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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017.U.S., Japan first ladies: Both unconventional yet poles apart
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JohnDigsJapan
They have no class, the Trumps. It seems Melania Trump isn't Washington D.C. material and she'd rather spend her time in New York going to beauty salons.
Kurobune
On January 20, 2017, at precisely noon, our nation lost the BEST D*** First Lady we will ever have the distinct pleasure of knowing ! (MICHELLE 2020 !)
toshiko
Video repeated three ladies walking side by third. Amie was talking to Melanie but no response.
goldorak
Is there such a thing as being 'DC material', I mean for a potus' better half? Not sure about that. DT got the job, she didn't. She isn't the first president/pm's wife (of a major nation) who isn't a Harvard political sciences graduate or a journo, lawyer etc. Sarkozy's wife Carla Bruni was an actress/singer/former model and oz Julia Gillard's bf was a hairdresser (love it!)! I actually find it healthy when a pm/president's partner does not come from money or any particular elite ( be intellectual, scientific, biz etc).
Blame voters who sent DT to the white house as much as you want (and DT himself) but reckon Melania shouldn't have to play the game if she doesn't want to. There's only one Michelle anyway (Laura, Barbara and co weren't in Michelle's league either).
B
Moonraker
I don't think there is that much difference. There is probably more contradiction in their own internal thoughts than between them, just like most nationalists.
toshiko
Melanie did not marry politician. She Married to Trump. She is the firs First Lady who speaks six European Languages. Amie is the first Japanese PM's wife who can talk Korean language and enjoy Korean TV shows. There is no stereo typing. Each person has enjoyable characters.
Michael Kanda
It's Akie Abe, not Amie.
Dirk T
Can you imagine the outrage if Michelle Obama didn't chaperone Akie Abe around DC? Can you imagine the outrage if Michele Obama was costing American taxpayers even a dime, much less millions of dollars, to stay at home rather than move into the White House?
Tokyo-Engr
“Sometimes he listens, sometimes he doesn’t,” she said. “I give him my opinion. And he could do whatever he likes with it.” -
Wow I am starting to like Melania Trump more and more. Her husband should listen to her...about Twitter.
toshiko
They will enjoy dinner now. Both couples.
katsu78
Michelle Obama was the daughter of a city water plant employee - not especially elite by the sounds of it, so I don't know if that contrast is really all that apt.
The difference I see is that Michelle Obama used what little she was born with to get educated and get involved and make something important out of herself. Meanwhile Melania was born with good looks (or at least looks that appeal to conventional fashion photographers), got a modeling job, dropped out of university, and then married a much older wealthy man with a documented thing for younger Eastern European women. So Melania may have come from a humble beginning, but she didn't actually develop herself to do anything meaningful with the genetic lottery she won - she just exploited a sugar daddy's fetish into a full-time gig.
And that sends a troubling message to the children of today. Our last first lady met her husband through a position earned by working hard (she actually mentored him at the job where they met). Our present first lady met her husband when she was a model at a party and he tried to hit on her while he was married to another woman, but attending the party with an entirely third woman as his date. Though you're right that the first lady doesn't choose her position, she is a role model to the young girls of America. And the message it sends when the first lady gets her position through her looks, has never done much meaningful to help others, and wants to spend her time idly off on her own... that's not a good message.
goldorak
@katsu, agree with all your points (and don't think I said anything different).
My point is/was, Michelle is and will always be the quintessential/ideal first lady as yes, she had it all. Having said that I don't think all other 'first ladies' should be held to the same standards as they are simply no match. Melania is not and will never be Michelle. As much as I would love ppl to be less vain, superficial etc, the vast majority are and there is nothing I can do about that.
I partially agree that first ladies should embrace their new 'role model' status but reckon this is not a prerequisite or something that should be expected/demanded from all PM/president's partners. Is it preferable, yes definitely, but ppl elect a pm/president, not his/her missus/hubby.
So in this case, as much as I would have liked her to accompany Akie all day, I also respect her decision not to, as it was 'hers'.
Yubaru
Abe is fortunate to have a wife who speaks her mind and shares her ideas, thoughts and opinions with him. She is definitely not a typical politicians wife.....I am surprised Abe married her.
You must not know too much of history to know that while Obama may have been a very capable first lady, she still sits in the shadows of Elanor Roosevelt who created the role of what people have come to see the "First Lady" .
http://www.biography.com/people/eleanor-roosevelt-9463366#life-after-the-white-house
Tokyo-Engr
@Yuri - I know you do not like Trump's policies and in general I agree with you. On the other hand. Ms. Trump actually speaks 5 languages and is not a stupid lady. She grew up very poor (in Yugoslavia, a communist nation at the time) and did not have the chance to go to university. I do not necessarily equate a university degree with one's level of intelligence (think Steve Jobs or Bill Gates - who eventually returned to get his degree).
I am in no way saying Ms. Trump is equivalent in intelligence to these men but my life experience has shown me university degrees are not a reflection of one's intelligence or level of common sense.
Strangerland
A university is an indicator of intelligence - one needs a certain level to be able to attain the degree.
But other than that I agree with you - lack of a degree does not indicate a lack of intelligence. And common sense is independent of a degree altogether.
Tokyo-Engr
@Strangerland - not sure about that. I have met several people who have degrees and I have to wonder how the heck they were able to obtain them. I am sure many of Trump's detractors might say this about him as well.
