Michelle Kwan Joins Hillary Clinton Campaign Full Time

[jcoates]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/10/politics/michelle-kwan-joins-hillary-clinton-campaign/

Her professional development away from skating continues.

 

[Mathman]

Yay! Go Michelle!

I'm not 100% sure what "surrogate outreach" comprises, but I know Michelle will be good at it.

 

[ice coverage]

Michelle's tweet re her new role:

https://twitter.com/MichelleWKwan/status/608720089316257792​

---

... I'm not 100% sure what "surrogate outreach" comprises, but I know Michelle will be good at it.

"Surrogates" appear at campaign events and/or speak to the media, etc., in lieu of the candidate.

Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, for example, would be the cream of the crop among surrogates for Hillary Clinton.

And I would say that Michelle's multi-faceted bkgd promises to make her an effective surrogate for HRC.
MK has name/face recognition and popularity in her own right; reasonably longstanding personal/professional relationship with HRC; experience on the campaign trail as Pell's spouse and surrogate; etc.; etc.

---

Note the subtitle of the article from the (Boston-based) Christian Science Monitor (emphasis added):

Michelle Kwan: Hillary Clinton's newest political ally
Former figure skater and two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan is reportedly joining the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign.
Who benefits the most, Ms. Kwan or Mrs. Clinton?

By Meredith Hamilton, Staff writer
June 10, 2015
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politi...-Kwan-Hillary-Clinton-s-newest-political-ally​

 

[dorispulaski]

Go Michelle!

 

[ice coverage]

What Hillary Clinton Can Learn from Michelle Kwan's Figure Skating Career

June 10, 2015
By Elspeth Reeve
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/122008/what-if-hillary-clinton-michelle-kwan​

(via SkateToday)

First paragraph:
Hillary Clinton has hired beloved Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan. But if you followed the athlete’s career, the symbolism couldn’t be more disastrous for Clinton’s 2016 campaign. Clinton’s career has some uncomfortable parallels with Kwan’s: No one could beat the Kween. Until someone did. ​

Whether one agrees with the analysis or not, notable to me that TNR is discussing any history of skating in some detail.

LOL, re 1988/2008 analogy: "In the end, HillKwan was defeated by the upstart Tarack."

 

[apgold]

I'd rather vote for Michelle than Hillary, lol. This is a good career move for her, and I can even see Michelle running for office someday.

 

[MFarone]

Not sure how I feel about this, but Michelle has always followed her heart so she must feel this is the right thing for her. Just a minor note about the Christian Science Monitor article - Michelle and Clay were married in January 2013- not in 2012.

 

[Mathman]

I'd rather vote for Michelle than Hillary, lol. This is a good career move for her, and I can even see Michelle running for office someday.

Not sure how I feel about this, but Michelle has always followed her heart so she must feel this is the right thing for her.

Michelle has jumped into the frying pan. Her "political" career so far has been been uncontroversial and not exposed to criticism or rancor. No one is against the Special Olympics or programs to provide women and girls with increased opportunities to play sports. No one can blame Michelle for supporting her husband's campaign for public office, political ideology notwithstanding.

But she's in for it now, if she has to defend policy statements on the war in Iraq, gun control legislation, free trade agreements with China, or how to handle the national debt.

I will be forced to sign up for Twitter and Facebook so I can rush in and defend her against all the rants that will be coming her way.

 

[Alba]

Michelle Kwan joins Clinton campaign staff

Congratulations.
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/10/politics/michelle-kwan-joins-hillary-clinton-campaign/index.html

 

[Alba]

Congratulations to the one and only, the original, QUEEN!
Frankly I don't care that much about Hilary, but I'm very happy for Michelle. She will become President of USA one day!

 

[karlowens2]

I'd rather vote for Michelle than Hillary, lol. This is a good career move for her, and I can even see Michelle running for office someday.

Yes, I've been thinking this too. When her hubby lost the electiopn in RI I thought 'they should have run Michelle' Michelle is a good speaker and tough as nails. She could definately do politics.

 

[LiamForeman]

Yes, I've been thinking this too. When her hubby lost the electiopn in RI I thought 'they should have run Michelle' Michelle is a good speaker and tough as nails. She could definately do politics.

Hmm. I think Michelle comes off as a flaky LA type in interviews. I would never say she is a good speaker or articulate. She smiles, uses her good will, and keeps her mouth shut. As she probably should.

 

[Imagine]

It's interesting how this is a tiny blip on CNN's website, but it was all over the local Chinese news on TV when it was announced.

 

[Mathman]

Here is a funny article about the political views of our other favorite skaters. Tonya Harding is mad at President Obama, Kristi Yamaguchi supported Mitt Romney, and Tara Lipinski wants to take Obama skating.

http://www.bustle.com/articles/8931...gn-4-more-of-your-favorite-90s-figure-skating

 

[ice coverage]

It's interesting how this is a tiny blip on CNN's website, but it was all over the local Chinese news on TV when it was announced.

The New York Times website published the original brief report, and then numerous mainstream national sites (such as CNN) picked the NYT story up and published their own items -- some short, some a little longer (such as the CSM and TNR links posted above).

During a presidential election cycle, armies of journalists are on alert to pounce on any crumb of news and add it to their reporting.

Meanwhile, just curious:
Your "local" Chinese news broadcast is based where?
In other words, are you in the U.S., and if so, what state, city, etc.? (If you are comfortable answering.)

 

[ice coverage]

Here is a funny article about the political views of our other favorite skaters. Tonya Harding is mad at President Obama, Kristi Yamaguchi supported Mitt Romney, and Tara Lipinski wants to take Obama skating.

http://www.bustle.com/articles/8931...gn-4-more-of-your-favorite-90s-figure-skating

Surely the First Lady already had given MK first dibs on any future skating outing with Obama?

BTW, another thought on Unite's post: this Bustle piece is a perfect example of a website jumping on the bandwagon of a small piece of news. In this case, they parlayed it into something a little more.

 

[Mathman]

Hmm. I think Michelle comes off as a flaky LA type in interviews. I would never say she is a good speaker or articulate. She smiles, uses her good will, and keeps her mouth shut. As she probably should.

To me, she has progressed in these areas by leaps and bounds since her skating days. I wouldn't be surprised if she has worked with a voice coach. I think her perceived flakiness flaked off somewhere between her education in international law and diplomacy at Tufts and her stint at the State Department.

But, yeah, in person she must have humongous social skills. Everyone she meets in Washington and around the world seems to be utterly charmed by her.

 

[Imagine]

Meanwhile, just curious:
Your "local" Chinese news broadcast is based where?
In other words, are you in the U.S., and if so, what state, city, etc.? (If you are comfortable answering.)

This would be Southern California, Los Angeles area.

 

[ice coverage]

This would be Southern California, Los Angeles area.

Thanks, Unite.
After this initial splash re joining HRC's team, maybe MK as campaign operative will be more under the radar to most of the country. Hope you will pass along any MK updates from coverage in your area .

 

[Mathman]

Mrs. Clinton officially kicked off her campaign today with a big outdoor speech on Roosevelt Island (N.Y.). Michelle hosted the live streaming of the event on Periscope.