Style Expert Beck See Michelle's Oil Concern as a Put On

Unfortunately (or maybe, fortunately), O’Reilly cut off Beck before he could really explain why he found the outfit Michelle wore to survey the oil spill such
“an outrage.”  What I did hear him say, though, is that it proves she can’t relate.

Given that he prefaced his comment by characterizing MO as someone with a penchant for designer clothes and a vain preoccupation with what to wear to an oil spill, perhaps the comment, the hyperbole and the fact he also described Michelle’s outfit as a “dress” speaks as much about a man being threatened by a strong woman, perhaps a strong black woman given how the “dress” functioning like a Rorschach for Beck proved him incapable of getting beyond black and white.

Ric Feld/AP

All that being said — even though I didn’t notice it before (even after doing a post on Michelle and the map), I do think Michelle’s outfit that day (whether a less- or more conscious choice) is interesting.  If anything, though, I think Beck got it exactly backwards. To the extent the color and design evokes the oil spill, I find it (like I find Michelle Obama) particularly empathetic.

Your read?

Video clip here.

(caption 1: U.S. First lady Michelle Obama flashes two thumbs-up to the crowd, as she is introduced by Panama City Beach Mayor Gayle Oberst, on Panama City Beach, Florida July 12, 2010. Obama visited the area to show support for the people and businesses impacted by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.)