Another shoe to drop?

Glenn Reynolds points to a possible reason for Obama's oddly-timed churchectomy:

BREAKING NEWS: Michelle’s Whitey Problem

New and dramatic developments. This is a heads up. I’ll post the news Monday morning by 0900 hours. Now I know why people who have seen the videotape say it is stunning. Barack’s headaches are only starting.

The headline, of course, suggesting that the video is yet another controversial statement by Michelle Obama.

I have no doubts that such a tape exists. I'm skeptical, though, that this is going to be the holy grail that the Clinton supporters in the comments (also see the first thread here) are hoping for. Going after a candidate through the wife/husband is looked on unfavorably by most normal folks, and even the hint of such a tactic runs the risk of backlash.

And we've already seen lots of video of Michelle Obama saying controversial things, none of them bad enough to make a dent in Obama's chances this November. Some of the statements she's made are subject to multiple interpretations as well.

In my opinion, this tape that Larry Johnson speaks of will be a spectacular bust unless it satisfies several criteria:

• It must be recent - something from a decade or two in the past won't cut it.
• It must be really, really, really bad - the most positive interpretation has to equal or exceed the worst interpretation of anything Jeremiah Wright has said.
• It can't be subject to multiple interpretations - in context or out, it must be very clear what she meant.
• It has to implicate Barack Obama in some way - after all, he's running and she is not. Beliefs held by candidates spouses are usually tolerated even if abhorrent so long as there's no sign the candidate holds those beliefs as well.

Additionally, while I and many others have maintained that Barack Obama's judgment doesn't come close to the standard he himself sets in his speeches, you can't use Michelle as an example. People choose mates differently than they approach any other situation in life. Indeed, it appears that his choice of Michelle was a rare example of judgment based on something other than political expediency, and should be respected as such. You might argue it was a mistake to have her campaign for him, but that would be weak at best.

Taking the above into consideration, I'll be watching tomorrow to see what Larry has, and I'll share my thoughts here.