US first lady to mark 50th birthday
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Nearing a milestone birthday, Michelle Obama exuberantly describes herself as “50 and fabulous.” She’s celebrating already and a big birthday bash is in the works.
The United States’ first lady hits the half-century mark on Friday and, by her own account, she feels more relaxed now that President Barack Obama’s days as a candidate are over.
“That layer is gone now. It gives me a little more room to breathe,” she told an interviewer.
Nearly five years after assuming the first lady’s role following a bruising campaign, Michelle Obama is showing increased comfort in what amounts to a volunteer position with a host of responsibilities and outsized expectations. Not to mention a sometimes-unforgiving spotlight.
“I have never felt more confident in myself, more clear on who I am as a woman,” she told Parade magazine when asked about the birthday. She started celebrations last week by spending extra time with girlfriends in Hawaii after her family’s holiday vacation there. It was an early birthday present from the president. On Saturday, she’ll be toasted at a White House party where guests have been advised to come ready to dance, and to eat before they come.
No next election
Second presidential terms can be freeing for first ladies, just as they are for presidents, because there is no next election to fret over.
Like all first ladies, Michelle Obama’s every move and fashion choices have been closely watched — and mercilessly critiqued. She gets wide credit for carefully shielding daughters Malia and Sasha, now 15 and 12, from the spotlight and for displaying a strong sense of style. But there have been missteps, too, like wearing US$500 sneakers to a food bank.
Still, the more of the public views Michelle Obama favorably, 59 percent, than her husband, 46 percent, in an Associated Press-GfK poll last month.
One cause that has gained prominence is her campaign to reduce childhood obesity rates. She hopes that work will help define her legacy.
During her husband’s first presidential campaign, Michelle Obama was widely criticized for saying she was proud of her country for the first time in her adult life.
After he was elected, she got back on the public’s good side after declaring that her daughters were her top priority and she would be “mom in chief.” Michelle Obama planted a vegetable garden on the South Lawn and used its bounty to begin a national debate about childhood obesity, and the importance of eating right and exercise.
Rippled far
The message has rippled far. Retailers and food makers are reformulating processed foods to cut down on sugar, salt and fat, some chain restaurants are making similar changes and school lunches are being made healthier.
Michelle Obama once said she’s willing “to make a complete fool out of myself to get our kids moving” and has kept her word by doing jumping jacks, kicking soccer balls and dancing the “Dougie” with groups of them to make the point that exercise can be fun.
The first lady and Vice President Joe Biden’s wife, Jill, a military mom, also lead a nationwide effort to rally the public around military families.
Michelle Obama rarely makes an overt push for her husband’s policies. But the Harvard-trained lawyer will begin using her personal story of overcoming obstacles to getting an education to help him meet a previously announced goal of having the US achieve the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.
Robert Watson, who studies first ladies at Florida’s Lynn University, said Michelle Obama probably wants to do more but is reluctant to step out too far because of public distaste for active, assertive first ladies.
“I can’t help but think that, before the Obamas leave office, Michelle will take the hand-off from her husband and, head down, go right up the middle for a touchdown,” he said.
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