Categories: Photo

Michelle Obama's European adventure — in pictures

Following the First Lady on the world stage

by macleans.ca on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 6:15pm - 45 Comments

: April 5 — In the Czech Republic

Tags: G20, Michelle Obama

a mom

Why the heck is a Canadian media site portraying Obama and not Harper and his wife? I am an American in Canada think this is just totally wrong! It is horribly disrespectful to your own PM and his wife. THey represent Canada not the Obamas. What has Harper said, what has his wife done? Nary a word. Shameles! Then Canadian media and the people will predicatbaly say, oh the uS is being shoved down our throats, nope, you are allowing it via the media and not demanding more info on the PM and his wfe be splayed in the news.

Derek Pearce

Ok I’ll assume you are a Mom and not a troll: In a free country the press doesn’t owe the head of the government any particular coverage. MacLeans has PLENTY of in-depth political coverage, in case you didn’t notice. This here is a little dessert, a cupcake after you’ve eaten your economic and/or Ottawa spinach. Plus, Laureen was in a few shots. Try to think a little more like Warhol and little less like an undergrad.

a mom

Then I had better NEVER EVER hear another stupid remark from Canadians again about, “why do have to hear so much about the US’. well, it is because you desire it and eat up reports on the US but you need to know what your PM is doing. For crying out loud. YOu all say, trust me i read a lot of news, you all say that you want Canadian to be on the world stage. No one will take you seriously or your leaders if your own media will not even write what they do, especially abroad at the G20 summit! This is s slap in the fact imo to alll Canadians. It is saying your media thinks you all do not matter. Get it? I have not read one word about the G20 summit and Harper or his wife. That is horrible. Yes,. the US invented free press, my homeland, and we are not speaking about your PM or his wife but the summit and the issues. This is not a a tabloid forum for crying out loud!

Derek Pearce

This photo gallery is about Michelle Obama and to a lesser extent the other leaders’ wives. If Macleans were focusing exclusively on Barrack Obama and his views at the G20 while ignoring what Harper/Flaherty were doing or saying, then yes, I’d complain.
Wayne

Boy do you ever have a good point. The reason though will neot be pointed out to you around here though. You see rthe media has it’s nose completely out of joint when it comes to Harper .. always has and always will. In point of fact if they did put a warm and fuzzy article about Harpers wife center stage in this or quite a few other publications the next sound you would hear would be the canacellation of subscriptions. It’s part of the canadian shizophrenic condition and goes back a long long way. By the way are you sure that this is not a ” Tabloid “? hmmm – I would re-examine the definition of that word if I were you.
Lise laHaye

Well said MOM! and this from a Canadian living in the U.S..

http://www2.macleans.ca Ione Rose

Anything is better than looking at Harper.
a mom too

Have you seen Lauren Harper’s picture? In the photo with the other G – 20 wifes, she looks like she is wearing Stephen’s neck tie along with a very ugly outfit. Michele Obama’s a hit everywhere she goes because she has some style and speaks to ordinary people on their level.

Besides, the Prime Minister doesn’t seem to like the Canadian media. Mr. Harper was just down in the U.S. to be interviewed by several television shows. When was the last time he granted an interview with a Canadian media outlet, 2007?
Independent

Well I suppose the Canadians should take an leaf from the US and elect better and more appealing people as their leaders.Conservatism and the George Bush kind of leadership is now a thing of the past.
Carina

The coverage of Michelle here shows that Canada has the best weekly in the world, a magazine that thinks by itself and refuses to think small. Michelle Obama and her husband entering the world stage is nothing less than world history.
Canadians have an inherited tendency to jugde everything from a limited national perspective. However, the world is more than that, and also, nationality is loosing importance overall. what we see here is two individuals on an amazing world tour. Too see a Chicago girl outshine British royals is amazing.
J. Simpson

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I loved the candid shots of Michelle Obama in Europe. Thank you.

Signed by a Canadian living in California.

http://www.macleans.ca Andrea Ball

For Maclean’s live coverage of the G20, click this link: http://www2.macleans.ca/tag/itq-goes-to-the-g20/

And for Maclean’s coverage of Stephen Harper’s speech, go here: http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/04/02/itq-goes-to-the-g20-stephen-harpers-summit-post-mortem/
a mom

Derek is all that matter is fashion and tabloid news> the PM has a twitter page. He had get one. The meida would not run press releases! That is a crying shame!

Derek Pearce

Again, the media is free to select which press releases they wish to present. Do you know how many press releases are sent out by the government in a single day? Most press releases are inherently spin, so Twitter is probably a better place for most of them.

a mom

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=2507 here is what the PMs office said about the G20.
a mom

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/feature.asp?pageId=112 Not a troll, trying to get Canadians intersted in thier own govt affairs. A funny thing called civics. Stop being so obsessed with US civics. You all need to be better informed and in tune with your own govt. What you learn may just shock you!

