to not understand why young girls are told to aspire to be like michelle obama

[HRHShoesytwoesy]

have I missed something? if so what?

I don't think she is that attractive - she just makes herself look phenomenal. It helps being so statuesque and able to afford good clothes.

I think people were extremely unkind about Cherie's looks - I have a friend who attended a workshop thing she organised, and he said she looked great. She just wasn't that good with a camera.

Anyway, it shouldn't be about looks.

cherie blair was ridiculed long before any of the money grubbing happened.

she is an amazingly successful woman, the work she has done has changed lives. i still think her greatest failing in the british media was not being a dolly bird.

Because she's obviously incredibly smart, works very hard and has got herself (professionally) into a position where she can earn well, work on behalf of others still fighting for their rights, and not have to kowtow to anybody.

And now her husband is the president, she is not becoming a blushing mumbling confection of a woman but maintaining her outspoken ways (despite criticism) and actively working to promote the rights of women and girls, and for other causes.

So why do the media (well the Murdoch press anyway) seem to like Samantha Cameron?

Is it because she is demonstrably fertile? And doesn't say much?

You have missed somthing, she is bloody amazing.

I don't think Michelle Obama is that good looking, I think she carries herself amazingly and is very pumped (which I like, a bit of a crush here as well), but I don't think anyone can take away any of her success by saying that she is trading on her looks at all.

Snort at university being easier to achieve in the US than in the UK, they might not have the same sort of class system, but it is very much sink or swim, nowhere near the same sort of support available.

Don't you think it's more that she was sort of ungracious and ungainly and unappealing? That's not the same as not being a dolly bird. no-one could accuse Michelle O of being a dolly bird - she's a strapping great woman who's not beautiful so much as magnetically charismatic. She's beautiful because of her grace and charm and intelligence as much as what she looks like. Cherie was just ghastly. GHASTLY. The fact she has a mouth like a letterbox was the least of her troubles.

I think she is beautiful.

i think michello obama is fabulous. but i still maintain if cheri got a tough deal with the media
'ungracious and ungainly and unappealing' really?

I don't think fees would have deterred Michelle.

I think Michelle Obama is great. America is so race riven, yet she made her way to Harvard and has had a successful career.

But I do think Cherie got a bad press. She is a working class Liverpudlian lass who made her way to the bar when working class lasses just didn't do that. No doubt she had to put up with a lot of shit.
She is also very good in her specialised field.

If you had lived in Chicago you would know just how hard it is to get from a poor area on the South Side to where Michele got to. If you haven't I suggest you read Obama's own book about working in that area.
I am amazed that someone got from where she came from to where she has/did, and without seeming to have huge chips on her shoulder. If she can do it, then yes someone could do the same in the UK, and actually a few do. Obama's journey is impressive, her's is far far more amazing and inspirational.

(I also just loved seeing her hugging those girls yesterday.)

I agree. She makes herself beautiful by her charisma and intelligence and grace and charm.

I'm not normally a huggy, fluffy person, but the effect of being hugged by the USA's first lady after such an inspirational speech will stay with those girls forever. I think it was a fabulous touch. Being smart is cool. I hate the way it has become something to hide away in this country.

Shit, I have used the same adjectives as Bloofer. I wasn't copying, I merely think these words are self evident

If it were about looks alone then perhaps France's lady might be more "liked" than she is.

Ms. Booth is hardly "ordinary working class" - unless of course the children of famous actors are "ordinary working class".

I just slightly shy away from the suggestion that a woman is beautiful purely because of some genetic inheritance and the arrangement of her bones and skin - that's total objectification IYSWIM. Her beauty's because of what she is and how she behaves and what she has achieved and that's why she's such a fantastic role model - when girls are being taught that all you need to be beautiful is starvation, a surgeon's knife, and gallons of fake bake.

Tony Booth was hardly an A list Hollywood star - and he didnt stay with the family anyway!

I'd say Cherie Booth acheived a huge amount (is still doing) and is a great role model. May not agree with her politics, but she's still a great role model.

And am seriously impressed by Mrs Obama, too

alpine - her father abandoned htem, she had a really hard upbringing.

the british press were gaga about carla bruni when she visited

So true, TOWIE 'stars' are a far better role model.

Has Michelle written a biography ? I would like to read that. I would like my daughters to read it as well.

MObama is an amazing role model - a real once in a generation type imo.

I'd be very happy if my dd aspires to a role model like Michelle Obama and her mantra that 'it's cool to be smart'. Too many young girls want to be like Cheryl Cole or similar.

seeing michello obama chatting to kate middleton did bring the whole shallow media thing into sharp contrast.

What is TOWIE?

BelovedCunt but the French press hate Bruni I think.