Michelle Obama and the Hug. No, the Other Hug.

Much was made recently of The Hug between First Lady Michelle Obama and the Queen of England. Far more noteworthy, however, was another hug. Or hugs, actually. It came on the same trip during Mrs. Obama's visit to a girls school in North London. Most news attention was on the girls' presentation and the First Lady's emotional speech. But it was the reaction following the event that was far more profound.

When the visit was over, and Mrs. Obama had left, news cameras that stayed around captured the girls' explosive reaction in the schoolyard. There these young British girls were, jumping up and down, still screaming with delight among themselves, tears of exuberant joys in their eyes. One girl's face was as wide open as the sun, shouting out, "Michelle Obama HUGGED me!!!"

During the election, a friend and I were marveling how the mere photograph of a president of the United States who was black, with the name Barack Hussein Obama, would do more to instantly improve the nation's image around the world than pretty much anything conceivable. But what I didn't conceive was the reaction to Michelle Obama.

The economic conference in London was, of course, major news in the city. Meetings to resolve worldwide recession; street battles from protesters; the new, popular American president making his first state visit. Amid this, the conservative Daily Telegraph had a banner headline, "The Fightback Starts Here," detailing the conference's vital news. But directly below that headline, taking up almost the entirety of the "above the fold" page, was a color photograph that had nothing to do with the headline, nothing to do with protests, nothing to do even with any world leader -- not the Queen, Prime Minister nor U.S. president.

What the conservative British newspaper emblazoned across its front page was a massive photograph of Michelle Obama.

It's an utterly remarkable phenomenon. Not for what it is, but for what was.

Michelle Obama has been First Lady for only two months. A mere eight months ago, Republicans tried to vilify her -- not just as someone to dislike, but as a person who supposedly hated America. An edited tape made its way around right-wing talk radio to sound as if she had never before been proud of America. Fox News actually tried to suggest that she and her husband had made a "terrorist first bump." The goal was to frighten Americans of Michelle Obama. It was unprecedented -- wives are off-limits in campaigns, let alone, untouched, with the understanding that spouses aren't running for anything. Yet here were Republicans daily smearing the wife of Barack Obama. And it had its effect. A Gallup Poll last June had Michelle Obama's approval rating at only 43%.

And now, just eight months later, her popularity in polls is even higher than even her husband's, the president of the United States -- and his are really high. Barack Obama's approval is a soaring 69%-28%. Michelle Obama's rating, however, is ethereal -- 72% approval-17% disapproval.

And here are young girls in a foreign country beside themselves in panegyrics of ecstasy at being hugged by Michelle Obama.

And here is the Queen of England reaching out and touching her, in a rare moment, according to Buckingham Palace itself, of affection.

First Ladies are often more popular than their husbands, but that usually comes deep into the president's term, when the public has had a chance to be critical of policies. Coming into office, however, new presidents are at their most popular. Yet just two months after arriving at the White House, Michelle Obama has already risen above her wildly-popular husband.

Again, what's remarkable about Michelle Obama's popularity is not how popular she is (72%-17%), but how popular she is only eight months after being demonized by the Republican Party. Barely half a year later, she's almost double the then-43% approval. And this didn't occur through any significant event that changed peoples' opinion of her. It's that after eight months... people got to see her with their own eyes, unfiltered by right-wing talk radio and Fox News. The American public didn't know her before, they only had reports on how they were supposed to feel about her. But seeing her in action, seeing her grace, charm, intelligence, kindness and warmth -- seeing how incredibly well-raised her children were -- seeing someone who tells children in school, as she did those girls in London, "I liked getting A's... I thought there was nothing cooler than being smart" -- Americans saw for themselves, got to know her themselves, and made up their own minds. And in doing so, utterly repudiated the shameless, unprecedented, cruel Republican smears of a mere eight months earlier.

Just two months in office. From 43% to 72%. It's remarkable. But then, so is she.

Comments

[pilgrim7]

What I can't understand is why articles such as this on the First Family still bring such tears of joy.

