[mburbank]

Excellent article.

Blanco, you OUGHT to be right, the first lady should have nothing at all to do with this, but she has buckets to do with it.

An unfortunate number of folks seem to think how they react to the wife (as if the wife isn't every bit as heavily packaged as the husband) gives them some otherwise closed window on the nature of the husband/candidate. It's bogus, it's spun, it's meaningless but it makes a HUGE difference.

Kerry's wife SENDS THE MESSAGE that Kerry values and appreciattes the intelligence and independence of women.

Bush's wife SENDS THE MESSAGE Bush is much nicer and more centrist thn you think.

Is their a grain of truth in either of these messages? Maybe. But you're an idiot if it influences your vote.

But a lot of voters are idiots.