Michelle's Muscles Rock: Dowd

With the economy in tatters and the war in Afghanistan looking grim, the “only bracing symbol of American strength right now is the image of Michelle Obama’s sculpted biceps,” Maureen Dowd writes in the New York Times. Though some grumble about her revealing clothing, the first lady’s arms “are a reminder that Americans can do anything if they put their minds to it.”

“Washington is a place where people have always been suspect of style and overt sexuality,” Dowd writes, and some worry that Obama’s muscles and fiery personality make her seem “daunting.” But unlike recent first ladies, “Michelle has soared every day, expanding the job to show us what can be accomplished by a generous spirit, a confident nature, and a well-disciplined body.”