MICHELLE OBAMA

First lady Michelle Obama is a major person in our lives, who moves quietly, always gracefully, with utter skill and intelligence, as she's providing what's needed and what sustains her family and our president.

I think of her ... no, I sense in her ... no ... I've seen her and heard her. I've observed her words, her behavior as a queenly, high level, highest level executive, who could be in politics, or head a major department in our government. That won't happen -- I think Michelle and Barack have a pact, an agreement they made, and Michelle is fulfilling her part in their covenant, doing what they decided would be best for our First Black President.

I don't like the "First Black President" phrase, but I feel that's how Obama is seen by Democrats who more or less support him, and Republicans who are determined to bring him down -- those who think of him as black, and have a deeply ingrained sense of what "black" means, based on their own growing up years in race-prejudiced America.

If Barack Obama's wife were too important -- if she spoke up -- if she showed her brains, her education, her independent thinking -- whoa -- it's fuel for the bonfire that people "Obamites" -- people who don't like Obama want to ignite.

I think many Obamites don't like him, don't trust him, are compelled by their upbringing as children -- what they learned from their parents -- to destroy this black man as their leader.

Michelle and Barack, with deep sensitivity, feel it, know it, and accept the race-prejudiced thinking -- not with hate, or fear, or anger -- but with empathy.

Obama said, in the books he wrote before he ran for president, "Our differences are important, not trivial," and, in-depth, author Obama has explained that his opponents hold principles and ideas as deeply rooted in American history, American tradition, as his own. Therefore, he strives to understand and deal with Republicans (as well as Muslims and others with opposing religious beliefs and political convictions), with empathy.

Barack Obama says that by identifying with his opponents, he is able to understand their feelings, and work constructively with them.

So, there Michelle is -- in the White House. Surely, there are a hundreds of major and minor chores to handle. Aside from the White House staff whom she guides and supervises, Michelle runs the Obama family.

Whew! It's more than an ordinary wife's job. It's a partner's job. There's a daily social-personal-political agenda -- dinners, lunches, guests, special occasions, holidays, celebrations. Michelle's mother, Marian Robinson, lives with them. Her being there was a wise move the husband and wife partnership made -- Grandmother Marian enables the Obamas to function as the "first couple" more freely.

Michelle's projects -- her vegetable garden, eat-healthy, exercise, fight obesity -- her supporting education, and Military families -- her attending the annual Democratic women's conference, her appearance in Nevada with Harry Reid, her presence at the NAACP convention in July -- all this is important, but does not divert or interfere, in any way, with the President's work -- even Michelle's trip to Spain with Sasha and a protective staff that created the furor about so much money spent protecting them -- I can find no fault in Michelle's behavior.

I would vote for her. I vote "yes" for her, and Obama, to keep on being what they are -- the First Black President and First Black First Lady to be scrutinized by everyone in our country as well as the world -- they are making our country a better home, and land for us all.