Michelle Obama sidesteps questions about Palin, on Larry King Show (VIDEO)

[jefferson_dem]

Michelle Obama sidesteps questions about Palin
Posted: February 9th, 2010 07:01 PM ET

From CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart

Washington (CNN) – First lady Michelle Obama sidestepped questions Tuesday about former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has been publicly critical of her husband's presidency.

"I try not to make or set opinions about people I haven't had any substantive interaction with," Michelle Obama said in an interview scheduled to air on CNN's Larry King Live. "I mean, I know what you see on TV."

Asked later if she considered the 2008 vice presidential nominee to be a "phenomenon," the first lady again withheld criticizing Palin.

"Again, I mean, I think it's wonderful to have strong, female voices out there, but I don't know her," Obama said.

With her keynote address at last week's Tea Party convention, Palin has continued a pattern of hard-hitting critiques of President Obama that began on the campaign trail in 2008.

The first lady did defend her husband's record after a year in the Oval Office. "Democracy is about critique and the president is not immune to criticism," she said.

"I think he is doing a phenomenal job," she continued. "We have to think about where he was when he took office. We were on the brink of a depression - worse than anyone really ever imagined. And I don't think the country really knew how bad things were.
And because of some important steps; quick thinking; smart, strategic thinking, we're not even talking about that. We've got to do more on jobs. We need to get health care done. There's a lot of work to be done. We need to do more to improve the civility in Washington and if there's a disappointment - Barack wishes that we'd come farther in that effort."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/09/michelle-obama-sidesteps-questions-about-palin/?utm_source=feedburner&ut=undefined&fbid=B63NQ7tPGZw

[KingFlorez]

1. She did right not to comment on her

I'm sure this will be an imagined slight to Palin and she'll start making nasty cracks about Michelle.

[jefferson_dem]

2. As classy a response as one could imagine. Pitch perfect.

Bravo FLOTUS.

[firedupdem]

3. They call it 'side stepping' because they wish she would say

something about that idiot. Michelle is way too intelligent to waste her time on that stupid ass woman. They should have titled it "Michelle didn't lower to Palin's level."

[Cha]

5. +1

:)

[Tarheel_Dem]

7. Amen. Commenting on Palin, would only raise her profile. Michelle is one...

smart cookie. I'm sure the president will treat Palin with the same respect. She's not worth it.

[Cha]

4. Classy and brilliant as ever..our First Lady.

Best not to even acknowledge the idiocy that is the palmreader.

[euphoria12leo]

15. I agree.

I saw the interview and I'm so proud to have Michelle Obama as our First Lady.
The palm reader is no match.

[BeyondGeography]

6. Smart

You know she was encouraged to respond that way, but she's so seasoned she would have answered that way anyway.

[tallahasseedem]

8. Our First Lady...

So much more classy than that other one.

[classysassy]

9. One again we can take pride in our first lady

I too refuse to bad mouth the former first ladies,Babs and Laura were married to,the leaders of our country,let bygones be bygones as long as they never return to any elected office.

[Flash Bazbo]

10. With all respect to the First Lady...

[Mz Pip]

11. Good answer

Gives palin one less thing to whine and complain about.

Sarah sure does a lot of compalin (oops!must be some unconscious movement in my fingers to come up with that.)

[Kdillard]

12. Michelle is classy as always. She was terrific on LKL.

[politicasista]

17. Very classy n/t

[tanyev]

13. Heh. There isn't anyone who's had substantive interaction with Sarah Palin.

She's incapable of it.

[Highway61]

14. She's a class act

as always

[Jennicut]

16. Love Michelle, she has more class in her pinky then Palin will ever have.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

18. The finest grace from a First class Lady. +1