Michelle & Barack Obama: Today Show Interview

Ed Morrisey beat me to it this morning and has some good observations. My own takeaways:

San Francisco bitter/clingy remarks:

Obama claims they came "at the end of a long day," a la Hillary's multiple exhaustion-induced Bosnia yarns. Says he should have said folks were "frustrated" instead of bitter and that they "rely" on faith instead of "cling" to it. Not a peep about "reliance" on guns, xenophobia and trade protectionism.

Michelle Obama:

Looked pissed 75% of the interview. Had a baking-cookies-standing-by-her-man moment when she talked about "cynicism" and not being the typical "cheering wife." However, she salvaged it at the end with some glowing husband adoration, about the only part of the interview where she wasn't silently stewing.

His Name:

Barack utilized a slightly adjusted riff on his name (2:52), defending his non-elitism by saying "it's a leap for folks" to support an "African-American named Barack Obama." I say slightly adjusted because once upon a time he swung for the fences when it came to his uncommon name, deftly deploying the Forbidden Middle Name:

"Well, I think if you've got a guy named Barack Hussein Obama, that's a pretty good contrast to George W. Bush." --- Barack Obama, Oct. 18, 2007; Tavis Smiley interview (7:22 mark)

"I mean, it would be one thing if my name was John Hussein Smith. When you're already starting with Barack Obama...uhhh." --- Barack Obama, Dec. 2006, CNN-Jeanie Moos story (0:45 mark)

Anyway, on with the show: