Michelle Obama: Cover Girl, Cover Girl, Cover Girl

John McCain might have a point when he calls Barack Obama a "celebrity candidate." After all, the Illinois Senator is married to one of America's most popular cover girls.

You better be ready for a lot of her in coming days.

Potential first lady Michelle Obama will dominate the pages of three major magazines this month. She'll appear by herself on the cover of Ebony and with her husband, Barack, on the cover of Ladies' Home Journal. And, as the Ticket previously reported, in the pages of Harper's Bazaar, she'll be played by supermodel Tyra Banks.

Yes, it's true. Earlier rumors that Banks dressed up like Michelle Obama and cavorted around a faux White House with a Barack Obama look-alike for the September issue of the magazine have been confirmed. Here's a link to a video documenting the baffling photo shoot.

No word yet on what the Obamas think about all this. But they're going on vacation in the face of the developing "Obama fatigue" and probably don't care.

Meanwhile, here's an excerpt from their interview in Ladies' Home Journal, which hits newsstands August 17. In it, the pair open up about how they deal with problems in their marriage, the role women will play in this election, and whether or not Michelle would play a role in an Obama White House.

On Michelle becoming a part of his administration:

Barack Obama: “Michelle is one of the smartest people I know. She is my chief counsel and advisor. I would never make big decisions without asking her opinion. Certainly about my career and my life.

"My sense is — and I’ll let her speak for herself here — that she’d probably be more interested in having a set of projects that were driven by her interests and her desires, as opposed to me handing her some sort of portfolio and saying, ‘Here, do this.’”

Michelle Obama: “There are a ton of issues that I care deeply about. But the notion of sitting around the table with a set of policy advisors — no offense — makes me yawn [laughter].

"I like creating stuff. I’d love to be working with young people. I’d love to be having more conversations with military spouses. I’ve learned not to let other people push you into something that fundamentally isn’t you.”

On marital problems:

MO: “There were a lot of things time-wise that he couldn’t provide because he was not there. So, how do I stop being ...

... mad at him and start problem solving, and cobble together the resources?

"I also had to admit that I needed space and I needed time. And the more time that I could get to myself, the less stress I felt. So it was a growth process for me individually and for us as a couple. He had to grow, too.”

On being a father:

BO: “As somebody who didn’t grow up with a father in the home, I like having men come up to me saying, ‘You know, I’m really glad you’re a good father.’ I like that maybe some little boy somewhere who doesn’t have a dad in his house sees Michelle and the girls and me out somewhere and is going to carry that image in his head with him somewhere down the road.”

On the presidency:

BO: “If you were not occasionally jolted awake at three in the morning thinking about ... the magnitude of the work that has to be done, then you probably shouldn’t be president. It’s a big job. The thing that keeps me awake at night is not the prospect of losing. It’s the prospect of winning and governing.”

On women’s roles in this election:

BO: “In this election the issues of the economy are ones that women are going to particularly feel and be concerned about. But I also think the fact that Senator [Hillary] Clinton ran such an outstanding campaign and inspired so many women to think about that glass ceiling — not just in politics but in all walks of life — makes the women’s vote particularly important this year.”

On raising a family:

MO: “It’s a unit that raises a child. As far as I’m concerned, in this couple, Barack is the person who has the skill, the inclination, the desire, the ability to be in politics. I have no desire.

"So that’s a good thing, in my view, since someone has to be focusing on the kids — and that’s me. But it could easily be him. There’s no reason why the nurturing has to come from Mom — it just has to be there.”

His grandmother’s thoughts:

BO: “My grandmother was not wild about me going into politics. She liked the idea of me being a judge. She thought that was a more sensible pursuit, and not as nasty.”

What to look for in a leader:

MO: “It touches me when our girls touch him. Whether it’s with a story or a word. You can see it in his face. That’s the leader I want: somebody who is so moved by his own children that he’ll go out there and fight for everyone else’s.”

On finding his identity:

BO: “I had to shape my identity, in some ways, on my own. It wasn’t until I came to Chicago and started immersing myself in the work of rebuilding communities that I saw how my own story of an absent father or my teenage rebellion started to fit in with the stories of African-Americans I was meeting all across the South Side of Chicago.”

On the government:

BO: “The government can’t solve every problem, but an enlightened government can make sure that people can work hard for their dreams and achieve them. Government can knock down barriers so that families are in a stronger position. And that’s what we’re going to be fighting for in this election.”

-- Kate Linthicum

 

Photo credits: Top, Ebony magazine. Inset, George Lange for Ladies’ Home Journal.

Comments

[Demi]

What a wonderful, dignified picture and future first lady. This is a great contrast to Cindy McCain whose husband offered her up to be the Buffalo Chip girls at the Biker Rally. How disgusting can he get? We probably will see more of the "straight talk" McCain with no class.

[TakeFive]

Not surprised at all the glamour shots. The campaign knows she's a liability, and short of sending her to charm school boot camp, they need to buff her image fast. We’ll see if they can sell it to the American public.

Has she done Oprah yet?

[old mo]

MO: “It touches me when our girls touch him. Whether it’s with a story or a word. You can see it in his face. That’s the leader I want: somebody who is so moved by his own children that he’ll go out there and fight for everyone else’s.”
That he will go out there and perform an abortion on everyone else's.

[dave]

cult of personality is profoundly unamerican, and like any idolatry, unworthy of a free human being.
with every idol or celebrity created in america, america is more alienated from its foundations, and the people lose more and more of their freedom, their prosperity and peace, until they find themselves empty-handed and enslaved, in a bloody fool's paradise.

[R.Eason]

WOW!! Michell looks great! I can hardly wait for our First Lady to take charge of her role in the White House.

[freedomofchoice]

Wow, old mo, thanks for letting me know that Obama also has medical skills. He IS amazingly talented. With this broad scope of skills, he definitely outshines the dull-witted, err... candidate? of the GOP.

[BOO-HOO]

MICHELLE OBAMA IS NOW A COVER GIRL...I DON'T THINK SO. WHY NOT SAY THAT HILARY IS A COVER GIRL TOO. BOTH OF THESE WOMAN ARE SOMEWHAT OVERWEIGHT AND NOT THAT GOOD LOOKING.

COME ON FOLKS, GET REAL. IF HER HUSBAND WAS NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT YOU WOULDN'T GIVE MS. OBAMA A SECOND LOOK.

[teaganc]

"That he will go out there and perform an abortion on everyone else's. "

Yes, because Obama is campaigning on a, "I'm an MD and will enact forced abortions personally" platform . It's comments like this that make the Christian Right look like idiots instead of people of faith.

[dave]

the candidate for president who practiced as an ob/gyn doctor for decades, delivering many babies, is RON PAUL. he personally is strictly against abortion, but thinks it's not for the federal government to decide this, but for state legislation. RON PAUL is for small government accountable to the people, and for the consistent application of the constitution to all political decision making.

[Jerry]

What is it with Obama he does not want to give Americans back any of the tax money we pay which would drop prices by at least 10 cents per gallon at the pump.

He does not want to drill in any of the elitist offshore territories in the united states , yeah its fine if we drill in the gulf of mexico so cares about their beaches.

He says if he is elected president he will direct the full effort of the United States and Oil Companies to be completely independent of foreign oil in 10 years, first of all what dream world is the moron living in and second why is it alway 2 years after they get out of a second term that stuff will happen. Maybe that should tell us something about them stuff will only happen if they are not in office.

Michelle Obama is not a cover girl maybe Halle Berry is a cover girl but Obama's wife is definately not that pretty.

[Mike Robinson]

Old Mo you are disgusting. What a bent morality you exhibit. And you probably parade around as a Christian. While the Bible is full of ridiculous interpretations of Jesus's messages, corrupted when it was compiled by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 337BC, it also has some profoundly sensible advice. And judge not others, lest you be judged yourself is one of those tidbits. Oh yes, do unto others as you would have done unto yourself.... Your paradigm is past, Roll over and die or have an epiphany and let some love, acceptance and celebration of diversity into your heart.

And Michelle and Barack will be a breath of fresh air into the White House. America needs a profound change. It starts with Old Mo....

[bob]

The jealousy that conservatives feel towards the lovely Obama family is really getting pathetic.

Please Republicans, remember this old saw about social graces.

"You can keep your mouth shut and risk that someone might think you are an idiot.

Or you can open it and prove that you are."

[Erik]

That's so funny.

[FlaLady]

Another magazine to cancel. If this man doesn't get elected, it certainly won't be because the media wasn't forcing him down our throats. Next he'll be cutting a commercial for Obama Lite--less filling, talks great.

[malach hamovess]

she's young; she's articulate; she has a good up-from-poverty story; she's a "model mom"; she's every aspirational woman's role model.

And, she makes herself available for interviews, conducts them very well, and gets a lot of good press

Since the primaries Obama has made sizable inroads among those women who voted for Hillary. If his wife can do it for him, then good for her. The other guy's wife is such a pillpopping stiff that she'll never handle a real interview properly.

