Amie Parnes of The Hill quotes Dr. Katherine Jellison, Professor and Chair of History at Ohio University, in an article on “First Lady Flexes Muscles.”
Dr. Katherin Jellison
First lady Michelle Obama is more aggressively wading into policy fights while expanding her portfolio….
The senior administration official also said the first lady would be doubling-down to help Democrats in the mid-term elections. After all, while her husband’s poll numbers drop and some Democrats would prefer that he not appear at campaign events, she is still in demand.
“She’s popular because she plays to several different constituencies,” said Katherine Jellison, a professor of history at Ohio University….
Jellison said Obama’s ever-expanding profile is indicative of the freedom of a second term.
“Now that her husband has been reelected and she doesn’t have to be so careful at playing the role of the dutiful wife, she can branch out a little more,” she said.
And while those around the first lady’s orbit say she would never, ever seek political office a la Hillary Clinton, they can see her sticking around in some capacity.
“She has all the skill,” Jellison said. “If nothing else, I can still see her being a successful political player.
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