Barack Obama's campaign released yesterday a statement condemning criticism of various of Michelle Obama's statements on the campaign trail as somehow out-of-bounds, characterizing them as "shameful ... and mean-spirited."

As others have noted, describing such criticism of Ms. Obama 'off-limits' is somewhat disingenuous, as her statements were made campaigning on behalf of her husband.

Sen. Obama himself referred to his wife as a 'civilian' of sorts, and not really part of the politics of the campaign.

The 'Michelle Obama's comments can't be criticized' stance is especially specious when one considers Ms. Obama's near life-long connections to political life in Chicago: her father was a Chicago Democratic Party precinct captain under the first Mayor Daley; Jesse Jackson's eldest daughter sang at the Obama's wedding and is the godmother to the Obama's eldest child; and Ms. Obama worked as an aide to the second and current Mayor Daley.

Additionally, it's not as if the beautiful, talented, and double-Ivy League degreed Ms. Obama is some kind of slouch in the business of public relations, either: she has held two highly-paid positions at the University of Chicago Hospitals -- executive director for community affairs (with a salary of about $120,000) and vice president for community and external affairs (with a salary of over $300,000). Ms. Obama has also served on the board of directors of at least five different organizations.

Somehow the notion that someone who grew up around politics, who has a close, long-time friend whose family was 'in the business,' who herself worked for Chicago's Mayor Daley, who herself became a highly-paid executive whose duties presumably included public relations, who served as a board member of multiple organizations, and who herself campaigned for the candidate -- the notion that such a person can be presented as some kind of untouchable political naif -- floating above the fray -- is pure, unadulterated nonsense.