Radar Asks, "What's So Scary About Michelle Obama?" On September Cover

Add Radar to the growing list of magazines featuring the Obamas on their September covers. The September issue of the magazine, which hits newsstands next Tuesday, features Michelle Obama on its cover (asking "What's So Scary About Michelle Obama?") and offers what it calls "an insider's guide to America's next First Lady."

The meticulously footnoted insider's guide, a semi-controversial FAQ penned by Ana Marie Cox, asks questions like, "Why does she hate whitey?" ("there is no public evidence of her ever using the word whitey"), "When was the precise moment she became proud of America?" ("Michelle Obama's pride in America is long-standing, diffuse, and organic"), and "Why is she so angry?" ("She's not angry; she is passionate").

There are more standard questions as well, ranging from her childhood to her salary to her domestic skills, but the highlight of the 10-page spread is a sidebar by Stephen Sherrill that compares Michelle Obama to Hillary Clinton on topics like "Style Icon" (Jackie Onassis for Michelle, Carol Burnett for Hillary), "Battle Experience" (Michelle dodged vicious sniping from talking heads, while Hillary dodged imaginary sniping in Bosnia), and "Retro Accessory" (fake pearls for Michelle, Bill Clinton for Hillary).

The full cover of Radar's September issue is included below. For an excerpt of the article, visit Radar's website, and for the full article (including the Hillary Clinton side-by-side comparison) pick up the issue on newsstands starting August 19.

Previously:
Tyra As Michelle: Harper's Bazaar Photo Shoot Set In The Obama White House
Obama Family Continues Tour Of American Magazine Covers

Comments

[4today]

why are you talking about her looks at all!!

The problem I have with Michelle is her religion. She refused to denounce Rev. Wright - and she should have. She refused to denounce what he said, and when interviewed on the topic, she got the conversation off topic - talking about her children. I have a problem with this.

I don't care how pretty she is, or what designer she is wearing. But I do care about her mis-speaks, because that is where her true feelings hide. And not once have I felt comfortable with her. Even when they interviewed her family - it came off fake!! She will be a big part of his presidency - and she is not selling well. Each time they lift that rock and try to let her out - they have to shove her right back in.

She's not passionate - she's angry!! I don't care how much the media trys to tell me otherwise.

[northcan]

shows you, how lack of experience you have of their culture, and sorry, but your the ignorant one. I love listening to her, she is precise, honest, assertive and sincere. When you really care about someone's religion as a voter, instead of the character or personality or integrity, you are the one that will always lose. You just don't see how you come across, but I will not judge you.

[newpov]

Is there but only appropriate reaction to the injustice we see all around us?

I say this - anger and passion are entirely appropriate reactions or emotions in the current situation.

These twin emotions galvanize us to action for the better.

Two-thirds of American corporations pay NO taxes at all.

I am angered by this, and passionate about this issue.

Why aren't you?

Think about it.

[KiwisCanFly]

I would not have renounced Rev Wright becos of the snippets that were looped over and over on MSM, either.
I actually read the sermons in full.
My opinion is that Rev. Wright was much maligned.
4today, if u actually read the full sermons and still stand by yr opinion then that is yr prerogative. However, if u did not read them and yr opinion is based on a biased account then u are ill informed to make any such judgment!

Michelle Obama deserves more than ignorant bias

[AbbieHoffman2]

What a beautiful and intelligent woman.

[Kaos911]

Black men seem to be the envy of white women and black women engender a similar visceral reaction in white men. How many readers here (who aren't of color) have an intimate relationship with an African American woman? Friends? I work with African Americans but I've never had a true friendship with any of them. I guess it's easier to talk bad about someone we don't know. The history of the culture is one of strength and longevity; if the Black race survived the inhumanity of slavery, Michelle can handle verbal mud pies. Maybe that's why we all perceive them as being (or possibly) being "angry". They may have have a slavery flashback any moment! It's the 21st century. Let's move on.

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

I'm white and I talk to my A.A. female friend everyday. We're sorting out each others love lives. My S.O. is black...her's is white. Also, the girl that I pray will marry my son, (if he gets off his butt and asks her) is black. She and I are very, very close and she calls me Mom. And she is the daughter I've never gotten to have. Color doesn't have to be an issue if people don't make it one.

