Credit: AP Image

From The Grio

The families, and especially the children, of the commander-in-chief are almost always considered off-limits by the media and the political opposition, and yet, some conservatives can’t seem to help themselves when it comes to Malia Obama.

In the wake of President Obama’s statement that he would support the selling of Plan B, a birth control product, to girls as young as 15, Fox News host Andrea Tantaros speculated about the sex life of the president’s 14-year-old daughter.

“Are they gonna put her on birth control? Because he’s very concerned with contraceptives and pharmaceuticals that are going in the mouths of everybody else’s 15-year-old daughter,” she said, according to Media Matters.

Tantaros also lashed out at the Obama administration: “They consider 15-year-olds to be women. They want to tell grown women what to do. They know how grown women feel. They have no idea how women feel. They should stop talking about it, because they have no clue.”

Read more at TheGrio.com.

From Pitchfork:

“Last night, “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” welcomed First Lady Michelle Obama, who talked about the listening habits of the First Family. Obviously, they’re all into Beyoncé, but she also noted that Sasha and Malia are Frank Ocean fans (via Consequence of Sound).

And First Lady Michelle Obama is okay with that?

Okay, so what’s the big deal about Sasha and Malia listening to Frank Ocean? Nothing actually. Despite thinking he was hyped for the wrong reasons, I like Frank Ocean, and I particularly appreciate the way in which he maneuvers in and out of traditional R&B to create a somewhat different sound than what’s out today. However, Ocean is not what I typically think of as a young adult-friendly artist, and especially not safe for the daughters of the first black president. While Ocean has a way with words, his words do mostly revolve around excess, sex, wholehearted love, and drugs. For instance, “Pilot Jones” may be cleverly prosed, but it also speaks rather bluntly about being in a relationship with a strung-out woman. Another example is “Pyramids,” which starts out painting a beautiful picture of Queen Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, but after about three minutes, morphs into a slow whine about a much different Cleopatra, who it seems works at an actual club called the Pyramids. So yeah, while there are some musical differences between Frank Ocean and the rest of his R&B contemporaries, clearly, in some ways they are the same.

So don’t nobody go think I’m saying that Ocean is setting a bad example to the youth of our generation. To the contrary, I think children can learn from his use of metaphors and imagery. However, can someone explain to me how did Frank Ocean get passed White House clearance to be deemed safe enough to mention in a national interview? I’m thinking that some of his themes alone would be enough fodder for some crazed Republican to claim that the Obamas were secretly trying to corrupt the mind of the nation’s children. Also, I just can’t imagine the Obama girls jamming to the following: “Novacane Baby, Baby/Novacane baby I want you/F**k me good, f**k me long, f**k me numb/Love me now when I’m gone love me none/Love me none, love me none/Numb numb, numb numb…”

That song, if you quite haven’t figured it out yet, is called “Novacane” and it is about falling in love (OR, not being able to) with an Adult Video star, who also wants to be a dentist. Although I like the song, I’m sure that there is some metaphorical deeper meaning that I have not fully understood. But the song is pretty graphic in content. And since the late ’80s, similar themed songs, particularly those coming from the hip-hop and R&B community, have faced scrutiny for graphic content and themes, many of which are similar to this Ocean track. Most particularly, both genres of music have been blamed for some pretty damning stuff in the black community – from the over-sexualization of our young black girls to even the mass incarceration of young black men. So I wonder how does the First Family reconcile with the girls’ taste in music and the sexual themes and messages, which might exist in a song?

Well, according to an article in Glamour, President Obama once stated the following about Malia:

“You know, we actually don’t constrain what she listens to. We expect her to show some good judgment. She listens to my iPod and has gotten hip to stuff that was made well before she was born like Motown, jazz, classic rock. There’s a whole bunch of stuff that she’s picking up on. We actually share tastes in hip-hop and rap music but we don’t listen to it together, because some of the language in there would embarrass me—at least while I’m listening to it with her. Folks like Jay-Z, Nas, we both like them, but when it comes on and I’m sitting with her and Sasha, then I fast-forward because it would make me blush…. It’s interesting, both Malia and Sasha, they’re very much up on pop culture, but what I’m pleased to see is that they’re interested in making culture too. They both play the piano, and Sasha’s dancing, and Malia’s interested in filmmaking.”

I don’t think that President Obama, the First Lady, and more specifically Sasha and Malia’s open adulation of Frank Ocean – or any other Hip-Hop or R&B musician- sends the wrong messages. Heck, I’m not sure it sends out any message other than stating that the kids have pretty decent taste in music. And clearly we are talking about the Obama girls and there is no doubt that they are getting the best education and guidance that being the children of a president and first lady of the United States can afford them. However, if rap music and sexually explicit R&B does not mean that one is destined to be anti-social and basically a degenerate to society, as in the case of the Obama girls, perhaps we might be overstating its importance or relevance in addressing the problems in our community?

Credit: Getty Images

From StyleBlazer

Following in the footsteps of their fashionable mother, First Lady Michelle Obama, Sasha and Malia are quickly becoming fashion darlings and trendsetters. The printed emerald Chris Benz skirt Sasha wore during the 2012 election night (a hand-me-down from her older sister) quickly became the chatter of the social media-sphere and fashion blogs everywhere. And now there seems to be increased interest in President Barack Obama‘s daughters this year. From the NRA releasing an ad targeting the girls in gun control legislation to top designers submitting sketches, hopeful to dress them for the upcoming 2013 inauguration!

