Americans tend to dislike Barack Obama’s wife, Michelle, and admire John McCain’s wife, Cindy, according to a new poll that could prove problematic for the Democratic ticket.
“Michelle Obama is twice as disliked as Cindy McCain,” The Associated Press reported after surveying 1,759 adults.
Thirty-five percent of respondents disapproved of Michelle Obama, which is more than double the 17 percent who disapproved of Cindy McCain, the poll found.
The results come four years after Teresa Heinz Kerry helped sink her husband’s presidential bid by telling a reporter to “shove it” and snarking that Laura Bush, who enjoyed sky-high approval ratings, never “had a real job.”
“It’s certainly advantageous to have a more popular spouse,” said Rider University professor Myra Gutin, author of “The President’s Partner: The First Lady in the Twentieth Century.” “A spouse is thought of as some reflection of the candidate’s character, and you certainly want people to feel good about that.”
Gutin added: “Michelle Obama’s unfavorables are a reflection on her comment about her pride in America, which I think is still following her.”
In February, the 44-year-old Obama sparked an uproar by asserting that “for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.” In March, she described America as “just downright mean.”
Cindy McCain fired back at the time by declaring: “I’m very proud of my country.”
In recent weeks, the Obama campaign has sought to soften Michelle’s image by booking her as a guest host on ABC’s “The View.” She even shared her recipe for shortbread cookies, complete with orange and lemon zest.
“That appearance on ‘The View’ was the beginning of an attempt to try to warm Michelle up a little bit and reintroduce her as more of a — oh, I don’t want to say normal girl — as more of an acceptable first lady candidate,” Gutin told The Examiner. “There’s no denying her intelligence. She’s got strong opinions, and they’re certainly going to have to think ahead and decide how that’s going to play in the campaign.”
