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ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Two contrasting images of Michele Obama are on display at the University of Michigan as part of the Clements Library's exhibition "Reframing the Color Line." The first shows the first lady in her official portrait, smiling and wearing a sleeveless dress with a string of pearls. In the background is an out-of-fucus of Thomas Jefferson, the president who wrote the Declaration of Independence while owning slaves. The second image is a cartoon from a cover of The New Yorker magazine.

She's on vacation now in Hawaii, so what does she care? But as the first calendar year of the new White House regime draws to a close, First Lady Michelle Obama is experiencing the same drop in poll numbers as her husband. She's not elected, of course, and not charged at least officially with making the tough executive decisions that come out of the Oval Office. As a result, first ladies have typically fared better in different public opinion polls than their more controversial husbands. And now even as the female Harvard lawyer in the family and the one with...

Dear Friends And Far-Flung Family, What a year of “hope and change” it has been. Just one year ago we had a president whose approval rating was below 50 percent, health care reform was politically unpopular and it looked like the war in Afghanistan would go on forever. Just look how far we’ve come! Sasha and Malia love living in the White House. It’s even better now that they have their new friend in the White House, too. He’s cute, he’s dopey, he’s always making messes for us to clean up, but what can you say? He’s the vice president,...

“Barack knows that we are going to have to make sacrifices; we are going to have to change our conversation; we're going to have to change our traditions, our history; we're going to have to move into a different place as a nation.” “. . .conversation. . .traditions. . .history. . .move into a different place. . .” Could that different place be Islam World Rule socialism? The data is pretty much right there in our laps, people.

...the 18½ foot Douglas fir in the Blue Room – is decorated with recycled ornaments that Mrs. Obama's team dug out of the warehouse where old White House decorations are stored. "We took about 800 ornaments left over from previous administrations, we sent them to 60 local community groups throughout the country, and asked them to decorate them to pay tribute to a favorite local landmark and then send them back to us for display here at the White House," said Mrs. Obama.

“Barack knows that we are going to have to make sacrifices; we are going to have to change our conversation; we're going to have to change our traditions, our history; we're going to have to move into a different place as a nation.” “. . .conversation. . .traditions. . .history. . .move into a different place. . .” Could that different place be Islam World Rule socialism? The data is pretty much right there in our laps, people.

Complete with a raft of documents and exhibits, fired AmeriCorps Inspector General Gerald Walpin on Wednesday filed a motion for summary judgment in his lawsuit demanding reinstatement to his job -- his own motion not even waiting for the judge to rule on the Obama administration's motion to dismiss the case without hearing or trial. A close perusal of his motion, affidavits, and exhibits suggests to me, for the first time, that this case has potential to reach the Supreme Court regardless of how the lower court rules.... Thus we get a glimpse of the tangled web of interests and...

If I hear one more pastor saying we need tp pray for Obama, I'm sending him this Reverend Manning video.

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama arrives with a sack of toys as she visits the Marine Corps Base Quantico Toys for Tots Campaign warehouse in Stafford, Virginia, December 16, 2009. In support of the program, Mrs. Obama delivered new and unwrapped toys and gifts contributed by the Executive Office staff.

The First Lady made her entrance at the Neighborhood Ball on Inauguration night wearing a custom chiffon gown by then 26-year-old Jason Wu.

My drycleaners told me my drapes were missing. Now I know who the culprit is.

Michelle Obama is more than just the First Lady; she's also Barbara Walters' "Most Fascinating Person of 2009." During the broadcaster's TV special on Wednesday night, Obama was given the top honor over people such as Sarah Palin, Kate Gosselin, Lady Gaga, and Brett Favre. In addition to appearing on Wednesday night's TV special, Walters saved part of the interview for Thursday's episode of "The View." During the previously-unaired footage, the First Lady talked about attempting to raise humble and gracious children while they continued to live in the White House. In terms of responsibility, Obama told Walters that "they...

Not everyone thinks Michelle Obama is the epitome of style. "Everyone compares her to Jackie O -- she is not the next Jackie O," sniped designer Douglas Hannant SNIP A spy said, "There were some gasps in the room." Note: The Huffington Post published a statement from Hannant's publicist:"I did say 'Michelle Obama is not another Jackie Kennedy and I do not consider to be a style icon.'(sic) But in addition, I also said 'She has so much more to her and has mass appeal. I admire her as a role model and think she will achieve great things in...

"A security guard stands next to a large screen showing U.S. President Barack Obama, as he awaits the start of the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony at Oslo City Hall December 10, 2009."

Laguna Niguel attorney Orly Taitz had her lawsuit challenging Barack Obama’s presidency thrown out on Oct. 29, but that hasn’t stopped her from filling a new document in the case with a broad array of allegations. “There was a concerted and a well orchestrated effort by a number of individuals to assassinate my character, endanger my law license and ultimately derail my case against Mr. Obama,” Taitz writes in the document filed with the federal court today. “A number of criminal activities were perpetrated upon this court.”

Updates in the BARNETT v OBAMA case in Judge Carter's court: Request for investigation of misconduct in legal proceedings, submission of perjured affidavits, submission of a letter to court by an attorney with improper purpose of covering up criminal activity and obstruction of justice, withholding evidence by attorneys, and US attorneys acting under conflict of interest From 11.11.09. to 11.22.09. I had the honor to be a delegate at the Continental Congress 2009. One of the guest speakers for the Continental Congress was a former Immigration officer and currently a private investigator in CO, Mr. John Samson. I have stated...

Finger on the Button President Barack Obama gets some help from his first ladies, Sasha, Malia, and Michelle, when lighting the national Christmas tree in D.C. today. Image via AP

Inspiration for the Obamas' first Christmas in the White House came from the house itself. First lady Michelle Obama chose traditional decorations to reflect the scale, architecture and color palet... **video**

First lady Michelle Obama speaks during the holiday press preview of the White House in Washington December 2, 2009. This year's holiday theme is "Reflect, Rejoice and Renew. "

The French fashion world has dealt a new blow to Nicolas Sarkozy’s desire to upstage President Obama: Elle magazine, the Parisiennes’ style bible, has proclaimed that Michelle Obama is more chic than Carla Bruni. The magazine’s annual best-dressed list, unveiled yesterday, awarded first place in the category of “political chic” to America’s First Lady, and second to France’s Première Dame. It is the second year in a row that Ms Bruni, 42, has come second on the list; last year Elle put her behind Asma Assad, the British-born wife of the Syrian President.

She's got a new boob belt.

A pair of champagne-coloured high heel shoes are worn by U.S. first lady Michelle Obama during the presentation of the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award to Magodonga Mahlangu and her organization Women of Zimbabwe Arise, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington November 23, 2009. REUTERS/Jason ReedDirect link to photo.H/T to onemiddleamerican.The media's Michelle Obama fetish sinks to a new low.

One more reason why I detest the left is that they are constantly trying to distort reality in the manner so accurately described by George Orwell. This may seem like a trivial example, but the in-your-face insistence that our first lady is some kind of smokin' hot babe is a case in point. All heterosexual men know that this is an outrageous lie. Who are they trying to kid, and why? Look, we're talking about an average looking woman here. Sarah Palin is not going to lose any sleep over the comparison. But why is this lie being promulgated with...

First Lady Michelle Obama (R) speaks with Gursharan Kaur, wife of the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh, during a welcoming ceremony at the White House in Washington November 24, 2009.

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama speaks during an afternoon tea in the East Room of the White House held to celebrate women in the military in Washington November 18, 2009. First lady Michelle Obama laughs during a meeting with school personnel at Hollin Meadows Science and Math Focus School in Alexandria, Virginia November 18, 2009. She visited the school to highlight the USDAO's Healthier U.S. Schools Challenge focusing on three core principles: nutritious meals, nutrition education, and physical education.

The models wore gowns made from orange plastic snow fence, egg cartoons and bubble wrap, old New York Times front pages, plastic Wal-Mart bags, toilet paper wrappers and yellow “caution” tape. The men wore entire suits made from presidential blue Obama and McCain posters, and from Wheat Montana flour sacks with the Bronze Chief logo prominently displayed. Who says engineering students have no feel for fashion?

