We all know that while our President-Elect was on the campaign trail, he became an international phenomenon. (Who could forget that crowd in Germany.) What we may have underestimated is the global interest in Michelle Obama. A few weeks ago, Cherie Blair wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, penned an article entitled, “My Advice to Michelle Obama: Learn to Love the Back Seat,” in which she offered unsolicited advice and pointed out possible challenges our future First Lady may face. Listed among them was having to keep her opinions to herself and the inability to continue in her career (which isn’t an issue in Europe).The article appeared two weeks ago and it is still a source of heated debate in the UK. In fact, in today’s International Herald Tribune Rachel L. Swarns point out how deeply divided women continue to be about the possible parameters Michelle Obama’s role as First Lady. I mean, these women are really passionate about the role she should play. But not everyone is as opinionated as Blair or as adament as feminist pundits. In fact, I loved it when model and singer turned First Lady of France, Carla Bruni Sarkovy, made a point on her Today Show appearance last week to say that she’d rather ask Michelle Obama for advice than offer any of her own.
Here in the States we’ve run the gamut from Rebecca Traister’s piece on salon.com “The momification of Michelle Obama” to Erin Aubry Kaplan’s salon.com’s piece on the future First Lady’s derrierre. All I can say is thank goodness that Newsweek’s Allison Samuels is also weighing in this week with “What Michelle Means to Us.” After hearing everyone else speculate and pontificate it is good to see that Samuels so ably articulate what so many of us are feeling…Pride.
If you liked this post, we think you might like these too:
