As the world reels from Russia’s annexation of the Crimea, Michelle Obama departs for China tomorrow, travelling in the grand style lesser mortals cannot begin to comprehend, bringing along her mother and her two children. The trip fulfills her desire to visit the world’s most populous nation: “The first lady has been looking for an opportunity to go to China,” said Ben Rhodes, the White House’s deputy national security advisor for strategic communications. Officials are declining to tell taxpayers how much this junket will cost, of course. On the flimsiest of grounds, it is being termed official business: White House advisers on Monday described First Lady Michelle Obama’s upcoming official trip to China as focused on cultural exchanges and the value of education, not on human rights and divisive issues they say are discussed when her husband speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “The nature of her visit is really quite...(Read Full Post)