What did Michelle Obama mean about Meghan & Harry Intervire

[Mummyozzi]

Just watching the interview with the Bush first daughter and Michelle Obama. It's on youtube 'Michekke Obama Weighs in in Meghan Markles Interview...'

Michelle Obama says that public service should shine a light on the people being served. She also says race isn't a new construct to people of colour. She says it's not surprising and expected.

I was surprised that a democrat wouldn't be more sympathetic to Meghan and Harry. It almost sounded like she wanted them to get on with it. Even on the issue of race it was as thought she was almost saying that MM shouldn't have been surprised and no should we. Almost as though the fact it's a news story and taking away from other stuff bothers her.

I was surprised by this and know she's personally met Kate and William.

What is your take ?

Public service it's a bright, sharp, hot spotlight and most people don't understand it nor should they. The thing that I always keep in mind is that none of this is about us, in public service, it's about the people that we serve.
'I always try to push the light back out and focus it on the folks that we're actually here to serve.'

In a 3hr 30min interview with Oprah not once did they mention their good will projects and public service to others that they claim is so important to them (unless of course they did and it ended up on the cutting room floor and then make of that what you will). I would say that comment from MO has got to 'smart' a lot a bit if you were MM

@StormzyinaTCup

Public service it's a bright, sharp, hot spotlight and most people don't understand it nor should they. The thing that I always keep in mind is that none of this is about us, in public service, it's about the people that we serve. 'I always try to push the light back out and focus it on the folks that we're actually here to serve.'

In a 3hr 30min interview with Oprah not once did they mention their good will projects and public service to others that they claim is so important to them (unless of course they did and it ended up on the cutting room floor and then make of that what you will). I would say that comment from MO has got to 'smart' a lot a bit if you were MM

Given that any discussion of the Markle family was left on the cutting room floor, I’d say anything Harry and Meghan wanted included was included - and vice versa.

I think Michelle Obama is a wonderful woman, and an incredible role model. I also think if she ran for President she would walk it , and be fantastic in the role

💯 % this too.

@skirk64

Michelle Obama says that public service should shine a light on the people being served.

That's a very fair point. Much of the hatred directed at MM and PH is rooted in the perception of hypocrisy they live by. They speak about using their privileges to help others, yet the "show" always seems to be about them individually. They speak about media intrusion whilst seeking out and doing lucrative deals with the media. They say they don't want public funds whilst arguing that their child should be a prince so that they get their security funded.

If they just quietened down and got on with helping people - with charities, like William does, or directly meeting AIDS patients and walking through landmine sites like Diana did - and stopped this slanging match with the media, people would come to respect them more.

I agree with this, and I think some members of the RF do this successfully.

It was part of an interview where she was specifically asked about her response to M's revelations ...

Thanks very much, DeRigeurMortis; I hadn't realised the questioning was specifically about H&M, so that clarifies it nicely

I was fascinated by this. I'd read statements by Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden that definitely "took a side" (Meghan and Harry's) and they really went way way down in my estimation for jumping on a vacuous celebrity media bandwagon without addressing the facts. I was embarrassed for them. Michelle Obama's words were reported in the same kind of category- ie. Not being surprised the royal family are a horrible bunch of nasty mean racists. But then I saw the television video and she'd been misrepresented completely. I was impressed with how diplomatic and nuanced her wording actually was. She's taken a leaf out of the Queen's "recollections may vary" book here. I heard it as cautionary words to Harry and Meghan not to destroy their family over this, not to make assumptions about people's motives, just to calm the f down and stop selling more stories. I think she's wise enough to know what they're doing is going nowhere. And I imagine she likes the Queen. They both seem reasonable women.

I loved that too !

It has been said in media commentary that the sussex interview was a political issue.

The people for the Sussexes are the younger woken generation and the older, stiff upper lip conservative generation don't like
their complaining.

This makes sense, the Sussexes are very left wing. The Cambridge's and royals uphold a more traditional image that appeals to older and more conservative types.

