Although Barack Obama is far too busy fundraising to worry about attending to the nation's business, Michelle Obama is still tirelessly pursuing her all-important quest to keep America's children from eating anything even vaguely enjoyable.
Which is why she was the centerpiece of a ceremony yesterday in which she announced that the Walt Disney Company was joining her crusade to end childhood obesity by instituting new policies which would keep junk food from being advertised on Disney radio, television, or Internet sites which target kids 12 and younger.
And seriously, who could have a problem with that?
Time's up! Hope n' Change has a big fat problem with it!
Not because we're in favor of childhood obesity or against healthy eating. Quite the contrary. Nor is our particular objection that Mrs. Obama praised Disney's new policy of asking "is this good for our kids?" even though her husband has never asked that question before raising lifelong taxes on those kids, or making sure that countless kids would never even be born.
No, our problem is that this whole deal doesn't pass the smell test. Because Disney isn't instituting this new policy out of altruism (in fact, they'll continue running junk food ads through 2015) - it's the kickoff for their new "Mickey Check" label which will go on foods in grocery stores so that feeble-minded parents can more easily figure out whether broccoli is a healthier choice than Frosted Pop-tarts.
But Disney doesn't give away anything for free - especially anything with Mickey's picture on it. Rather, they'll be licensing that "Mickey Check" label to food companies for untold millions of dollars. And the nation's first lady just gave their profit-making venture a huge boost with her endorsement.
But as an outspoken enemy of corporations and capitalism, why would Michelle do Disney such a huge favor? What's in it for her?
Plenty.
Because Disney just happens to own ABC News (and the rest of ABC for that matter) as well as television and radio stations all over the country. Stations that could do a lot of good for Barack Obama's reelection campaign depending on which news stories they choose to cover...and which they choose (or are told) to bury.
So Michelle helps Disney rake in money, the ABC Networks help Obama get reelected, and everyone's happy!
Except kids who want junk food.
And adults who don't want junk news.
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