This undated photo courtesy of the Food Network shows chef Bobby Flay, from left, and White House chef Cristeta Comerford, Alton Brown, first lady Michelle Obama, chef Mario Batali and chef Emeril Lagasse. An episode of 'Iron Chef America' will be taped at the White House pitting Flay and Comerford against Batali and Lagasse. The episode aris Jan. 3, 2010. Condoms are displayed at an international "family-planning" expo in Beijing in April 2009. A Chinese collector of Olympic memorabilia will put some of his mementos on the auction block later this month, including a batch of 5,000 condoms given to...

Michelle at Veteran's Day ceremony...Michelle fashion police alert!

A children’s toy inspires a cheap, easy production method for high-tech diagnostic chips Purposeful play: Biomedical engineer Michelle Khine sits in her lab at the University of California, Irvine, where she uses Shrinky Dinks straight from the toy store to build microfluidic devices. Credit: Dave Lauridsen Multimedia   How Khine Builds Microfluidic Devices   Watch Khine explain and demo her devices. In 2006, Michelle Khine arrived at the University of California­'s brand-new Merced campus eager to establish her first lab. She was experimenting with tiny liquid-filled channels in hopes of devising chip-based diagnostic tests, a discipline called microfluidics. The...

When Michelle Obama moved into the White House, she instantly became one of the most famous first ladies in history, a symbol of racial pride, a victor in the battle of the sexes and the picture of a modern woman, mother and wife. But from her days on the campaign trail to her residency in the White House, Obama’s favorability rating has been in flux, from a low of 48 percent in June 2008 to a peak of 72 percent last March to a slide to 61 percent in a recent Gallup Poll. That 11-point stumble – some might call...

Michelle Obama is to be the first presidential wife to appear on a reality TV series. The First Lady will make a guest appearance on 'Iron Chef America' which features British cook Nigella Lawson as a judge. The episode of the popular series, which pits well-known chefs against each others, has been filmed at the White House and will be aired in the New Year. Many of the ingredients for the meals prepared in the show were chosen from the recently planted White House vegetable garden.

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama speaks during a leadership and mentoring initiative at the White House in Washington November 2, 2009. The initiative will provide a group of local high school students an opportunity to participate in educational, career development, life-skills, and mentoring activities with senior women from the East and West Wings of the White House.

A report released last week reveals that most of us believe only teens from poor or single-parent families get pregnant. And we are wrong. According to research conducted for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, only 28 percent of those who report having given birth or fathered a child as a teen lived in families with incomes below the federal poverty line.

First lady Michelle Obama harvests vegetables from the garden with children from Washington's Bancroft and Kimball Elementary schools, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.

The captain and the first lady shared a warm moment at Yankee Stadium last night. Derek Jeter gave Michelle Obama a peck on the cheek before last night's Game 1 during a moving tribute to veterans. The first lady and Jill Biden, wife of the vice president, accompanied Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra to the mound where they were joined by Jeter and retired Army Capt. Tony Odierno (right). The West Point grad, who lost his left arm serving in Iraq, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The heartthrob Jeter also gave Mrs. Biden a peck. And the first...

Michelle Obama is sharing her rules for finding Mr. Right. For starters: Looks aren't everything. "Cute's good," the First Lady tells the new issue Glamour magazine, out November 10. "But cute only lasts for so long, and then it's, 'Who are you as a person?'" According to Mrs. O, women shouldn't be concerned with the "bankbook" or "the title," but instead focus on the heart and soul of the person they're interested in. "You should always feel good," Obama says. Obama, who is the covergirl of Glamour's December issue, donned a stunning bright red dress for shoot and is...

