Michelle Wins Bakeoff, But Who Cares?

(NEWSER) - President-elect Barack Obama addressed the country and the world for the first time tonight, vowing to unite a nation beset by trouble at home and abroad, the Chicago Tribune reports. "Change has come to America," Obama told a crowd of tens of thousands at Chicago's Grant Park and millions more watching around the world. "Our stories are singular, but our destinies are shared." More»

McCain, Obama make statements with style

(NEWSER) - First lady fashions are more than trivial concerns: Their choices reflect on presidential campaigns and hold the power to spark new trends, writes Robin Givhan in the Washington Post. Cindy McCain "has endorsed the status quo" by turning to White House veteran Oscar de la Renta, while Michelle Obama "has shown her willingness to embrace a new generation of designers." More»

Bill Clinton a no-show

(NEWSER) - Five spouses of presidential candidates met yesterday for a surprisingly candid exchange about their experiences on the campaign trail and their potential roles in the White House. Bill Clinton and Judith Giuliani both opted out, prompting host Maria Shriver, a former journalist and California's first lady, to joke that “we invited him to serve coffee but he was busy.” More»

First lady dishes on husband's skills with Jay Leno

(NEWSER) - If you thought the recent clip of President Obama singing was a fluke, think again: "He does have a beautiful voice, and he sings to me all the time," Michelle Obama told Jay Leno last night. Her husband often sings that very same song (Al Green's "Let's Stay Together"), she said, adding, "He sings a lot of Al Green, Marvin Gaye, a little Stevie [Wonder]. He likes the classics." More»

First lady responds to claims made in Jodi Kantor's book

(NEWSER) - Michelle Obama says she hasn't read Jodi Kantor's new—and, at times, unflattering—book on the Obamas, but she does take offense to what's in it. Speaking to CBS co-anchor/long-time pal Gayle King, Obama explains that she has grown weary of people portraying her as "some kind of angry black woman." Kantor's book sets a scene in which tension (and, on one occasion, profanities) ran rampant between the first lady and Rahm Emanuel and Robert Gibbs ; the New York Times reporter also depicts Michelle Obama as a somewhat unwilling participant who felt wary of and constrained by life in the White House. More»