[test]

LOOKS SO UGLY,,,NOT FIT FOR ANYTHING

[Jon]

Yes, TakeFive, she is a real liability. No one who is addicted to drugs, stole from a charity for the poor despite being filthy rich, or had an affair with a man after his wife got disabled would be suitable in our White House.

Oh, wait, I thought we were talking about McCain's wife.

[old mo]

Mike Robinson....Who appointed you God.
And judge not others, lest you be judged yourself is one of those tidbits.

[anonymous]

MIchelle is lovely and articulate. They both answer these simple questions with refreshing honesty. Of course the media loves them.

[NinaK]

LOOKS SO UGLY,,,NOT FIT FOR ANYTHING

Posted by: test
------------------
Obviously in your world, jealousy and envy reign. How sad. I bet Michelle is a lot prettier and definitely a lot classier than you, Ms Jealousy and Ms Envy. I bet down deep you wish YOU looked half as great and half as beautiful and half as classy!! You post speaks loudy about YOU, your soul. your heart and your person and it does not look pretty!

[Tim McGarry]

The choice I have to make is between the presidential candidates, not their spouses. John McCain strikes me as an honorable man, but my vote will be for Barack Obama, because his views are closer to mine with respect to the direction the country needs to take. There is nothing about either candidate's wife that has any significant effect on how I view the candidate himself and the type of President he is likely to be. My impression of Michelle Obama is certainly positive but I have to say that fellow Democrats who find it necessary to disparage Cindy McCain are making a mistake and are not helping the cause of Sen. Obama and his wife at all.

[NinaK]

Michelle is not overweight, she appears to be average for her heighth. I am so happy to see Michelle wearing dresses and being totally feminine! She is one classy lady!

Poor Hilliary, all she wears is those pantsuits. Guess she feels they "hide" her huge bottom half. She would actually reduce some of that by wearing an A-line ankle-lentgh skirt. The skirt being narrower around her waist and tummy and flaring out to the bottom. Those pantsuits do not hide her bottom heaviness. I have often heard that if a young man wants to know what his future wife might look like when older, all they need to do is meet his brides mom. If she is overweight, most likely the daughter will be also. Don't think it is always true, tho.

At any rate, Michelle is like a breath of fresh air with her femininity. She wears her clothes well and always looks fresh. McChille is also a very, very smart woman, she will be an outstanding First Lady!

As for Cindi, her hairstyles are from the 60s and 70s. Those Beehives!! Remember those?? The clothes she wears are also styled from those decades. What bothers me about Cindi is that she seems to have NO self confidence, she acts like she is subservient to her husband, ALWAYS walking behind him, following him , NEVER walking WITH him. And McCain treats like she IS subservient to him. When do they ever hold hands? When do they ever show affection toward each other? Poor Cindi, she stands behind him and off to the side looking like a robot seeminly afraid to make the wrong move. Personally, I do not think there is that much love between the two. For him to offer up to compete in the Buffalo Chip Beauty Contest was downright demeaning and I am sure Cindi was greatly humiliated. She smiled, for once, to hide her tears, I am sure. Can you imagine being humiliated in front of the entire world?? Very sad. On top of that the women in this contest wear ultra bikinis and simulate sex acts! McCain has NO class and NO respect for Cindi!! He obviously has NO respect for her and women in general! Women, do you really want this outdated "wrinkled white-haired dude" as your president?? This old buzzard who is also the worst of worst of male chauvinist pigs??

[An]

Michelle Obama is not an attractive woman. The ugliness she carries inside shows through to her outside. You cannot make her over by changing her hair and clothes and telling her what to say. She is what she is, a woman angry at america and letting it be known. She is not articulate with her fist bump hand shake and not wearing panty hose anywhere. I dont see Michelle as a good first lady for america and I hope she never makes it to the white house.

[what??]

I find it odd the redneck conservatives are spewing childish insults toward a woman whose look will outlast there lack of Melanin skintone as she ages.Michelle is like a housewife,you jealous ignorant superiority complex suffering conservative bums with ancient strategies the world is tired of will never age or have the skintone and beauty Michelle has.Its always the conservatives running there fat mouths.No one cares about you miserable lames,your not popular,your hated across the world.SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND SIT THE H*LL DOWN.No one gives a damn about you all anymore but your own kind.Stop talking as if anyone is seeing any logic in your illogical approaches and insults.PLEASE SHUT YOUR FAT LIPS FOR ONCE,THE WORLD HATES YOUR KIND,YOUR LONELY AND MISERABLE.

[An]

One other thing, Michell Obama is not pretty. She looks completely ordinary. Don't tire us out with her. Too much of anything can become boring.