Politics | 11/03/2009 3:00 am

Michelle Obama ... A Rage in Red!

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Michelle is all the rage.

The First Lady glows in red on the cover of Glamour’s December Women of the Year issue. While we’ve seen Mrs. Obama on the covers of Oprah, Vogue, Essence, Ebony, The New York Times magazine – just last week — and many more, this is the first time Glamour magazine, now 70 years old, has ever featured a First Lady. The Glamour editors note, of course, that Mrs. Obama has become a role model for young women, which was one of the reasons why they selected her as their cover girl.

"We love that she’s particularly set on expanding young women’s horizons," the staff writes on Glamour.com. "The First Lady is establishing mentor relationships between top women in the administration and girls in need in D.C., and is encouraging women leaders around the country to do the same where they live. Love that."

We love that, too. Few have graced the Oval Office with such style and substance…

She has mastered the delicate balance of wife, mother and advocate for important issues dear to her heart (including childhood obesity and military families). Oh, and one more thing: This Harvard Law School graduate is a true fashionista.

More of Mrs. O:

Michelle Obama: The First Lady in Photographs

The ‘Strategic Sensibility’ Behind Michelle Obama’s Style: A Conversation With Mandi Norwood

Michelle Obama: 100 Days of Style and Substance

90 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

I wonder how long it took for the makeup artitists, hair stylists, air brushers to get this result on Michelle Obama. It barely looks like her. I heard somewhere that Oprah needs two hours to get "the look." If this is what you call natural beauty and constitutes a "fashionista" then perhaps many of us could be named "Woman of the Year" based on our education and our travels through life.

Sorry, folks, Michelle Obama is an ordinary woman in extraordinary times. She’s not the only woman to have a law degree from Harvard and she won’t be the last.

This is right up there with Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize.

By deber B on 11/03/2009 6:13 am

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Wow! Deber your claws have sprung into action this morning! This is a great cover featuring the First Lady. What’s wrong with that? She’s an attractive, articulate, approachable and intelligent WOMAN. Whether you like her husband’s policies or not, she’s a great role model!

So what if she has makeup artists, hair stylists, etc to help her get ready for magazine covers. I doubt there are too many of us women who consider ourselves "runway ready" when we first wake up in the mornings!

By Kristy B on 11/03/2009 10:08 am

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Kristy, sorry, no claws, I’m a realist and as such I know it took hours to get Michelle to look like that. She is, indeed, an intelligent, articulate approachable woman. I agree with Mr. Wow that it was poor timing by her press secretary. I was merely making an honest observation. And your are certainly welcome to your personal opinions as well.

By deber B on 11/03/2009 10:18 am

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Ah, gee whiz, if you understand that more and more First Ladies are expected to DO more and more and how complicated it gets then it is understandable that many people have to be involved. Many of the above also report to the President. The mail alone takes quite a number of people.

P.S. Jackie Kennedy had certainly more than ONE––as did Laura Bush.

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 11/03/2009 8:24 am

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phyllis: …as did Laura Bush.

I think we’re talking about getting ready for the cover of Glamour magazine. Laura Bush always looked dressed for the role of First Lady to me. Nothing more than that. Why the Dems are promoting Michelle as a glamour star is beyond me.

By Marjorie C. on 11/03/2009 12:41 pm

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Marjorie, it’s beyond many of us. They are promoting both Barack and Michelle as super stars. Personally, I would like to review a list of the things Michelle Obama has accomplished that has given her "Woman of the Year" status. And, of course, even Obama is shaking his head on why he received the Nobel Peace Prize. Three more years….one term….bury the hatchet.

By deber B on 11/03/2009 1:16 pm

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Lady Bird Johnson had a staff of 30, Laura Bush a staff of 26, Jackie Kennedy had a staff of 40.

There are few people on this blog site that relish in scouring the internet to find articles and statistics to add validity to their talking points more than you Deber. It took me less than 60 seconds to find the statistics for some of our former first ladies, yet you conveniently chose not to list this information but instead paint a picture as if Michelle is doing something that is out of the norm.

And additionally, the number of staff a first lady has is in direct proportion to the responsibilities that are on their shoulders. You are faulting Michelle for having a staff of 24, how dare we Americans have to pay for people to help her? Instead of looking for reasons to bitch and moan Deber, why not take pride in the fact our nation’s history is one where our first ladies had the help needed to handle the massive duties they were responsible for?