In little noticed remarks, Michelle Obama stated at a public event that her husband's mother, Ann Dunham, was "very young and very single" when she gave birth to the future U.S. president. Her comments further undermine the official story as told by Barack Obama – that Dunham was married to his father, Barack Obama Sr., at the time of birth. -------

In little noticed remarks, Michelle Obama stated at a public event that her husband's mother, Ann Dunham, was "very young and very single" when she gave birth to the future U.S. president. Her comments further undermine the official story as told by Barack Obama – that Dunham was married to his father, Barack Obama Sr., at the time of birth. The remarks were made by Michelle Obama during a July 2008 round table at the University of Missouri. Obama was responding to criticism of her husband's presidential campaign speeches about fatherhood and faith-based initiatives. Michelle Obama explained her husband understands...

"A look at Michelle Obama's fashions and passions."

The day after the election, Barack Obama was viewed more favorably by Americans than his wife, Michelle. Not any more. A USA Today/Gallup Poll taken in the last week shows a surge in positive views of the first lady over the past year even as her husband's ratings have eroded. As the anniversary of the presidential election approaches, Michelle Obama is viewed more favorably than her husband. "She has conducted herself as an educated, sensitive, down-to-earth woman -- not a black woman, a woman -- like when she does the gardening [to encourage healthful eating] and taking care of the...

Forgive me in advance for fawning, but Michelle Obama is the coolest first lady ever. She clinched it for me this week by jumping double Dutch on the South Lawn as part of a “healthy kids fair.” The scene underscored my impression of the first lady as utterly unencumbered by convention. She seems to feel free — free enough to loosen up and laugh a little, free enough to let her inner child peek through the veil of parenthood, free enough to be herself. I couldn’t imagine recent first ladies jumping a puddle on the sidewalk, let alone two ropes...

First lady dishes on Leno about her husband's most annoying habits First Lady Michelle Obama dished on Jay Leno's NBC show Friday about her husband's most annoying habits, sarcastically quipping hubby Barack is "perfect" before she spilled the beans about how he angers her the most. Leno asked Michelle on-air Friday what irritated her the most about her presidential partner, igniting Michelle's dry sense of humor -- she deadpanned that he was "perfect," then revealed it's his top-notch tennis game that drives her crazy. "He beats me quite often," Obama answered. "It gets to be pretty annoying." Michelle continued to...

The First Lady cited a new study from the Department of Health and Human Services -- which just happened to come out today -- citing breast cancer patients with insurance who had to pay an average of $6,200 in out-of-pocket costs each year. "This is with insurance," Mrs. Obama said. "These are the people who are blessed." The situation is, of course, far worse for those without insurance, Mrs. Obama said. But the insurance companies make life miserable even for those with coverage. "And then there are those annual lifetime caps that insurance companies set," Mrs. Obama said, with "one...

First, the buff first arms. Then the First Lady's White House playground. Then the First Lady's White House victory garden. Then the First Lady's patronage of farmer's markets for things that grow in the filthy ground or hang on trees where birds perch and do things. It's a given that too many Americans are obese. They don't exercise enough. The good news is their flabby thighs are hidden by their drooping stomachs. Now, today First Lady Michelle Obama had a Healthy Kids Fair on the sunny White House South Lawn. Will this healthy stuff ever stop with these people? Yes,...

Mark Twain wrote, “Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” Michelle obviously has never read Twain or else she figures Affirmative Action is a free-pass on international journalism as well. At first glance, I thought the article was a hoax, but US News & World Report, doesn’t have the personality or wit to do satire. The article was real, Michelle was making an appeal for teachers and trying to explain the importance of quality instruction in the classroom. Fair enough, this is simple, how could anyone screw this...

Michelle Obama spoke of dancing and volunteering at the Freedom Tower todayMichelle Obama confirmed Thursday what many in Miami already knew. The Chicago two-step has nothing on the Miami salsa. First Lady Obama, who spoke today at the Florida Campus Compact Awards Gala held in the Freedom Tower, revealed to the world that she might be in the market for a new dance partner not named Barack. "I want to thank someone I got to party with on Tuesday," said Obama as she gave a shout out to Miami-Dade president Eduardo Padron. "I think you exaggerate when you said we...

Michelle Obama has garnered heaps of media coverage for her fashion sense, her smile, her charm, her buff arms. And now, just in time for the Christmas shopping rush, the magic that is Michelle is being captured in 6-inch-high likenesses made from phthalate-free PVC.