Why Michelle Obama Was Right to Align Herself With Wal-Mart

Like many urbanites lucky enough to live just blocks from a Whole Foods, I find it easy to criticize Wal-Mart.

Condemned by many as a killer of Main Street, an enemy of unions, a discriminator against women, and much more, Wal-Mart has often been a target. And deservedly so. I cringe when I read the details of the case heading to the Supreme Court seeking class-action status on behalf of more than a million women allegedly discriminated against by the mega-chain.

But the elite, organic-food-loving, spare-no-expense-on-a-weeknight-dinner foodies who reside in liberal bastions like Washington, D.C. (I admit, I'm one of them), may need a reality check.

Food is expensive. Really expensive. And healthy food even more so. Not everyone can afford to shop at places that are jokingly referred to as "Whole Paycheck." That's one of the reasons people shop at Wal-Mart. And in turn, one of the contributing factors to poor food choices. Unhealthy food -- high in fat, sugar and salt, and prepackaged rather than fresh -- is usually cheaper.

So I applauded Michelle Obama on Thursday when she announced (in glowing terms) her support of Wal-Mart's five-year plan to cut back on unhealthy foods and to make healthy foods cheaper. It is part of the first lady's anti-obesity crusade, "Let's Move''; she regularly promotes healthy eating, more exercise and more nutritious options in our schools and supermarkets.

But as my colleague Luisita Lopez Torregrosa pointed out, Mrs. Obama's cooperation with the company that sells more groceries than any other retailer in the U.S. is already raising some eyebrows.

At Thursday's White House briefing, in response to a question noting that in 2007 Barack Obama said he would not shop at Wal-Mart because of the way it treats its workers and its resistance to unions, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs replied that the first lady is "proud and happy" to stand with the country's largest retailer. "They've taken some dramatic steps in how they're dealing with food and how they're marketing food and packaging . . . that will make a genuine and big difference for people that shop there."

Maybe so, but should Mrs. Obama so closely align herself and endorse an often-controversial company, one her own husband condemned when he was a candidate?

Yes, and here's why.

First and foremost, let's consider the trickle down. More than 60,000 companies supply Wal-Mart. Each of those responsible for stocking even one item in the grocery aisles may be asked to make better foods available and to make them cheaper in order to follow through on Wal-Mart's new promises. Imagine the influence even a few, small steps could have.

In turn, other retailers hoping to compete with Wal-Mart should be smart enough to follow suit with healthier options. And their suppliers would have to as well. And so on. Think of the airlines -- when one lowers its fares, others follow suit. Or a pizza delivery company -- one joint's promotion is quickly matched by its competition. As Michelle Obama said Thursday, the plan could in fact "transform the marketplace" and be "a huge victory for folks all across this country."

Second, Mrs. Obama has been "collaborating" all over the place, not just with Wal-Mart, and appears to be rather good at it. Her multi-pronged approach is a fascinating lesson in marketing and good PR.

Even folks who don't call themselves foodies may have seen the first lady's involvement in a heavily hyped and promoted "healthy" episode of the Food Network's "Iron Chef," where contestants' ingredients had to come from the White House garden. Or there was the middle school lunch competition on Bravo's "Top Chef D.C." White House chef Sam Kass charged teams with making school cafeteria lunches that conformed to nutritional guidelines and came in under budget -- a school's actual budget. It was a fascinating lesson in just how hard it is to cook food that's healthy and cheap -- and appeals to kids. She even collaborated with Newsweek, first appearing on its cover to promote the story "Feed Your Children Well," and later participating in a forum the magazine held. By putting herself, her garden, and her chef into our nation's pop culture, she and her advisers have proven a genuine commitment to the cause and a savvy sense of how to permeate the national conversation.

Third, in government programs like the USDA's Chefs Move to Schools, Mrs. Obama has used her formidable clout (and frankly, her celebrity) to bring together an array of famous, notable, and successful chefs -- including Rachael Ray, Cat Cora, Todd Gray and Marcus Samuelsson -– to help in the effort. The program pairs culinary pros with public schools around the country; the schools learn how to adapt and change menus; and the kids learn about nutrition and making better choices.

Finally, in addition to promoting new programs and injecting herself into the national dialogue, she uses her bully pulpit to pressure such groups as the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the American Beverage Association to support voluntary changes that can help reduce childhood obesity. With the December passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act -- which promises to make the first major improvements in decades to the school lunch program -- and the newly released standards for those meals proposed by the USDA, it's clear Mrs. Obama's work is just beginning.

I began this by admitting my penchant for buying expensive, healthy food at my neighborhood Whole Foods. But admittedly, I'm no stranger to Wal-Mart.

Years ago, as a struggling journalist, I paid my dues working for news outlets in small communities. One of those stops included a 16K-a-year job in West Virginia. During my time there, the only place I shopped for groceries, or anything else, was Wal-Mart. Not only was it the only thing I could afford, it was also the only decent store for miles.

So I posit this: Would most of us like to see a large grocery retailer in our neighborhood that treats its employees fairly and well; supports sustainable, organic, local and family-owned farms; allows and nurtures unions; and is affordable for all? Of course.

But until that company exists, and can compete with the likes of Wal-Mart, I support the first lady's efforts, including her enthusiastic collaboration with our nation's biggest retailer. For the sake of our collective waistlines, and health, so should we all.