The Obama's may need the Motown lady.

"Artist development"

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In the 1960's, while Motown records was emerging as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, Barry Gordy employed the help of stylists to groom the new stars, and one woman in particular, Maxine Powell to train the young stars in etiquette, speech, and bearing - something called "artist development". Gordy's agenda aimed at helping the new talent reach out to the booming crossover market of white teens and their parents. It worked - Diana Ross and the Supremes wowed the fans with royal glitz and glamour, accompanied by elegant posture and restrained dance movements, as did the Temptations and Smokey and Marvin and the others; all suited up in tuxes, coolly, yet modestly moving to the music, with out any bumps or grinds. Soul music for Lutheran and Catholic teens - without any sign of the ghetto.

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I'm not saying the Obama's are ghetto - far from it - Michelle is a well heeled corporate executive, highly intelligent, and a lovely woman. The President is a polished, conservative appearing, well educated politician, with wonderful oratorical skills. That said, international diplomacy seems to me to be a little more demanding than what is expected in the average corporate setting, and I think a bit more decorum is in order when meeting heads of state. (Sarkozy excepted - he has a reputation for diplomatic blunders, as well as arrogance, himself.) Of course, Americans really are not known for their decorum. The last couple in the White House who knew how to act was the Reagan's - before them, there was Mrs. Kennedy. Bush Senior was okay, and Junior - the Mrs. presented much better.

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When Junior President Bush winked at the Queen, that was just dumb. When he gave Angela Merkel a back rub - that was really inappropriate. So I am not just picking on the current First Family.

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But. When President Obama bent at the waist for a Saudi King - and maybe kissed his hand - well, that was embarrassing, ignorant, and out of line... And above all, weak and obsequious.

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Acting like home-boyz with South American criminals such as Chavez and Noriega - that isn't diplomacy. As Gingrich commented: "Appearing on Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends," Gingrich said: "This does look a lot like Jimmy Carter. Carter tried weakness and the world got tougher and tougher because the predators, the aggressors, the anti-Americans, the dictators, when they sense weakness, they all start pushing ahead." - Source

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Oh. And Michelle dressing like an office assistant when she met the Queen? That is called inappropriate - the First Lady had been better dressed in that photo-op of her digging in the White House victory garden.

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Don't get me wrong - the Obama's are nice enough people, and no one is perfect, but they do have the responsibility of representing the American people, and they ought to try to be a little more gallant about it. If they have event people telling Georgetown to cover over the Holy Name, shouldn't there be someone to help them out with how to act and dress for the world stage?

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As for dialog with South American countries, as well as Cuba - that is a good thing - just do it right.

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Photo: The Supremes meet the Queen Mother.