Yubaru
One never knows. We only see the public face of Ivanka, and I would bet that in many ways she is more intelligent in many areas than these guys. I agree about the degree comment by the way, see it every day, someone who has the degree but is dumber than a door knob in so many ways it makes me wonder.
Strangerland
No problem. Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences
M3M3M3
As far as degrees go, let's not pretend Akie Abe is some sort of great scholar. She has a degree in "Social Design Studies". A non-discipline that nobody has ever heard of from a university nobody has ever heard of. If Melania were to print herself a degree from Trump University and learn how to fix a paper jam in the process, I'd say their degrees would be of equal value.
commanteer
Melania came from a working class background in a dirt-poor communist dictatorship, and has done extraordinarily well for herself. She is multilingual, though Slovenians are generally exceptionally good with languages. Even if one believes she basically married her way to her success, that alone suggests a degree of smarts. I might even suggest that her desire to distance herself from the traditional first lady role is smart as well.
toshiko
Ooon above photo,, both of them looks like enjoying whatever they are doing. Nice photo.
ThePBot
..anything to distance herself from Trump can be considered smart. I heard they don't even sleep on the same bed, room, building, or city anymore.
Tsuchifumazu
At least Melania won't spend $85 million of tax payer money on private vacations like Michelle Obama did.
boweevil
Poles apart? One thing they have in common is their English speaking ability.
katsu78
Erm, about that: She did have the chance, and indeed she took it. Then she dropped out.
Poverty had nothing to do with it, she just didn't have the grades and couldn't follow through on the work. (Source: Melania Trump ― The Inside Story: From a Slovenian Communist Village to the White House, quoted from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/melania-trump-college-claims_us_578dd95ce4b0c53d5cfac0dc)
No, it doesn't. "Be pretty so you can marry a rich guy," isn't something it takes intelligence to work out, it's literally a message we give daughters from infancy the moment we start reading them fairy tales. The problem with that message is that it reduces women's entire value to what rich guys are willing to pay for. Now, I know there are a lot of guys out there with terrible personalities who like that message because their only hope is to buy their women, but most of us and really most of the world has moved on from that.
commanteer
You are reading way too much of your opinion into it. She married a very rich guy. It's not a general prescription for women, but an option. It works for men as well, by the way.
You are right that poverty had nothing to do with it. She dropped out because she was busy working as a model in Milan and Paris, and unable to spend time at the university.
What world is that? Last I looked wealth still worked its charms with many beautiful women.
M3M3M3
When you consider the tremendous wealth of both Donald Trump and Akie Abe, the more appropriate comparison for this story might have been Melania and Shinzo. Both married an extremely rich sugar-spouse who has bankrolled a life/political campaigns that would have otherwise been out of reach for them. Nothing wrong with that, but it's worth noting.
John-San
She an ex sex worker no-one want to been seen with her. I have no hang up on her previous career but some might take offence. I would not be offended if she continue her career. But some would say it not a fit career a first lady should continue. I ask Why Not , Just show how discriminative some high ranking people are.
John-San
intelligence: What is it ? If I can run faster then you that make me more intelligent then you? I am using my body more effinence ? I can only live on land but there is mammals that can live on land and in water. So does That make that mammal far more intelligent then me? No just a different intellect, So don,t go the road that a educated person is more intelligent then a uneducated. That is false. Mrs Trump is intelligent and she plan her life to be successful and has achieve this. Just that it is a different type of intellect.
Strangerland
No.
No.
Neither of those things have anything to do with intellect.
I don't see that anyone in this thread has gone that road.
wtfjapan
. I agree about the degree comment by the way, see it every day, someone who has the degree but is dumber than a door knob in so many ways it makes me wonder. oh don't get me started on that. being academically astute does not give you the life skills , common or business sense to be successful . The wealthiest individuals I know and I'm talking $10s millions don't have a degree, what they do have is a level of intelligence to be successful and a huge determination and drive to get ahead ( almost to the point of it being obsessive)
toshiko
Usually peoples attend univ to learn skill to be able to work , but there are people whose families push their children enter universities. There is no course to major intelligence. In Japan, Tokyo Ubwas different. Banks only employed Tokyo U graduates. Tech corporations preferred Waseca Ungraduates. In Calif., any residents can attend neighbor community college regardless of age. Then there are many Cal State Univ. Tuitions were free. Just small amount of registration feeIn So. Calif, many stuts get part time movie etra, Disneyland duck jobs,s. If you want experience college life, don't thinnnk you are too old. If Iniv is scarcely, begin from Jr college. I don't know other countries.
Jon Wallace
I am a Deaf American and I wanted to say to Akie Abe. Thank you for stopping by Gallaudet University in Washington DC. It means alot to me.
toshiko
@Jon Wallace: Tha Ks for writing info. A happy Valentine Dh. As 'peopled get older, some of our bodies become too weak. I
dcog9065
Well, I assume Trump's Eastern Bloc wife has more urgent matters back in NY contacting Trump's FSB handlers
commanteer
You can relax, Joe. The Eastern Bloc hasn't existed for over 25 years now.
toshiko
They. wennt to Florida on Air Force One. He sopped one place too visit, got back. To Air zForce one. Noe of them went to NY.