So much has been made of Barack Obama’s first 100 days, but what about Michelle? Our First Lady has also traveled the world, met with foreign dignitaries, and represented this country to the best of her ability. 100 days is hardly enough time to make a real conclusion about much of anything, but it sounds good. So the media is going with it. And so am I!
I’ll leave it up to the diehard political junkies to analyze Barack’s performance so far — the NBC/WSJ poll gives the President good grades, The Black Snob did a great post about Obama’s 100 days (and she was on Nightline last night talking about this very topic!).
I think Michelle’s doing an amazing job as First Lady of the United States. And I’m far from the only one who thinks so.
The Huffington Post gave her mostly A’s and B+’s on her report card, and the Chicago Sun Times calls her first 100 Days “nearly flawless.”
“Mrs. Obama’s issue portfolio is substantive — and safe.
Healthy eating. Helping military families. Balancing work and family. Opening up White House events. Community service.
The past weeks have produced public events showcasing Mrs. Obama: planting the White House vegetable garden; bringing cooking school students into the White House kitchen; thanking federal employees at agency visits; dazzling Europe.”
I can tell you from personal knowledge, many Trinidadians were heartbroken when Michelle didn’t make an appearance during the Summit of the Americas. Heartbroken!
And in that regard, I really thought this CNN article Why Michelle Obama inspires women around the globe, was on the money.
“The notion of a woman being a first in anything is alien in many parts of the world. Millions of women struggle against sexual violence, discrimination and poverty, several women activists say.
But Michelle Obama offers a personal rebuke to that message. Her personal story — born into a blue-collar family; overcoming racism and once even making more money than her husband — makes her a mesmerizing figure to women across the globe, says Susan M. Reverby, a professor of women’s studies at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.
Reverby says this is the first time many women have seen their class and color reflected in America’s first lady.
“This is someone who appeals across the usual divides,” Reverby says. “She is a celebrity you can imagine being, not a celebrity you have to watch from afar.”
That’s a big part of her appeal for me, her accessibility. Michelle Obama’s rise to prominence has been such an inspiration, such a breath of fresh air. She’s living proof that putting in hard work to get an education is worth it, and that’s of immeasurable value to the children in the south side of Chicago, and neighborhoods like that across America and throughout the world. She is proof that you can balance work and family, train a dog, still keep it real by sneaking out for hamburgers every now and then (Five Guys Burgers and Fries FTW!), and still look beautiful and stay fit while doing it.
In Style’s done a 100 Days of Style slide show of stunning photos, which certainly reveal our FLOTUS’ passion for fashion. But for the naysayers and Fox News lovers, the fashion icon status of Michelle O is a subject for much hand-wringing and complaint. And maybe it’s true, too much focus on her image could serve to undercut her messages — but as long as she keeps on doing inspiring acts, I see nothing wrong with her looking fabulous while doing them. And if she can have an effect on the fashion industry itself, all the better.
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