Wayne

again you are absolutely right! there was an interesting experiment I remember from a very long time ago where canadians were shown 2 identical interviews with a supposed canadian politician and then afterwards informed that one was from the States and one was from Canada – the strange part is that what was considered the pertinent one was the American one and the Canadian one was disregarded.
novagardener

It does shock me Mom. That’s why I’d rather see & hear about the Obamas rather than having to look at/hear our hypocritical PM who says one thing to Faux news and another to Canadians.

a mom

Wow, a whopping one pic of the PMs wife. That is horrible. That tells me Canadian have no pride in their country but are proud of the US. That is wrong. If a country does not have the support of its people then there is no hope. That is what stands out to me.

James Connors

“Wow, a whopping one pic of the PMs wife. That is horrible. That tells me Canadian have no pride in their country but are proud of the US.”

Perhaps you’ve jumped to the wrong conclusion? I suggest you first read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning-Kruger_effect

Then view a few of these:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=rick+mercer+rants&aq=f

Then, let’s continue the debate?
Derek Pearce

My pop-culture fascination with Michelle Obama has nothing to do with my pride or lack thereof in being Canadian. If Macleans had a photo gallery devoted to Laureen at the G20, how would the traffic on those pages compare to the traffic of the Michelle gallery? Macleans is a business and provides content that will generate more traffic. The fact that most Canadians don’t care what Laureen is wearing is not a sign of a lack of Canadian national confidence– it’s a sign that they’re aware they live in a global society where Michelle is a symbol to many women worldwide.
novagardener

It tells me that 60+% dislike our current PM and his neocon policies – so 20oth century.

a mom

To derek and james yes, there are tons of press releases, and i find many US govt ones that make the news in the US but not much in Canada. Then when they do the media distors them. That is bad. The Canadian media is suing in the Canadian supreme court to be wrong to slander and libel. So much for honesty and integrtiy in the press. When the US press does this they get sued. As for wiki, anyone can edit wiki and wiki is not a news source. I want to see these stories on http://www.canada.com canadian press, ctv, cbc, global the post the gandm and the star. Yet they appear only in a afew short words but 1/4 of the press is about the US and then you all go have fun berating the US and Americans for having so much US press.
Do not whine if you do not like it. I googled on google.com and goolge.ca and ditto for both yahoos and thyped in PM Harper and Lauren Harper PM Haprer’s wife and not much came up. Then I typed in Michlelle Obama and tons came up. That is sad that you think more about reading about the US than Canada. I am American and i still think it is wrong. I hear Canadian who get mad the US does not know as much about Canada. We report bad news or natural disasters. We do not center in on one nation as you and the rpess do and it is wrong. Take pride in Canada! People get mad at Americans for being so patriotic, then cry fowl for Canadian not being the same. The media is part of the problem and you are the rest for not know what happens in one end of the country to the other. People in Canada US obsessed and city obsessed. They often have no clue at what happens or do the care what happens in one of BC to the other end of Ontario.

novagardener

Mom – I for one certainly keep informed about what happens in Canada and I love Canada. Those I know feel the same and would never want to live in the US. Be honest, we live beside an elephant, and what happens in the US affects Canada greatly. I just can’t stomach our current Leader’s ideology. His wife might be very nice but, let’s face it, few Canadian PM’s wives have been in the spotlight in Cdn media. And Harper is certainly not a warm and fuzzy guy – except at election time.

I wonder how long have you lived in Canada as you honestly don’t know much about Canadians..

a mom

Pearce youtube and wiki are not read by all.
Ilene

Michelle Obama won’t curtsy to the Queen, but our President Obama will bow down to the Saudi King!

a mom

Ilene, non Brits do not have to coutesy. learn the etiquette. Canadians are part of the British Commonwealth and she is your head of state, not ours. Canadians hate that Americans are so publicly proud. I read it all the time. Candians, your govt is trying to get you all to be a bit more proud and patriotic but the mainstream media is not releasing the press releases. I read about two months ago on the http://www.canada.gc.ca site the govt of Canada site.
I trust it over the rest of the media in Canada. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3146657
Each visitor is briefed on the proper way to gree the queen. The British have not been the head of the US since we had a war with them in 1776. We call the war of independance. You call it another name.

novagardener

Mom – Yep, believe all you read on our ‘New’ Government’s web site & blame the MSM who are finally starting to wise up to this neocon govt. Maybe you start reading other sites.

a mom

Nova you want to beleive the media I put m y faith in the govt. Whether you like it or not is the govt and I red and trust American govt news all the time. It is readily posted in the media and verfifiable. Apparently in Canada media and or govt is less than reliable? Then stand up and fix it and stop being to lax on accepting what you think is is incorrect media via the govt or the regular press. You are allowing it to be bad or unreliable and by reading up the US news you let the problem grow.