[osusana]

We got it right, folks. We elected Barack Obama - he was, after all, the one on the ballot. And I do believe that he will be a fine President! I supported him, voted for him, and rejoiced at his election. But the fact is, his wife and family played no small part in my choice, and I dare say the choice of MANY Americans. I am SO proud of our President and First Lady and what they mean to our country. Michelle is every American woman. She is my daughter ( and I am a blue eyed, white haired, lily-white mother of a daughter a couple of years older than Michelle) and my sister. She is an inspiration to her Mother ( see the Essence cover story), her husband, and her children - and to me.

[lupinella]

It is so nice to have a first family that is such an inspiration to us. As a person who finds most shows of patriotism bleed into nationalism, I love having a reason to look at my country with genuine pride.

[Pupadup4oBama]

I LOVE our first lady....she is first class all the way. (and that husband of hers ain't bad either...;)

[osusana]

Not HALF bad - I love 'em both!

[DBtv]

Ms Obama transcends previous first ladies as she is more of a leader than even Hillary, as glamorous as Jackie O and a maternal role model for all American families.

God Bless our First Family.

[pilgrim7]

I think you nailed somethere there with her maternal role, something women have not viewed so positively in a long time but something that is a gift to be cherished and applauded about us no matter what our station in life.

[RobertHenryEller]

You know, on second thought, maybe we're lucky that so many people listened to the right and didn't like Michelle Obama at first.

Because now that many people who didn't like her before, like her now, those people have to ask themselves what people were talking about when they disparaged Michelle Obama, or why those people were disparaging her.

They have to question the opinions of many of these people, not only about Michelle Obama, but about other people and things as well.

And to the extent those people on the right are still talking trash about Michelle Obama, they continue to make themselves that much less believable about other things.

Sorry. I was having a "silver lining" moment. It might pass.

[RobertHenryEller]

I dare say that a large number of the 43% of people who "approved" (I don't like the word in this context. MO needs no one's approval.) of Michelle Obama last year, among whom I count myself, already very much liked what we saw and heard from early on in the campaign. We're very happy to think that, hopefully, those who were "not sure but thought they approved" last year, are feeling more comfortable, and that many of those who "did not approve" last year, have come to see who MO seems to be.

I don't like to say that God blesses America, because too many people hear that to mean God does not bless other countries.

But somebody, or something, up there, or out there, sent us a great First Lady. Let's hope we stay lucky, or blessed, or whatever you want to call it.

[marthainmaine]

I caught part of her speech to those students. What a role model!!!!!!!! From the day she visited the bushes in the W.H. in that snug red dress.....she sets her own tone. I adore her.

[RoadCrossingChicken]

It was so special seeing her with those young woman. Their response to her was very heartwarming and real.

[ChiEg]

What a really lovely write-up...

Thank you Elisberg for writing so beautifully what many feel but couldn't possibly articulate as well as you have...

[thebigbike]

Wouldn't it be a hoot to see a cross check of reactions by ordinary people to a meeting with Michelle Obama versus their reactions to a meeting with Ann Coulter? Giving odds, anyone?

[dessertsfirst]

I am so proud about our FLOTUS.
She is truly an amazing lady, who seems oblivious to the raves coming her way, and continues to be herself, not letting the stature of being First Lady of the Land go to her head.
She has been received with open arms abroad, and for those of us here at home who are willing to see, well... they are responsible for her soaring numbers. However there are 17% of us who refuse to be anything but the angry, unattractive, right wing-nuts they really are....

[ToonMoene]

After I had run the video of the event for half a dozen times, I forced myself to stop.

How someone can tell high school kids to study hard and be "cool getting A's" and still evoking the reaction Michelle did is amazing ...

It reminded me of Barack telling an assorted 200,000 Germans in Berlin that "Afghanistan needs our troops and your troops" - which would otherwise be a sure way to evoke a riot - and getting away with it.

[AnotherTry]

Yeah, and he got 0 troops from Germany. He may be the first black president, but it doesn't stop him from being wrong on most issues.

[DBtv]

pathetic republick projection.

Go away, go far away.

[rejoiceinit]

Michelle Obama for President, 2016!

[Spiritgirl2]

See when the rabid wing-nuts stop prevaricating, how calm and clear headed everyone becomes. Mrs. Obama is smart, intelligent, loves her home & family, articulate all in her own right - she is a great example for women, period. There now, breathe wing-nuts, breathe!