Opinion of Michelle Obama

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Go......

[tpfkaw]

You mean the witch who wants to ban bake sales?  Screw her.

[fezzyfestoon]

I think she's been fantastic.  Far better than Laura Bush was.  I think she's settled in nicely and found her causes.  She's very good at the role of figurehead.  Very accessible yet exciting and interesting.  I like her a lot.

[angus]

I think she's a pretty solid first lady.  They're expected to quit their day jobs, become model mothers, and take up causes.  She seems to be giving the impression of a stay-at-home mom quite well.  She also is into promoting fitness and nutrition, which are noble goals.  I'd say she's taken it up quite well. 

FWIW, I disagree with fezzy about Laura Bush.  She too was well-educated and had a successful career before becoming Mrs. Governor Bush.  As both a US and Texas first lady, she was into promoting literacy and, like Michelle Obama, busied herself with raising two unruly daughters.  In fact, all the first ladies have done nicely with the exception of Hillary Clinton, who never put her own career aside and never gave the impression of domesticity.  And her main "cause" seemed to always be the cause of her own ambitions.  But in all fairness to Hillary, she apparently didn't have the best domestic situation to begin with, so I don't think we can judge her too harshly.

[fezzyfestoon]

Laura was fine, she just never seemed very into it or able to connect well.  She was personable enough but didn't have a very public personality.  Michelle does well on TV and can hold her own in a room full of people whose careers are about attention.

[angus]

I don't think that much matters.  Well, it may.  but the question was very specific.  It didn't ask whether I thought Michelle Obama has nice shoulders, or whether she's a good lawyer, or whether I agree with her politics.  It asks what I think of her as a first lady.  Notice the difference between this thread and another thread which merely asks our opinion of Nancy Reagan.  That prepositional phrase, "as a first lady," really makes it a good question I think.

Of course, it's all subjective, isn't it? 

Still, I think the public has a clear expectation of a First Lady.  Sure, Hill & Billy tried to change the role.  They spoke openly of it even in the '92 campaign.  But they were unsuccessful in changing the role indefinitely.  Both our First Ladies since then, Laura and Michelle, have gone for the traditional role, and done it nicely.

As an aside, I was wondering what it would be like for the first First Man.  He'd be peerless, as he'd have no role model.  Unlike First Ladies, who have Martha Washington and Abigail Adams and forty other role models to study, he'd be able to do it the way he wanted and not be judged harshly for it.  How would he go?  Would he be simply a male version of our traditional First Lady, laying down the expectation of a doting and devoted father and unconditional supporter of his spouse, championing such causes as literacy, health care, or nutrition?  Or would he go a different way altogether?  Maybe not quit his day job.  Or maybe quit his day job and just drink and play cards and lounge on the South Lawn in his boxer shorts all day.  He could just do it up any way he wanted, I suppose, but whatever he did, all those First Men who followed would be held up to his standard by the public expectation, wouldn't he? 

Michelle Obama understands all this, and whether or not this is the job she wanted--and I suspect that it is not; I also suspect the same thing for most of them, from Martha to Laura--whether or not this was her choice, she has played the traditional role nicely.

Oh, and by the way she has great shoulders.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I don't think that much matters.  Well, it may.  but the question was very specific.  It didn't ask whether I thought Michelle Obama has nice shoulders, or whether she's a good lawyer, or whether I agree with her politics.  It asks what I think of her as a first lady.  Notice the difference between this thread and another thread which merely asks our opinion of Nancy Reagan.  That prepositional phrase, "as a first lady," really makes it a good question I think.

Of course, it's all subjective, isn't it? 

Right.  The question was specific for a reason.  She might be a flaming bitch personally, who knows.  I wanted to know the thoughts of those here regarding how we see her as First Lady.   And you bet it's subjective......I don't think there is anything to measure a first lady by, really.

Oh, and by the way she has great shoulders.

Amen, and she knows it and is not afraid to show them off.

[Storebought]

Neutral. I respect her initiatives against obesity, but she is too ungainly and mannish to be an effective clotheshorse for no-name fashion designers. Put on a pant-suit and just give it up.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Shes no Laura Bush or Barbara Bush. Or Hillary Clinton.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I don't care about first spouses.