@PetraRabbit

I was fascinated by this. I'd read statements by Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden that definitely "took a side" (Meghan and Harry's) and they really went way way down in my estimation for jumping on a vacuous celebrity media bandwagon without addressing the facts. I was embarrassed for them. Michelle Obama's words were reported in the same kind of category- ie. Not being surprised the royal family are a horrible bunch of nasty mean racists. But then I saw the television video and she'd been misrepresented completely. I was impressed with how diplomatic and nuanced her wording actually was. She's taken a leaf out of the Queen's "recollections may vary" book here. I heard it as cautionary words to Harry and Meghan not to destroy their family over this, not to make assumptions about people's motives, just to calm the f down and stop selling more stories. I think she's wise enough to know what they're doing is going nowhere. And I imagine she likes the Queen. They both seem reasonable women.

Hmmm I think it's also a dig at Oprah and her reaction of "what" - for pretending to be surprised and sensationalising a story.

Michelle Obama's every word would be rehearsed and consulted on before it comes out of her mouth. Everything she said had a subtle message.

I think it's hard to know what she meant or her motives.

It could be that their Netflix deal and media presence has impacted the Obama's. The interview was on a network competition to CBS. It may not be any of these things but possible all sorts of media and power and political deals behind the scenes.

I mean really Sussexes can't make a difference with public service if the Sussex brand is in tatters. Also I think talking about their own mental health has more of an impact on stigma and acceptance than anything.

@Puzzledandpissedoff

It was part of an interview where she was specifically asked about her response to M's revelations ...

Thanks very much, DeRigeurMortis; I hadn't realised the questioning was specifically about H&M, so that clarifies it nicely

You're welcome 😊

I think MM probably annoyed her by forcing a meeting at her book tour. She can spot that thirstiness a mile away

@Mummyozzi

I loved that too !

It has been said in media commentary that the sussex interview was a political issue.

The people for the Sussexes are the younger woken generation and the older, stiff upper lip conservative generation don't like
their complaining.

This makes sense, the Sussexes are very left wing. The Cambridge's and royals uphold a more traditional image that appeals to older and more conservative types.

I think I must have read the same article.

The premise was that there was a generational divide that was reflected in many "hot" issues predominantly regarding not only the right to self expression/identify/perceptions/feelings but also the requirement that those should be unequivocally accepted at facts by others.

It's a really interesting discussion.

I'll put my steel pants on at this point....

I've never been comfortable with #metoo or #bekind or #ibelieveyou.

I find the "pressure" these campaigns exert is utterly counterproductive in the sense it gives a free pass to people who abuse the "trust" inherent in such advocations to undermine real experiences.

In that sense it's not surprising there is a generational divide. It's one thing to buy into a "trendy" concept/ideology and quite another to have had life experience that totally debunks it.

@skirk64

Michelle Obama says that public service should shine a light on the people being served.

That's a very fair point. Much of the hatred directed at MM and PH is rooted in the perception of hypocrisy they live by. They speak about using their privileges to help others, yet the "show" always seems to be about them individually. They speak about media intrusion whilst seeking out and doing lucrative deals with the media. They say they don't want public funds whilst arguing that their child should be a prince so that they get their security funded.

If they just quietened down and got on with helping people - with charities, like William does, or directly meeting AIDS patients and walking through landmine sites like Diana did - and stopped this slanging match with the media, people would come to respect them more.

Exactly this.

@Loopyloututu2

She probably finds MM to be insincere and hypocritical, as so many of us do.

This. Why should MO wade in to defend MM just because she’s the same skin colour? Maybe MO thinks M & H should stop whining and being so entitled in the middle of a pandemic when people are losing their livelihoods left, right and centre and we are about to enter the biggest economic recession we’ve ever lived through! I’m sure it makes her want to roll her eyes that she’s expected to comment on these two non-entities when she is actually doing y’know, important stuff.

Yes, this exactly.

@StormzyinaTCup

I think Michelle Obama is a wonderful woman, and an incredible role model. I also think if she ran for President she would walk it , and be fantastic in the role

💯 % this too.

I love Michelle Obama but she would not walk it unfortunately. Lots of Americans would not accept her as president.