New-York Historical Society Hosts Mrs. Obama

At a luncheon yesterday at the New-York Historical Society, Michelle Obama proved an effective campaigner for her husband, Senator Obama of Illinois, who is a leading contender for the Democratic nomination for president in 2008.

A smooth orator, Mrs. Obama rallied the crowd “to turn our voices into action” and “be a part of changing our culture.” Her focus was the critical role women play in holding society together.

“The reality is that women and families are not getting the support they need to survive and thrive,” Mrs. Obama said. “We’ve been told to dream big, but after that you’re on your own.”

It was not a campaign speech exactly, but the fervor and ambition of a presidential hopeful was there as Mrs. Obama stressed the need for affordable health care, housing, and childcare. She cares so much about these issues, she said, “I have put my career on hold to hit the campaign trail hard.”

She acknowledged the difficulty of juggling her various duties — an attorney and health care administrator, Mrs. Obama is vice-president of community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Hospitals — while raising two daughters. In her household, if a child gets sick, she is the one to take time off to take her to the doctor, she said.

“As a woman, I wake up wondering what kind of miracle I have to pull off to get through my day,” Mrs. Obama said.

She talked about the “added social pressures” women have — ones she’d have even more of were she to become First Lady: “We’re expected to be attractive, in good spirits, in good shape. I’m tired just thinking about and I know you are, too. Can I get an amen on that?” she asked. And she did.

Mrs. Obama outlined some tenets of womanhood that keep her going. “Women must not neglect themselves: Physical and mental health are essential,” she said. She stressed the importance of women friends, and of a successful relationship. “We have a responsibility to model good and healthy relationships for our sons and daughters,” she said.

Her audience, a few hundred of New York’s leading ladies in business, philanthropy, and the arts, received her speech enthusiastically.

“It’s hugely significant. It’s the first time we get to see her up close and in person,” an asset manager, Alice Hicks, said.

“I was very impressed,” an art researcher, Lois Stainman, said.

“She’d make a very appealing First Lady — as appealing as Laura Bush,” a marketing consultant, Tracey Riese, said.

“This is a way for New York to get to know her,” author Joan Jakobson, a longtime supporter of the New-York Historical Society, said, noting that Senator Clinton spoke at a previous edition of this annual event.

A longtime friend of the Obamas, entrepreneur Judy Byrd-Blaylock, helped bring Mrs. Obama to the New-York Historical Society. Ms. Byrd-Blaylock, a former Chicagoan, is a member of Senator Obama’s New York Finance Committee.

“It’s important for women everywhere to see Michelle and Barack and the positive message they are carrying,” Mrs. Byrd-Blaylock said.

agordon@nysun.com