You and I know why, because we’re talking about the Obama’s. But you’re not partisan…..right?

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20091011/LIFE/910110324/1004/LIFE/Fir…

By Belinda Joy on 11/03/2009 8:37 am

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I didn’t say I wasn’t proud of her or our other first ladies. I simply posted facts. Taxpayers should know how their hard earned money is being spent. Unlike you, I have never been impressed with Michelle Obama. That’s no secret. She’s way too radical for my liking.

By deber B on 11/03/2009 9:41 am

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The above post gives new meaning to "Rage in Red."

By deber B on 11/03/2009 6:23 am

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Whatever our thoughts or personal feelings about the First Lady, we must acknowledge that she represents to many young woman, black in particular, a very positive role model. She sets an example that is lacking for some black girls. I work with many young, poor ,black girls and they desperately need to see that you don’t have to be "ghetto fresh" in dress, speech, or education. I applaud the Obama’s for bringing an educated, polished, two parent family image to these young people. And yes, I realize that ALL blacks do not fall into this category of needing a positive role model, but for the many that do, the Obamas have set a great standard. Congratulations First Lady!

By Scarlett Ohara Mitchell on 11/03/2009 7:17 am

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Congrats to you, Scarlett — you really nailed it — the Obama’s are a very positive role model for families and Michelle Obama a positive role model for women. I think all of us can still benefit from positive role model on occasion.

By Sara Smile on 11/03/2009 12:14 pm

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Our First Lady in Red or any other color is someone we can all be very proud of. She’s right up there with the best of the bunch!

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 11/03/2009 8:39 am

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Mrs. Obama IS a positive role model…and should be presented to young girls ad nauseum. She stayed in school, went to Harvard, has an advanced degree. She came from a stable two parent home (her brother is also successful) and has maintained a marriage/two parent family. Something lacking in the black and white communities today. Period. She is the First Lady…the ‘fashionista’ and ‘glam’ references (IMO) temper her accomplishments (look at her arms!!!) And diminish the positive (family support plus education equals success) to a “well, girls its all in how you look.”. Glorifying the very nice, average looking Michelle Robinson Obama to “iconic” status is a reverse of dissing Hillary for “cankles.”. It brings successful women down to demoninator of “how you look.” All that said, Rage in Red!?!?! When top White House Advisors are being assailed for their admiration of Mao (Van Jones, Cass Sunstein, and the pandering “Ill couple my guy w/Mother Theresa” Anita Dunn). Someone was either asleep at the switch at Glamour or has a wicked sense of humor.

By Mary Quite-Contrary on 11/03/2009 8:44 am

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A standing ovation to Glamour’s cover photographer! You captured Michelle in all her beauty.

She really does epitomize all that we want to see in our first lady. Confident, smart, intelligent and self assured. Her morals and values as it relates to her children and husband are as they should be, and the example she is setting for the country by way of her various projects by shedding a light on things we take for granted. She is a positive role model.

How sad it is that some can’t allow themselves to even for a second, commend her on her accomplishments. That she must be diminished in their eyes whether it be because of her politics, the man she is married to or sadly for some, because of the color of her skin. I am happy to see someone like Michelle Obama in the role of our first lady. Each of our first ladies brought their own unique character to the White House, Michelle is proving to be a breath of fresh air.

By Belinda Joy on 11/03/2009 8:46 am

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Mr. Wow voted for President Obama, although he would have preferred Hillary. I find Mrs. Obama fresh and smart and attractive. Both Obamas have been put through the grinder during the first year of his presidency. And yes, a great deal of it is racial. Sorry, but it is. Both deserve to be presented with dignity and—why not?—some glamour.

Michelle is certainly the most cover-girl worthy First Lady since Jackie, and there’s nothing wrong with her or any magazine taking advantage of that. But…something struck me the wrong way when I saw this. I think it is just not the right time; the cheery smile, the blazing red, the coy pose. Perhaps if this had come within the first month of Obama’s presidency, or some future date, when things were looking a bit better economically and on the unemployment front? Mr. Wow’s very first reaction to this cover was, "Really?"

I am sure Mrs. O spreaks of subtantial matters inside—I’m not expecting a a Q&A on her eyeshadow choices. I simply cannot help but feel that right this minute in Obama’s presidency, it wasn’t the way for Michelle to go. If Mr. Wow was her press secretary he would have advised Glamour they’d have to wait.

By Mr. Wow on 11/03/2009 9:17 am