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While stipulating the NASCAR crowd is hardly part of President Barack Obama's base of support, the unpopularity of an American president rarely translates to his wife. Mrs. Obama enjoyed a 63 percent positive rating in a recent CNN poll, while her husband languishes in the mid-40s.
It would not be too difficult to overanalyze this incident. Sports fans tend to be raucous, especially after they have been well lubricated. It is possible the NASCAR crowd would have booed the Second Coming if it came before the big race.
On the other hand, Mrs. Obama has delved into controversy in her pet cause of getting people to eat healthy. Recently she opined that her favorite meal was steak and arugula. It seemed to be a somewhat Marie Antoinette type of statement. A lot of families in these difficult times are hard pressed to afford hamburger, not to mention steak.
Arugula, a leafy vegetable renowned for its peppery taste, is used in salad and tends to be more expensive than the romaine or iceberg lettuce that is usually in dinner salads. Her statement sounded to some ears like boasting about how well she eats compared to the hoi polloi.
Her campaign against childhood obesity, while well intentioned, is being greeted by many people as an attack on their parenting. A lot of two-income households do not have the time or the energy to cook a traditional family dinner where nutrition can be controlled to a certain extent. In too many homes, home delivered fast food or something that can be nuked quickly in the microwave have become the featured dinner. Harried parents are not likely to take very well someone lecturing them about feeding their children properly, especially if they are eschewing playing at the park for lying about with their game boys.
If one takes the view that the booing was personal, Mrs. Obama as a food Nazi is a good an explanation as ever.
I applaud The First lady for her cause in trying to get people to eating healthy especially children. The only problem is that there is too much junk on the market. Cereals to fast food joints in every town and city. Candy at every check out line. Partially Hydrogenated Oil in so many foods especially at generic supermarkets or dollar stores. It was very rude to Boo her. I suspect that the people who were taking the time to exploit their feelings are also people who burp and fart at the dinner table.