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Michelle: The Ultimate First Lady

Supportive but independent, Obama's girl is a winner

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 5, 2008 12:55 PM CST

(Newser) – Traditionally, first ladies come in two varieties, posits Sarah Vine in the Times of London: the “meek, supportive, grin-and-bear-it model”—think Barbara Bush or Nancy Reagan—and “two-for-the-price-of-one” hard-nosed ball-breakers like Eleanor Roosevelt or Hillary Clinton. But now we have Michelle Obama, the perfect synthesis of both types, with a fashion sense to rival Jackie O tossed in for good measure.

“Everything about this woman speaks to the modern, post-feminist woman,” Vine gushes. “She is manifestly clever, independently minded, attractive” and most of all unafraid to point out when Obama is “drinking too much of his own Kool-Aid.” It’s an exciting proposition. “It is not often one can go to sleep safe in the knowledge that there is an intelligent female voice being heard in the corridors of power.”

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (2)]

President-elect Barack Obama, left, hugs his wife Michelle at the election night rally in Chicago, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

President-elect Barack Obama hugs his wife, Michelle, after his acceptance speech at his election night party at Grant Park in Chicago, Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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She appears to be the personification of sanity, a woman who, while clearly supportive of her husband’s quest for world domination, is not afraid to point out when he is drinking his own Kool-Aid. - Sarah Vine

Everything about this woman speaks to the modern, post-feminist woman: she is manifestly clever, independently minded, attractive in a normal, accessible way (and not in a scary, plastic Cindy way).
- Sarah Vine

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 7 comments

Guest

Nov 16, 2008 3:32 AM CST

I am sick of reading more about the style, looks, educational background, blah, blah, blah, of the spouse of the individual we elected to the presidency. We did not elect her. I don't think she is attractive and rather than spending so much money on clothes and jewelry, why doesn't she get that underbite corrected? Let's focus on her husband, oh yeah, the person who is going to lead our country towards Socialism for at least the next four years. If I have to hear about this spouse and read more press about her shoes and hair instead of just how much more our government is going to balloon for years to come, and how much more tax I'm going to have to pay, I'm turning off the media. No more dollars of what I'll have left of my paycheck to newspaper subscriptions, aol, cable, etc. etc.

Guest

Nov 5, 2008 8:22 PM CST

Hey, idiots, stop playing the race card. We don't have to play that game anymore. It's just someone's opinion. Agree or not. Big deal.

jaguarj

Nov 5, 2008 8:02 PM CST

Watch who you are calling an idiot. It's none of your business if one agrees or not.

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Michelle: The Ultimate First Lady