Keller @ Large: Melania Trump Deserves A Chance
BOSTON (CBS) - It may be hard for most of us to muster sympathy for a woman who lives in a gold-plated palace. But it can't be easy being First Lady Melania Trump these days.
Mrs. Trump has been a virtual no-show in Washington since Inauguration Day, remaining in New York City with her ten-year-old son until, we're told, he finishes out the school year.
And beyond a post-election interview where she expressed interest in combating internet bullying, she has said little about how she might want to use her new platform.
Until Wednesday, when the First Lady spoke at length at an award ceremony honoring women around the world fighting for human rights.
"I believe that bravery is the ability to live one's life refusing to be discouraged and instead choosing a life of purpose," she said. "Only when we do this are we able to surpass what we previously believed to be possible."
Could she have been talking about her own life? Let the speculation begin.
Even if you wisely choose to view the tabloid gossip about the Trumps with extreme skepticism, it's clear from her decision to be at her son's side for now instead of her husband's that Mrs. Trump is no shrinking violet.
She has fought back hard against what she saw as unfair press coverage, but also publicly chastised the president for inappropriate behavior. And her choice of this awards event, where many of the honorees were female targets of male violence, suggests she will set her own public priorities.
Melania Trump may or may not prove to be a compelling public figure - not all first ladies are up for that. But she deserves a chance to show what she can do, and it looks like she's starting to do so.