Michelle's Big Mistake: The Doozie That Derailed Her Near-Perfect First 100 Days

President Obama isn't the only O on the line after the first 100 days in office. It's also time to review the performance of the First Lady — did she make the grade in the first few months in her new role? There were some highs — her stunning bare-armed appearance and warm hugs at her husband's speech to the joint session of Congress — and some lows — did she REALLY get touchy-feely with the Queen? So just how did Michelle average out? Let's examine her record.

INAUGURATION DAY: OVERALL A

No Question: Michelle gave an A+ performance along with her husband, walking down Pennsylvania Ave. before his swearing in. Her marks - A for the warm, genuine smiles and hand-waving, A for the jade Jimmy Choo shoes with a walking heel height, A for choosing a talented but underrated American designer, Isabel Toledo, to design her day outfit. But B for the design itself. The chartreuse color stood out boldly however the heavy fabric did make Michelle resemble a walking couch.

As for her daughters: A++ for the bright, adorable J. Crew outfits which had moms and girls swooning all over the country. Not too stuffy or preppy, which would have shouted "elitist" like the Bushies.

INAUGURAL NIGHT: OVERALL B++

Presidential PDA: who ever would have expected it? But there, you had it. The First lady and her hubby of 16 years, acting like they were on a first date. A+ to Michelle for being such a close, loving marital partner that Barack couldn't keep his hands and lips off her through eight inaugural balls and in front of millions of viewers. A+ to the couple for setting a new high standard for Presidential marriages and inspiring couples across the land.

However, a big B for the wedding cake ballgown which only emphasized Michelle's pear shape and made her look this time, like a walking confection.

FIRST DAYS IN THE WHITE HOUSE: A+

There wasn't one misstep to be even the tiniest bit critical about. Michelle's first order of business — two days after the inauguration, Mrs. O threw her premiere First Lady bash, making it a showcase for inclusiveness. She invited the entire White House staff — all 90 of them, from cleaning staff to top aides — to an East Room get together. A++

On the personal front, more As. A for moving her mom into the White House to be the first grandma-in-chief, bringing stability and continuity into her daughters' lives as well as publicly standing up for the importance of having a close knit family.

A for announcing that "Just Like Us" she'd be using affordable Pottery Barn in her White House renovations — no trolling for donations to buy thousands of dollars worth of new fancy china per Nancy Reagan — and A for letting it be known that in these trying times she'd be using the Obamas' own money to redecorate, not dipping into public funds.

HUGGER IN CHIEF: A+

Nothing says I'm a First Lady who cares about the American people more than a big, warm hug. Michelle delivered them to military families at Fort Bragg, Ty'Sheoma Bethea, the 14 year-old school girl from South Carolina who wrote to the president about the appalling disrepair of her school, a White House usher and many more.

MAKING MILITARY FAMILIES HER MISSION: A+

This move just demonstrates how A+ smart Michelle is. It's counterintuitive for a Democrat to take up what's supposedly a Republican cause AND it's such a wonderful and worthy thing to do. A+ for not just meeting with many military families but for publicizing how a military wife had to use food stamps to get by while her husband was on high-risk deployments. "That's not right or fair," Michelle pointed out. Amen!

BARING HER BEAUTIFUL ARMS: A

Michelle gets a gold star here for the multiple points she made with this repeated move; #1) She's inspired millions of women to get off their couches, into the gyms and to start their bicep curls. With 66% of American adults overweight, that's a good deed. #2) She's helped re-orient our beauty ideals — you don't have to be a stick thin, 20-something blonde to be considered the most trend-inspiring and attractive woman in the country. #3) With her choices of sophisticated, grownup woman clothes — sometimes inexpensive — from a variety of American designers, she's given a much needed lift to the beleaguered fashion industry.

WAITING TOO LONG TO WEAR AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN DESIGNER: C

She should have known that NOT wearing clothes by an African-American designer would be a sore point. She shouldn't have waited for over a month until the Feb. 25 issue of People to finally wear a beautiful pink sheath by African American Tracy Reese.

ORGANIC GARDENING: A

Simple, smart idea to make the points that Michelle's a gardener like average folks, and like many parents is worried about pesticides and toxins in her family's food. Really clever photo op.

HER EUROPEAN TOUR: B+

This should have been a no-brainer run of A++'s. Instead it was marred by a few unfortunate fashion choices — skirts that emphasized her wide, womanly hips too much, a head-scratching form-shortening bust belt and a too-casual funereal black outfit to meet the Queen. But the only D on the First Lady's 100 day report card — putting her arm around the Queen. It wasn't a booboo as in bad manners to touch the Queen. If anything, it was wonderful of her to be so enthusiastically American. The D was for distraction. Just by doing it, Michelle became a distraction in the press at a time when her husband and other leaders had way more important issues to focus on.

THE FIRST DOG: A

For not disappointing her girls a big A. During Bo's first photo op, the President looked like he'd rather be dealing with a nuclear standoff. Clearly it was mom who made that dog happen. On behalf of dog loving Americans — thanks Michelle!

GRADE MICHELLE YOURSELF: DID MICHELLE SCORE As IN HER FIRST 100 DAYS?

For more on Michelle Obama follow Bonnie Fuller on twitter.com/bonniefuller.

