Michelle Obama doesn't mind being the spokesperson for nutritious, delicious, locally grown food. A New York Times story earlier this week talks about how she has become the willing champion of a better diet for Americans.
Lots of famous food people have praised the First Lady's efforts and her insistence that the White House chef cook fresh, unprocessed foods -- preferrably grown in the region.
Gourmet magazine's editor, Ruth Reichl, thinks Michelle should go even further than just serving organic, eco-conscious meals. Her suggestion makes me cringe. (As does something that the First Dad said in a People magazine interview back in November (how'd I miss that?) about his daughter Malia's weight ... more on that in a sec.)
Reichl wants the White House to release the first family's eating diaries so that American children will be inspired to eat what Sasha and Malia eat.
From the Times:
Then parents across the country could tell their children, “You know, Malia and Sasha were eating salad yesterday. ...”
Um, ick. These girls are going to be in their gawky stages by the end of Dad's first term. And if he's re-elected? Malia will be deep in her teens. I don't have to go too far out on a limb to assume that no girl wants the world to know that she had creamed spinach without the cream last night, or that she enthusiastically snacked on endive in a bagna cauda dip. How long will it take before someone starts blogging about Malia's daily caloric intake? I think we as a nation have nothing to gain -- but the First Girls have their privacy to lose -- if we are allowed to study the details of the Obama family meals.
Generalities, Michelle, just give it to us in generalities.
Which brings us to muzzling dad when it comes to the girls' weight and anything else remotely private. Why, why, in a People magazine interview did he say this about his eldest:
“A couple of years ago — you’d never know it by looking at her now —
Malia was getting a little chubby,” ....
Just tell us to cut out juice boxes, Mr. President, and we'll be good. We're good. It's all good. Leave the chubby talk out of it.
Or am I wrong? Do Sasha and Malia owe the nation's kids more?
Photo: kmelanie.blogspot.com
