If it wasn’t enough that that Obamas yukked it up with the Washington insiders on Saturday as the Baltimore riots burned, Michelle Obama went a step further Monday to officially unveil a new White House china service when violence was flaring up again.

Blacks Riot In Baltimore… Michelle Obama Touts The White House’s New “Kailua Blue” China Set / https://t.co/vOf8tqilny

— I’m your Huckleberry (@BringTheFlag) April 28, 2015

Note the time stamp of 2:30 p.m., right after the Baltimore Police Department asked the University of Maryland to close its Baltimore campus because events were about to turn violent. That means as Washington’s nearest neighboring city was battening down for a night that eventually turned so violent the National Guard would be called in, the East Wing of the White House was awash in talk of the “Kailua Blue” china the first lady would be using to host the prime minister of Japan Tuesday night.

And the Washington press corps’ response? Posotive coverage, naturally, with the New York Times gushing:

“To put her own stamp on the dinnerware, the first lady broke with the traditional primary colors that have adorned most recent administrations’ china and instead went with a border of what she called Kailua Blue, inspired by the waters off President Obama’s  home state, Hawaii.”

People magazine was practically giddy (of course) headlining the new china story, “See the new china in the Obama White House cupboard.”

Contrast that with the coverage of Nancy Reagan in the White House, when the New York Times ran a story about first lady Reagan under the headline “First Lady Tells Critics I’m Just Being Myself” and made a point of noting that she’d purchased new White House China for “more than $200,000.” (Michell Obama’s china set more than $367,000.)

It’s important to note that neither Nancy Reagan nor Michelle Obama spent public money on the White House dinnerware. Money for the china came from private fund whose main source of income is the sale of White House Christmas ornaments. But the point is, the same as ever, both Obamas get a pass on doing things that Republicans are crucified for. At least from the mainstream media. 

@FLOTUS Not the best timing to unveil china patterns…. #priorities #NepalQuakeRelief — Breezy DiPietro (@Breezy_Di) April 27, 2015

I remember the big deal the press made when Nancy Reagan bought new White House China. @BringTheFlag

— Beka (@AuthorAnnBaker) April 28, 2015

@HuffingtonPost While Rome burns. Applause.

— Sandie (@SandieBellz) April 28, 2015

@HuffingtonPost oh hey, the only china that obama doesn’t owe trillions of dollars to in debt :p

— Mark Rubello (@MarkRubello) April 28, 2015

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Joe Saunders

Joe Saunders, a 25-year newspaper veteran, is a staff writer and editor for BizPac Review who lives in Tallahassee and covers capital and Florida politics. Email Joe at [email protected].

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