The Meaning of Michelle
Monday, November 24, 2008 at 12:11 PM 
Photo courtesy of PRNewsFoto/NEWSWEEK
On newsstands today, Mrs. O appears on the cover of Newsweek, accompanied by a feature article "The Meaning of Michelle" and another brilliant collection of photos tracing back to her childhood. This is Mrs. O's second cover for Newsweek; the first was in February 2008. Oddly enough, we believe Mrs. O wears the same top for this cover that we featured in a post last week. Though the image is in black and white, we can see the pleating at the center of the collar and reflection of the fabric. A color photograph by the same photographer, Charles Ommanney, helps to connect the dots. While it doesn't quite rival our favorite, we do love a Mrs. O profile picture - and unposed, this image conveys openness and sincerity.
Reader Comments (12)
Thanks I love the cover and the slide show. I look forward to seeing what Mrs. O. will do as first lady.
Some Invisalign braces on those lower teeth would do wonders for her bite and her appearance. She has a serious underbite that should be corrected. Making over $300,000 a year at her job, I can't imagine why she would neglect her dental health that way.
Wow "Pamela" bitter much?
Well Pamela, maybe her underbite doesn't bother her as much as it seems to bother you.
And I am sure that if the condition was more than just an 'appearance' issue, her dentist would have convinced her to have the procedure you are suggesting.
I checked out the slide show you linked to above and it is great to get a glimpse of the young Mrs. O.
That really was a lovely slide show! Thanks for pointing it out.
Kristan
http://jbu.phuzzymath.net/
What Pamela does not realize, and many young Americans forget, is that corrective cosmetic dentistry techniques have really come into their own in the last 10 to 15 years, and that is beyond Mrs. Obama's formative youth.
Additionally, a little sensitivity required. Not every family can afford these services, and from what one can gather of the Robinsons' background, the expense may have been out of reach, especially for appearance-enhancing in a family with other pressing health concerns. Please remember this whenever you see someone whose teeth don't fit a Hollywood ideal. Lack of insurance, other pressing matters, difference in cultural values, all that causes us to live in a world of diverse smiles.
There is nothing wrong with Mrs. O's smile. A smile comes from the heart, after all.
And one more thing: As long as President-Elect O. likes Mrs. O's smile, that's all that matters, no?
I'm glad to see the responses to Pamela's comment. I debated whether to delete it, because I think it's mean-spirited and inappropriate. However, I think the subsequent responses have fully squashed it. While we do our best to moderate, please always feel free to shoot me a note if there's anything offensive on the site: contact@mrs-o.org
Today I read the Newsweek article this cover accompanied, it was great! A very interesting and HONEST look at how Mrs. O's special brand of charm, fun (because I get a strong feeling she'd be a great pal with whom to share a giggle while shopping) and warmth can help many women who felt their good points were rather ignored by society at large.
I'm so very glad to be able to have a first lady I actually feel I could LIKE as a person! Go Mrs. O!
And the piffle about under/overbites, good grief, why should everyone be so darned panicked that they don't look like some wannabe in a reality show that they rush to change every unique physical thing about themselves? Mrs O is a success on so many more levels than the terrified girlies who spend their lives trying spending like a pasha to keep up with the latest technique to iron them into Maxim Girl, early 21st century, pop culture homogeneity. Bah, Michelle is fine as Michelle, that's why her family love her.
I love Mrs.O's smile. I think it's perfect. I honestly don't see the serious underbite that Pamela references.
This photo can't help but make me think of a Diahann Carroll image from the 1960's.