TheStar.com | Canada | Media outlets argue for ‘right to be wrong …Feb 17, 2009 … Media outlets argue for ‘right to be wrong’ at the Supreme Court … argued today that the Supreme Court of Canada should endorse a “public … and leads to media censoring themselves out of fear of being sued. …

http://www.thestar.com/article/588895

Steve Bennett

The US First Lady is giving the photographers lots of photo ops, access, etc. which is gracious and generous. She is a wonderful role model for women, especially black women, and people are interested. But how much longer can you expect such access when when the media exibits such poor judgement as publishing photos like the one where she is drinking tea……which is in my view not a flattering photo. Who wants their picture published with their tongue sticking out? What possible purpose could publishing that photo serve? MACLEAN’s should be ashamed as should the photographer who chose to not delete the photo.

http://safari Ida Cicci

Have been living in the U.S. for many years, and seen the display of pride and loyalty to the flag and country by the Americans. Canadians, I believe, are also proud of their flag and country, but are not so public about their display. I think the media are mostly responsible for the “Michelle-Watch”, thus the numerous pictures. The new “First Family” will be an obsession for quite awhile, I think.

a mom

Canadians need to be proud of Canada. It is like saying they are embarrased by thier own nation. That is how it is seen by others. Like the term of calling yoruselves north americans. The title of Canada is not the canada or north america. the US official nation name is the united states of america.
heck even mexico is officialy the united states of mexico.
Call yourselves Canadians not Americans. What, should americans call themselves the united statians?
People who live on the Island of HIsaniola for example are Haitian and Dominican, and speak different languages but they do not call themselve Hispaniolians. People who live in Europe call themselves Italian or Swedish or French and only generally call themselves european.

http://www2.macleans.ca Ione Rose

This hand over the heart business is enough to gag for. Enough already!

http://safari Ida Cicci

Lone Rose, “GET A LIFE”!!!!!!!!
Derek Pearce

Exactly, here here! Next I’ll be told my fascination with everyone from George Orwell to Madonna is a sign I’m not proud enough of my country.

a mom

You know Canada has it’s people you ought to be portraying more and you ought to be more concerned with your own problems and stop looking at the US for fame, glory or something to grip about. That heans what is broken in Canada may never get fix and the govt will keep saying raise taxes raise taxes, raise welfare. Fix the problems and you may actually have less of them.
Dot

I’m shocked, shocked to find that a single blog entry entitled Michelle Obama’s European adventure — in pictures contains pictures of Michelle Obama.
joe palaschuk

Harper is no longer relevent to Canadians and is on his way out. So why even bother to be interested in what he says
a mom

Because Harper is still the legally elected PM of Canada, and you all should care. The queen is still head of state and she is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Why do you all care so much about the US then go online and berate and demean what you are so obiously obsessed with?
Dot

Obsession count

A mom : 13 out of 37 posts
tim

Wow, how embarasing !!!! A whole list of Canadians can’t even recognize the wrongs with
canadian media and patriotism, when pointed out to them. By an American no less!!!
Also Steven Harper may be on the way out, but if Canadians would get a little more pasionate about standing up for what’s right he’d have a majority right now and Canada would have a leader who isn’t handcuffed by multi party policy.
George

I think they are great pictures recording an extremely significant event of critical importance to us all. Many of the comments illustrate what is wrong with the blogosphere. There is little hope if we cannot rise above these petty sentiments. The economic future of the world is in the balance and those who are attending these meetings know this and I think we owe it them, and their wives, to show our support. So, please, stop the bickering.
LW

Just to let you all in on what is happening. The G20 summit did what it was suppose to do (just as the Bible says would happen)…………..Bring in the New World Order. Most Christians knew before the annocment was made what the outcame was to be. The Queen is part of the plan. Do you really believe that hug around the waist between the Queen and M.Obama was by acciedent. NO ONE TOUCHES THE QUEEN! That sent a very loud and clear message to the WORLD they are “special! “Now comes the Global Currany and the inplanted cip (verichip) as stated in the book of Revelation. After the Global economic collapse.
For anyone that thinks this is Garbage just wait and see. As a Christian I never thought in my life time I would hear the Illuminate elite of the World say we have a “New World Order” but that is what happened last Thursday. Wake Up World! Obama is a wolf in sheeps clothing! The whole world pratically worships him, don’t fall into the trap. It is not only Canada that has got the “Obama Fever”………….it is Global!