Michelle Obama Praises ‘American Sniper,’ Anyone See That Coming?
Michelle Obama may be one of the last people you would expect to praise a film like American Sniper.
After all, since the Clint Eastwood-directed film was released to theaters, it has stirred up controversy among liberals and conservatives.
Some liberals — Michael Moore and Seth Rogen, to name two — felt the film was more like propaganda, though they did eventually backtrack on those comments.
But they backtracked in part because there was a heavy conservative backlash that accused them of defacing the military in their commentary.
Stars like Dean Cain and Kid Rock even took it up a notch wishing harm on Rogen and Moore for their comments. It’s gotten ugly, and it seems to be mostly driven by politics.
Since Michelle Obama is clearly in the liberal camp — being married to a Democratic president — one might assume her views would be closer to those of Moore and Rogen.
Not the case.
The First Lady said she got the opportunity to watch American Sniper recently on Air Force One. Addressing a group of film industry leaders, she had this to say.
“While I know there have been critics, I felt that, more often than not, this film touches on many of the emotions and experiences that I’ve heard firsthand from military families over these past few years… This movie reflects those wrenching stories that I’ve heard — the complex journeys that our men and women in uniform endure. The complicated moral decisions they are tasked with every day. The stresses of balancing love of family with a love of country. And the challenges of transitioning back home to their next mission in life.”
CBS News notes that Michelle Obama said her perspective on veterans’ issues was changed after meeting soldiers and their families.
“But for all those folks in America who don’t have these kinds of opportunities, films and TV are often the best way we have to share those stories,” she added.
Given that there isn’t much the President and the First Lady disagree on, it’s entirely possible President Obama feels the same way.
American Sniper, for those of you who’ve been living under a rock for the last few weeks, tells the story of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, who currently holds the military record for most confirmed kills.
Kyle was shot and killed by a veteran reportedly with PTSD after returning home from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Does Michelle Obama liking American Sniper make you have more respect or less for the First Lady? Sound off in our comments section.