All photos AP except People cover

Follow Bonnie Fuller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bonniefuller

Comments

[JStandish]

A+ for Michele Obama; F- for Bonnie Fuller. If this is what passes for news these days, we, as a country are in serious trouble.

[jamiej369]

Much love and respect to Michelle. I don't care what she wears or what she looks like. I am inspired by her devotion to her husband and children. Most relationships would crumble after an election like 2008. Any Presidential election for that matter, Democrat, Republican, win or lose. Kudos to Michelle and all former first ladies.

[schatsie]

you gotta be kidding me...she hugged the queen and the MEDIA made an issue out of it.... The MEDIA MADE AN ISSUE OUT OF IT because the MEDIA IS ASLEEP at the wheel and is still grossly incompetent....

A+ for her all the way...and that Inauguration Dress looked just beautiful in the picture up above... ...It might have looked gorgeous if the bottom half had been chiffon with a hankerchief hem... But it was not. so there...

[Rasaria]

How many Tracy Reese sheaths did Laura Bush wear?

[jayjola]

And where were the articles about Laura Bush's "shape"? Or what clothes she should or shouldn't be wearing?

[jamiej369]

Amen.

[Firenze]

I give the premise for this post an A for Annoying. Grades? Really? And outfits got grades?

I feel badly for Michelle having to endure all of this dumbing down. She gave up her job as an executive and an attorney to be graded for her outfits. Awesome.

[mtoms81385]

We are so lucky to have a First Lady of the caliber of Michelle Obama. Maybe Bonnie Fuller has to be critical in order to sound objective. However, if you can name a First Lady who has made us just as proud in the eyes of the world as Michelle Obama, the only names that I can think of are Dolly Madison, Eleanor Roosevelt and Jackie Kennedy.

[Iccallie]

First Lady, MICHELLE OBAMA deserves an A+ for being ABOVE AVERAGE.

[BuckeyeLou]

I give Mrs. Obama an "A" for Awesome! She's beautiful, Inside&Out. What a great Role Model she has been for the nation.

[helpusa]

Michelle Obama is setting new precedence on how a First Lady should be judged. Until Jackie Kennedy, nobody paid attention to the unimportance of what a First Lady wore. Michelle is being one of us, those of us who can't afford Oscar De La Renta gowns, even though she probably can. I know of many lefties or progressives who have some money but don't need to have one of a kind outfits on to feel good about themselves. I would have to agree that a couple of her outfits just did not make her look her best but, stylishness is how you carry yourself and Mrs. Obama is doing a great job. I rate her at least an AAAAA++++++.

[jhamm1]

Granted, Michelle's wardrobe has sported its share of ups and moderate downs, but that oversized merengue which she donned during the inaugural ball clearly merits an F.

[jpaultel]

The Doozie That Derailed Her Near-Perfect First 100 Days? Ms. Fuller get a life! Here you go again talking about her clothes and gestures. Let's review this pathetic summary you purvey: "If anything, it was wonderful of her to be so enthusiastically American. The D was for distraction. Just by doing it, Michelle became a distraction in the press at a time when her husband and other leaders had way more important issues to focus on.
"By doing it" she responded to the Queen (her new BFF by the way, if you care to notice) placing her arm around the First Lady. And you were distracted no one else. When will you talk about her interaction with those school girls each of whom left school that day believing they could walk on water or even fly? That is more important than all the yapping. Please!!!

[green laughter]

Wow, what she wore? That's the main way to judge this woman? She's beautiful and fashionable...even a trendsetter. But that's an 'aside.
Let's look more closely at her character and actions. A+++

[Firenze]

Totally agreed.

[Adrian Cooper]

Bonnie Fuller, I believe that you are being a bit harsh on the First Lady about waiting a month to wear a African American design on the cover of People magazine. I don't understand why you are giving the First Lady the third degree on not wearing a dress designed by an African American. First Lady Michelle Obama, is doing a fantastic job! I believe that Mrs. Obama is showing the people of the United States and the world, that you can still get that designer look by being aware of the current world economic downturn. I am a African American who feels that the First Lady should be able to wear whatever she feels comfortable wearing, weather the designed by an African American or any other American. At the end of the day we are all Americans!

[GJKBEAR]

I can't believe with all the crud that is going on in America today that the author of this article had to grade Michelle Obama on what she wore to things! PLEASE!
Michelle Obama is a highly intelligent woman and she deserves to be graded on what she does not what she wears....

If McCain had won, would you be dragging Cindy through the mud for her fashion? If something had happened and Palin was now in the white house (shudder the thought) would you be grading the first Dude on his duds?

Get real. Women have come a long way and clothing ans accessories should not count into a grade.

[DragonFly]

You've included Michelle Obama's apparel in your assessment?
Wow, and I thought most women here had left that sort of thing for the Stepford wives to fuss over.

And the Queen touching/d­istraction thing?
Well, I think you've stretched your material a bit too thin over that manikin.

I think that if anything had cropped up from the 'queen contact' event, it was the beginning of a new and much needed direction in international protocol.

I give Michelle an A+ all around.

[silverball]

...are you grading on the curve???...i'd give her at least A+++....lol...she's excellent....lump in my throat and tears in my eyes when she was at the girls school...what she told them was so powerful....and AUTHENTIC....now that's what i call change.....