Posted on 04/04/2009 5:01:02 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Europe melts for Michelle By: Nia-Malika Henderson and Jonathan Martin April 4, 2009 06:33 PM EST
He was cool and understated, the slightest bit aloof. She choked up as she told young minority girls to follow their dreams.
He gave speeches. She gave hugs. And while Barack Obama came to Europe as the American president, Michelle Obama came as something entirely different – almost an American tourist, but the kind even jaded Europeans could love, big-hearted, curious, sophisticated yet accessible.
They simply melted for Michelle.
Of course, the Europeans were eager to gush over a First Couple not named Bush. In fact, if one of the White House’s goals for this trip is repair the U.S. reputation abroad after the Bush era, Michelle was an equal partner in the effort, in ways different from her husband.
Barack Obama wins them over with a personal style and an embrace of internationalism that seems almost European. Michelle Obama is the approachable one, fashionable yet down-to-earth, and effusive (rubbing the Queen’s back!) in an endearing way.
“She still seems to be wide eyed in the job and pinching herself as if she can’t believe it, because who would have predicted this?" said Joanna Coles, who is British and is editor-in-chief of Marie Claire.
"And that’s what’s exciting about her, and that’s what exciting about America, and that’s what she represents,” Coles said.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Re the gifts: my friends and contacts there think the Obamas are cultural zeros. The average Brit was highly offended by the DVDs and toy helicopters, and the i-pod was seen as being disgraceful.
So Michelle is the cause of Global Warming. Who knew?
As Maggie Thatcher said, the only problem with socialism is that you quickly run out of other people’s money. In London the thinkers are re-reading Hayek’s Road to Serfdom. At the Bank of England protest on Wednesday I saw a sign that said “Who is John Galt?” The Neo-Keynesian response to the banksters is despised by most people there - the UK government is so broke, having sold all their gold, and they have outsourced so much of their economy to only be a service based economy, in lean times, things are tough. The people I was in contact with do not want government going deeper in debt to hock the future, and they are very angry about the bonuses and financial shenanigans. The UK would like to get rid of Gordon Brown, and as head of their financial sector he laid the foundation for the problems. The oly problem is that the Tories are still very weak, looking a lot like the republicans, having diluted their message of freedom, liberty and conservatism too much.
Someone still has to explain this sweater-buttons in the back and the front?
Nothing thrills Europeans more than an American willing to trash America to curry their favor.
Especially when that American also happens to be President.
They loved it when Clinton did it and they love Obama for the same reason.
THAT is what this lady should wear! It flatters her because of her long legs.
Oh, bellman!
Isn't the stitching exquisite? /s
I hope they realized through the actions of That One and his wife, on this trip, that they don't come anywhere near the CLASS and DIGNITY of both Bush Presidents and their wives.
But they won't, because they're Europeans.
I don’t know who’s dressing the new first lady, but they sure do need to get somebody new.
I find it repugnant that a woman of her age was wearing clothes that were appropriate for 20 yr olds. And .. while Michelle has lamented about her large hips, the outfit she had on when she stepped off AF1 did not help. The white dress was covered by an open black coat - but the black belt which was on the outside of the coat was positioned right under her bust line - thus accenuating her hips. Who’s the idiot who designed that ..??
I still say a well-designed 2-piece suit with a finger-tip length jacket is more appropriate than tank tops with sweaters that are too small and cannot be buttoned across her mid-section. With a suit, a complimentary silk blouse would be much more appropriate.
Truly, I was embarrassed for her - she looked awful!
Michelle is a very statueque, attractive person .. and she deserves better designers than she currently has.
What Michelle has to learn is that as First Lady, she has to throw out her own personal style and adopt a style more befitting her new position. She can wear the tank tops and small sweaters when they’re at Camp David - and she’s out of the public spotlight.
How is that blonde figure “hanging on”? Looks like she is grabbing him by his Sinclair.
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