Having slayed racism, the Obamas could tackle ageism

WITH her husband’s Presidency entering its final days, Michelle Obama is looking forward to living anonymously as an ordinary person, having no Secret Service trailing her every move or stopping her from dropping into bargain shops like Target.

Otherwise, she says: ‘I have no idea, just like I had no idea what my life would be like living in the White House… But we’re young. Barack and I still want to do great work.’ At 52 years of age and with her husband a dashing 55, and two teenage daughters who definitely qualify as young, I don’t know why the US First Lady considers that she has youth on her side.

But I applaud her defiance all the same. Indeed, convincing the world that middle age is a time of achievement, hope and vitality rather than one of fading powers and invisibility is something she might consider as her ‘great work’ when she returns to civilian life.

Michelle is in great shape, she dresses well and for all the intensity of the Washington goldfish bowl, she doesn’t look a day older than she did eight years ago. It’s a lot more than can be said for her husband.

Whatever criticisms can be levelled at the liberal Obama presidency, symbolically it struck a blow for equality and undermined racist stereotypes about Black America.

It has been enormously potent in that respect. Perhaps the world’s most modern power couple can do the same for ageism in their new life and embark on a totally unexpected course of action.

Or, of course, they could simply follow along the well-trodden path of most retired leaders – and try to make as much cash as possible on the after-dinner circuit, while churning out memoirs by the dozen.

And prove that they are middle aged after all.