Read more at StyleBlazer.com.

Claiming victory this year as the president for another term, these are a few great photos of our favorite first family, The Obamas, in 2012.

JLN Photography/WENN

Well, if this isn’t cute, I don’t know what is. We all know President Obama doesn’t mind holding a baby or two, as he’s good with children. This photo was taken during his re-election campaign in Delray Beach, Florida.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

From Black Voices

We can’t believe it’s been a little over four years since Malia and Sasha Obama stole our hearts. The once little girls are now blossoming into quite the young ladies and we’re thrilled we get to watch the transformation for another four years.

Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11, gave us plenty of adorable moments to love this past year, between jetsetting with their power couple parents and attending some of 2012′s biggest events. And from colorful dresses to hand-me-down skirts, the sisters are definitely taking after the First Lady in the fashion department.

Check out the photos at BlackVoices.com.

Source: Essence.com

From Essence

Ever since we first laid eyes on the Obama family on the campaign trail back in 2008, they have provided us with countless aww-inspiring moments. As a couple, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are a united front, and their love for daughters Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11, is a continual reminder of just how beautiful Black love can be. Today, as we cast our ballots, we take a look at the First Family’s sweetest moments.

See the slideshow at Essence

Source: MTV.com

President Obama has often referenced his daughter in the past few months on the campaign trail, mostly in reference to protecting women’s rights. But this time, in a recent interview with MTV’s Sway, the president spoke about his biggest concern for Malia specifically. Sway came at the president with three potential fears he has for Malia. See what he had to say.

I really dug the part about the girls finding men who recognize their worth. Something tells me that this won’t be an issue for Malia or Sasha.

Photo courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com

Monday night at the USA basketball team’s exhibition game in Washington, D.C., President Obama and the first lady were caught on the customary game night “Kiss Cam” not once but twice. The first time with tons of cheering from fellow game-watchers, Mr. President, looking a wee bit embarrassed, simply embraced his wife.  This shifted the preceding cheers to a din of booing. Allegedly, they were unaware that they needed to kiss until their daughter inquired into why they had not done so. The second time, he planted a gentle and loving kiss on Michelle and applause erupted yet again. You can click here to see the kiss that started it all.

Of course it didn’t end there even though it should have. A stream of negative press followed claiming that the First Lady rejected The President’s initial smooch attempt. Reporters (can you even call them that at this point?) even bandied theories of who snubbed whom and dared to allude to marital disharmony! There were reports criticizing The Pres for even participating in the game time gimmick at all. And what further cracked me up is that this “debacle” even garnered a snarky, “PDA is not for everybody” remark from habitual line stepper over-er, Kobe Bryant, of all people. YOU… just have a seat, sir.

Really, folks? Barack and Michelle Obama couldn’t possibly have, oh I don’t know, a shy moment like the majority of human beings do when coerced into PDA? No, they’re marionettes whose strings are controlled by the applause and/or razz of the people. Give me a whole entire break, and please, give them one too.

I remember when people just COULD NOT believe that The Obamas were as in love as they exuded in every photograph, interview and press conference. There were a dizzying number of comments flung at them suggesting that they tone down their NORMAL, loving interactions with one another. But now, because of an embarrassing missed Kiss Cam opportunity that they made up for, she’s dissing him? There’s trouble in paradise? They’re putting on a facade? Geez, they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. However, this isn’t a new realization.

I keep hearing people murmuring about Michelle Obama’s way of dress, President Obama’s impromptu renditions of his favorite songs and great comedic timing on late night talk shows, and the plethora of pictures of the first couple jumping rope, dancing, laughing and playing together. Is it wrong for the President and First Lady to be ordinary, humorous and likable people, or do they have to be and act like robots to appease people? Why do small moments have to be overly analyzed as people not taking their jobs seriously, being tasteless because they enjoy wearing shorts, or a reason to question their parenting skills? If they are in love and show it tastefully (or NOT if they don’t feel like it), is there buried someplace deep within the United States Constitution a law or amendment or tenant that expressly forbids The first family to be everyday people?

To me it’s part of their appeal to the rest of us everyday people who work, dance, laugh, play and sing. And no disrespect to former President and First Lady Bush (both sets), but I’d rather see my President make a tasteful move on his wife than to see an obviously cold marriage feign happiness for the sake of holding up a front for the American people. Let the Obamas be real. They do it the best because it’s who they are.

La Truly is a late-blooming Aries whose writing is powered by a lifetime of anecdotal proof that awkward can transform to awesome and fear can cast its crown before courage. Armed with the ability to purposefully poke fun at herself and a passion for young women’s empowerment, La seeks to encourage thought, discussion and change through her writing. Check out her thoughts/jokes/rants on Twitter: @AshleyLaTruly.  

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Most of the time when we talk about the first family, we’re talking about President Obama’s policies, Sasha’s latest cutesy move or Michelle’s fabulous style. But don’t be deceived, Michelle is not the only one who’s being styled to a tee. The eldest Obama daughter, Malia, is slowly and steadily solidifying herself as a style star as well. Check out some of her best looks below.

You know we love Lady O over here at Madame Noire. And we’re not the only ones. Recently other media outlets had a chance to sit down with the first lady in the White House to discuss everything from her Let’s Move campaign to maintaining a sense of normalcy for Sasha and Malia.

Black Enterprise pulled out a few nuggets regarding parenting advice.

Check them out here.