[amhcw]

Well, my emotions about Michelle are about the same as they have been for EVERY presidential wife in my lifetime: they aren't like me; in other words I would not have voted for those women even if I did vote for their husbands. They have always seemed insipid to me--even Hillary as a wife. Well, now we have another accomplished woman (like Hillary), and I am having trouble deciding that I like her, too, probably especially because she is as outspoken as I am! I plan to vote for her husband, not her--even though I suspect I might were she running for the Congress or something.

We Americans need to search more deeply than "racism" when we are uneasy about someone.

[JudyMillerDubyaAgent]

"We Americans need to search more deeply than "racism" when we are uneasy about someone."

Amhew,
You make an excellent point.

[Puller58]

The whole issue of Michelle Obama merely continues the merry way potential First Ladies get hammered during the campaign. You can go back through the last 40 years and glean various issues dealing with candidate's wives. In Michelle's case, she is suffering from what brothers have described to me as "Black Woman's Attitude". Not that she actually has it, but has it attributed to her. I personally see her as inconsequential in this campaign. Obama will suffer from HRC supporters who will never accept him. He will suffer losses as Nader paints him as a corporate sell out, and the Green Party will drain votes via Cynthia McKInney. While Bob Barr is purportedly the Libertarian candidate, I believe he is a GOP assassin who will ignore McCain and rain fire on Obama. Michelle is the least of Obama's worries.

[Trinidad707]

Her husband you may agree after reading this from the christian science monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0519/p09s02-coop.html

[SENCvoter]

This is old news. Move on.

[mjc]

Talk about not having anything to do with the topic of the blog.........

[mypov123]

When are you people ever going to give Obama the benefit of the doubt and believe him when he says that he's a CHRISTIAN! The man can't help what religion his father was born into, and it doesn't matter what Bin Laden says or anyone else who claims that because his father was Muslim that he's forever indebted to the Muslim faith. Knowing that people like you are this country, it's no wonder that Bush served not one, but two terms as President.

[4today]

It doesn't belong in my government - and Michelle is very religiuos, Plus - I think the are pro-life, Listen to the mis-speaks.

[genseric13]

Since they remade her into a Stepford Wife, she is just fine and dandy.

[Clevelanded]

lol, I'm an Obamanaut for the most part, but that is funny.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

I dont think the Stepford Wife training will ever take on this woman. She is too bright, too accomplished and too feisty to ever submit to that!

[mypov123]

Right, because simple people like you can't handle a complex, intelligent human being.

[bb922335]

Fugly with a capital F.

[Clevelanded]

Fignorantly stated.

[bb922335]

Just preaching the truth. That woman is uglier than a bag of hammers.

[KayDGee]

Let's see... RADAR's cover stories are the 50 WORST colleges, Lindsay Lohan's sexual revolution, dinner with (gulp) OJ Simpson, stoned students and hipster hookers. And they ask what's scary about Michelle Obama?? They apparently can't handle, um, depth and intelligence. She's way out of their league.

[genseric13]

Kay, have you read her college thesis, just typical tripe about race, etc. Nothing very deep there.

[outsidein]

I see someone's been learning their Republican talking points! btw, reading Obama Nation doesn't count as reading her thesis...keep up the good work, big brother would be proud.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

I bet you are one of those white people who just cant figure out why black people are upset a lot. Why not take a field trip one afternoon to the nearest predominately black neighborhood and set up a card table and a sign on a street corner and ask for a little illumination on the subject?

[KayDGee]

Gen - College thesis!? She received a Juris Doctor from HARVARD. There is no affirmative action going on there. You make the grade or you're out. In fact, I would guess that they were probably harder on her. I think a more relevant reading might be legal briefs that she has filed on behalf of her clients throughout her adult life. You can get full texts of speeches on the internet. As to her husband, the actual, um, candidate, I recommend the "Call to Renewal Kenote Address" from 2006. Powerful, insightful stuff. I don't believe opposites attract. I believe she is incuded in what he represents.

