7/10, 9:10 PM
Fernandinande said...: $200 million a day.

That's about $140,000 a minute.

For that much, how about having some helicopters spray those crippled kids' neighborhoods with $20 bills, and hire some hit teams for the psychopaths who maimed and enslaved them.; 11/7/10, 10:02 PM
JAL said...: Of course, we must forget that George W Bush also danced.

And every (male) head of state gets to do the sword dance thing in Arab nations -- Bush and Putin both. It's only a matter of months. So don't get all worked up when Obama does the sword dance with those dudes.

Yeah -- Michelle did really well. She picked up the moves quite quickly, and appears to have been enjoying herself.

Maybe instead of being a money grubbing lawyer she should have taken her own advice and gone into teaching. ;-)

Ha. That would have been something for a Princeton gal to do.; 11/7/10, 10:19 PM
former law student said...: $200 million a day.

That's about $140,000 a minute.

The real truth is worse, much worse. The trip to India actually cost $4 billion a day. The 10 day trip will cost our grandchildren $200 billion when compound interest is added. I know this is true, I read it on a right-wing blog.; 11/7/10, 10:40 PM
bagoh20 said...: My Mom always told me I had to eat my peas because there were starving children in India who didn't have any peas to eat. Does this mean they have peas now, or are the starving kids living here?; 11/7/10, 11:50 PM
AllenS said...: The Obamas are an embarassment.; 11/8/10, 5:25 AM
Clyde said...: I can't decide if this is Barack-as-Kevin Costner (Dances With Hindus) or a Frank Zappa song ("Dancing Fool"). It ain't "Dancing Queen," because Barney Frank has that one locked up.; 11/8/10, 7:26 AM
Clyde said...: I would rather have seen them go to India during Holi, the festival of colors. I'd love to see them both looking like the people in these pictures.; 11/8/10, 7:35 AM
kent said...: "'A liberal dilettante.' That’s the gist of the New York Times’s assessment of Obama’s Gandhi fetish. ‘The impression on the Indian side is every time you meet him, he talks about Gandhi,’ said Shekhar Gupta, editor of The Indian Express, a leading English-language newspaper, adding that the repeated references struck some officials as platitudinous.”

A "platitudinous dilettante." Spot-on, that.; 11/8/10, 9:00 AM
The Dude said...: Kent wrote "A "platitudinous dilettante."

Add a duckbill and he could live in Australia.; 11/8/10, 9:06 AM
Clyde said...: Aw, come on! Gandhi was the only Indian that Obama knew, other than Tonto.; 11/8/10, 10:06 AM
Beldar said...: Vicjoy?

Is this Newspeak?; 11/8/10, 5:31 PM

Should this joyous dance annoy anyone?
	Yes, Democrats who just suffered some terrible electoral defeats.
	Yes, Americans who are suffering in a terrible economy.
	Yes, Indians who are being used as political scenery.
	Yes, Republicans who are thinking look at us, we want to dance the joyous dance of victory for you!
	No, either you like Obama and therefore his photo-op or you're off dancing your own dance of vicjoy.

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November 7, 2010

The Obamas dancing with the kids in India.

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The Obamas dancing with the kids in India.

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