By Erin Brown
The Culture and Media Institute
March 31, 2009

Oh my gosh, it’s like, totally, Michelle Obama! Oh my gosh, like, she’s coming here!
CBS, NBC, ABC and CNN all did glowing segments about Michelle Obama bringing fashion and fame to Europe on her first trip as First Lady.

“To be honest, most Europeans were going to like whoever replaced President Bush,” ‘CBS Early Show’ correspondent Elizabeth Palmer gushed. “But there's no doubt Michelle and her husband have an extra je ne sais quoi… And this sophisticated lady hand in hand with power looks poised to do wonders for America's image abroad.”

Lines like these were all over the March 31st morning broadcasts as all three network morning shows hosted the European press that was practically drooling over Michelle Obama’s trip to Europe. They compared her to Jacquelyn Kennedy and raved about her sense of fashion.

“Her every move will be watched and analyzed, and inevitably, compared to the day Jackie O met the Queen when JFK was President,” NBC's Dawna Friesen said on the ‘Today’ Show, “though Harvard-educated Michelle Obama has substance, not just style, and that's what sets her apart.” In the same segment, British journalist Helen Kirwan-Taylor opined that Michelle, “is the idea of accomplishment, which is what I'm hoping is, is the direction we're going, and where, where girls will want to be accomplished and beautiful.”

And not to be outdone, ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ co-host Diane Sawyer cooed, “…The European newspapers are full of headlines and excitement about meeting Mrs. Obama.” Co-host Robin Roberts chimed in saying, “Our new ABC news poll shows Michelle Obama's approval rating has now reached a new high, 76%.” But it was ABC reporters Ann Compton and Yunji de Nies that had the real “story.”

“She simply has to be perfect,” Compton said. “She has to be interested in what her hosts show us. She has to be, uh, very supportive of her husband's positions and she has to look fabulous.” Nies followed up with comparisons to the other first ladies including Jackie Kennedy. “Jackie Kennedy got pretty close to perfect in Paris where her French language skills stole the show… Nancy Reagan knew how to wow them with her style. Hillary Clinton showed off her softer side… And they will be watching it all. Will Mrs. Obama wear any European designers? How will she interact with the queen? And, Robin and Diane, they will even be sizing up her table manners.”

But the networks were not alone. CNN’s ‘Anderson Cooper 360’ March 30 evening show similarly noticed Europe's obsession with Michelle Obama. CNN’s Erica Hill’s report included an interview with First Lady Historian Carl Sferrazza Anthony who said that, “If anything, the two of them [Barack and Michelle] will only end up bolstering each other, sort of like, you know, when you have Hollywood actors marrying each other. You know, it will really be a popular team. But I don't think that her popularity, as great as it is, um, is going to eclipse his.” Hill added that the Kennedy comparison “can’t be avoided ...  Jacqueline Kennedy's visit as first lady in 1961 charmed the continent and Americans alike, giving her a boost in popularity back home. While Mrs. Obama may not need much of a boost state side, any help for the U.S. Overseas will be welcomed. You can bet, the world is watching,” Hill said.

But the MRC's Kyle Drennen noted that CBS’s Julie Chen’s enthralling interview with British writer Angela Buttolph took the cake. “And in the final seconds, what about her personality, or do the Brits just want to see what she's wearing?” Chen probed. “Don't they love something about her as a mom? A wife? An ivy league-educated woman?” Buttolph replied: “I mean, she's the full package, isn't she? And that makes it even more appealing when she's wearing an amazing outfit, because you think it's not just the surface, they kind of, you know, absolutely can tell that she's incredibly cultured, intelligent, powerful woman as well. And to also be able to dress yourself in an incredibly stylish way is just wonderful.”

The Michelle worship is not new. CMI noted in February that a routine political appearance by the first lady at the Department of Hosing and Urban development was described as a “pep rally” and a “rock show.” On March 18, a New York Magazine article practically worshipped the first couple saying that, “…only now are we discovering what a functioning marriage between equals actually looks like.”

Please. They’re human.