[mypov123]

Typical tripe from "typical" Black people, right?

[orangepetal]

How about her revolutionary commie side we saw throughout the primary, I did not like it the and I don't like it now.

[Clevelanded]

Great Comment!

Oh wait, it wasn't.

[alguien]

come back again and write after you've learned what a commie is.

[NTO08]

It's not the commie element I care about but the general desire to remain distant from her Princeton fellow classmates, which has been well documented by countless interviews with many students who crossed paths with her. Many African American students have been perfectly capable and willing to interact with students of other races at college, without problem and without any misgivings, as it should be, and as it should be among white students to those students of other races...evidently this was not the case for Michelle...THAT is what matters here.

Her inability to see that not all students share her views about fitting in to a college and to not distancing oneself from other students because of some misperceived image of "other" shows she has some issues to work through, and frankly we don't have time for it to happen as First Lady...

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

God, I would LOVE IT if she were a Commie! And she could put on her black beret, A-K and combat boots and walk all over me any day of the week!

[BeltwayBette]

I am a military veteran who served our nation twice. My father is a war hero as is my brother.

There is not much revolutionary about a scholar who does a good job researching her thesis ( I worked like a fiend for mine, "emptying of the world's oceans" and I only fished once in my life.). I see no "communist side" to her at all. My advice to Obama slammers who offer no real facts to support their foolish assumtions?. Read more, learn more, doublecheck facts.

This election is turning into "McCain's Lies for Dummies."

[kitrat33]

Because she is a freakin communist!!! Go be first lady of Cuba.

[Clevelanded]

Hey, do you actually know what communism is?

[researcher]

no but i bet he or she looks for one under their bed every night

while america borrows billions from communist china to keep our capitalism afloat

this is how well brainwashing works

with communism man exploits man with capitalism it is the other way around

[outsidein]

in the words of Romney...who let the dogs out? these baseless attacks are ridiculous.

[THEhillbilly]

Scary? I don't think so, but of course Obama thralls need all the hyperbole they can generate.

Some people, i.e., those who aren't in some kind of stupor, might be uncomfortable about this:

"You might have to give up a piece of your pie so someone else can have more." -- Michelle
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." -- Karl Marx

Those two quotes say the same thing.

By the way, the backpedalling Obama's controllers prepared for her to deliver after she admitted that she wasn't accustomed to respecting America was lame and 100% unconvincing.

[LSUTIGERS]

"Fundamentally, it is not Bible-based, Christ-honoring theology from this critical viewpoint. [30] Anthony Bradley of the Christian Post interprets that the language of "economic parity" and references to "mal-distribution" as nothing more than channeling the views of Karl Marx.

He believes James Cone and Cornel West have worked to incorporate Marxist thought into the black church, forming an ethical framework predicated on a system of oppressor class versus a victim much like Marxism"

Above is regarding the Black Liberation Theology in which the Obama church subscribes to. Strange that the word Marx would come up in topic.

[Clevelanded]

BTW, our government, including the public education system and military are publicly supported in socialistic fashion.

[bb922335]

fugly...bottom line.

[UWorlds1]

We're not voting on fuglys....You must be a DA**V.

[TrueThis]

Your momma.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

heh,heh!

[kas70]

I like the cover and the title gets your attention. I will be picking this issue up.

Go Michelle! MOST of your fellow Americans are proud to have you represent us all.

[112985]

MOSLY BLACK AMERICANS IS PROUD!!! AND SHE IS PROUD TO REPRESENT BLACKS!!

[LarBear]

As Abraham Lincoln said: Well, I don't mind my face; I'm behind it. It's the people in front that get jarred. and, Every man over forty is responsible for his face.

The faces of most American women over thirty are relief maps of petulant and bewildered unhappiness. F. Scott Fitzgerald

Michelles face is subjective to the viewers beliefs...

[Clevelanded]

Projecting... Interesting. I think that is true to an extent. People think black people should be angry all the time so they look for and create images of angry black men and women. If you don't fit that mold then you are not black enough or talking white or some other BS. Some people look for excuses to be bigots. Others need none.