Saturday
Nov282009
Go Beavers!
Saturday, November 28, 2009 at 5:29 PM 
Image by Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images
The Os were out on the town today to catch the George Washington University vs. Oregon State University basketball game. The first lady's older brother, Craig Robinson, is the head coach of the Oregon State team.
Mrs. O kept her look casual chic for the game, wearing a black turtleneck and pants with her hair pulled back into a low ponytail. Diamond stud earrings added just a touch of sparkle.
P.S. Oregon State beat George Washington University 64 to 57.
Reader Comments (47)
They all look so surreal to me and down to earth. I love looking at my First Family!!!!!
Nice picture. I can imagine how much they must enjoy this casual outing away from the silliness of the Dc punditocracy, and the reality-TV circus of the State Dinner gate-crashers. The culture of attention seeking in America, the "balloon-boy" phenomenon is turning this country into a global joke. So, instead of talking about the diplomatic successes of the US-India partnership, and also Mrs. Obama's spectacular hosting of the event, here we are as a country fixated on a pair of nitwits who poked holes in the presidential security cordon. It's a big shame.
Lovely family moment. Down-to-earth photo. Mrs. Robinson's expression
shows so much pride in her family. I JUST LOVE THEM.
Mrs. Robinson, very youthful and fashionable mother and grandmother.
Look at that PROUD expression on the face of Mrs. Robinson.
I love the way that our first family get out in the washington community and the way that they have open the white house up! Mrs. O looks great
I love how thoroughly amused Mr. O looks while listening to his wife.
YEAH MRS O BROTHER WON THE GAME I HEARD IT ON CNN. LOVE HER CLOTHES BUT I THINK SHE WEAR THE SAME ONE FRIDAY BUT SHE PUT A BLACK BELT WITH IT AND A SWEATER NECK. MALIA HAIR IS IN A PONYTAIL AND THEY PUT A PONYTAIL ON SASHA HAIR TO HER MOM LOOKED VERY PROUND OF BROTH OF THEM. OH MR O LOOKED LIKE HE IS VERY PROUND OF HIS FAMILY.AND I AM VERY GLAD THAT MR O DIDNT GET HURT FROM THOSE COUPLE WHO CASHED THE PARTY. TUEDAY NIGHT.
I saw some real cute pictures on Getty Images of The First Family enjoying themselves at the game. Mrs. Marian Robinson must be so proud. This has been a whirlwind week for our Michelle and still she looks chic. This is my fall back, works like a charm everytime outfit: black turtle neck, black pants, and black boots (I prefer my over-the-knee ones) and miniminal jewelry. FLOTUS is even wearing my favorite belt; the one she wore originally with the DVF skirt!
Cute pic of the First Family. They look like they are having fun. You'd never think the man on the left looking super-cute eating popcorn and flirting with the woman on the far right are the POTUS and FLOTUS. In fact Mrs. Robinson look like a Mom chaperoning at a date. They are adorable.
I am so happy for Mrs. Robinson. She is such a gracious woman.
I just love how the prseident loves his first lady the way he looks at her tells it all. Nice family.
WOW! pics tell alot.. seems like a wonderful family... love it!
I just love this family.
The fact that they know how to get away from the White House and the washing crowd and
enjoy life like everyday "normal" folk is sooooo refreshing.
They are truly enjoying their Life.
Mrs. Robinson looks so youthful and seems to be enjoying herself . The O's always seems to have
something to talk or joke about.
Just cant get enough of them.
They all look so surreal to me and down to earth.
At the same time? Neat trick.
I'm so happy to see them out relaxing and having fun. And Craig Robinson's team -- the Beavers -- won. Yippee!
my favorite family picture ever! I saw another picture of Mrs. Robinson as her son (the basketball coach) walked by and she looked equally proud of him. What a woman, she really inspires me. And I love the way Michelle looks: simple and elegant in her dress.
@ Hyde Parker. I think what Marilyne meant by her, “They all look so surreal to me and down to earth” comment, is that it seems surreal that the Obama’s would go to a college basketball game, it's not what you expect from a POTUS. But at the same time, the Obama's look so comfortable and casual, they fit right in with the crowds. Marilyne comment was perfectly justified, our little italicized jab however was not.
Just reading about Desiree Rogers, and it really bothers me that she had no one stationed at the post where guest lists were reviewed at the state dinner; from what I've read, that absence is unprecedented in previous administrations. I understand the secret service is ultimately responsible for the gate crashers getting in, but had someone from the social secretary's office been there, it most likely would have never happened. They are supposed to help make sure the president and his family is safe. It was interesting to read that in previous administrations, first ladies did not invite their social secretary to the dinner because the social secretary was still working until the event was over! Maybe this is the problem when you hire close friends for important posts -- it's harder to tell them to stay within a job description. But in this case the lives of the whole first family could have been in real danger (and can be in the future if she is similarly careless). I have so far heard Rogers take no responsibility and merely say "we were not" when asked by the AP if she had anyone on her staff working that night to check the guest list; the only other comment she made concerned her dress. I know the Obamas also feel an obligation to her because she bundled over $200,000 for the campaign but nothing justifies her doing something that could endanger their lives. She should have been focused on the party until it was over, not been showing off her designer dress. It may be time for the Obamas to dilute their Chicago team and put their trust in more experienced people who can actually help them, not hurt them. She really worries me.
The President and Mrs. Obama are so lucky to have Mrs. Robinson with them. She seems like such a warm and wonderful mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. I was really struck by how she was looking at Michelle. As mentioned , you can feel the love.I am still as proud of them as I was on Inauguration night. I'm still wishing them the very best and many blessings.
Beautiful couple who look like they still really like and enjoy each other even after 18 years together. Mrs Obama looks so lovely and casual chic - very Mary Tyler Moore.
That's a week or 10 days now that Mrs. O has been wearing her hair up. Is she letting the kinks come back? Hope so.
ms, from what I have also read, the matter that you refer to is being addressed. Let's not point fingers or pass judgement about people in the Obama camp who may or may not be responsible for the incident. None of of us are privy to inside information on whether Desiree was focused on her job on the night in question and any donations she made during the campaugn is irrelevant and frankly none of our business.
On a different note, don't you think the Obama's look so in love and so happy ?
Such a cute snapshot.
I love the look on Mrs. Robinson's face and the mother/daughter dynamic it reveals... bemused; amused; proud.
@ ms
Throwing Desiree under the bus is an exercise in futility. The secret service has assumed full responsibility for the error. I thank the nitwits(gate-crashers) for exposing a potentially fatal flaw in protecting Mr. President and his family. As a concerned citizen, it better not happen again.
The O's, including First Granny, are our Ambassadors of Love!
Nakajima:
Why do you want Michelle's "kinks" to come back? Just curious....
I sure would like Mrs O to let her hair go natural. Everyone looks better in hair that does what it was meant to do without straightening or curling. Plus it would be a huge political statement, that only a self assured first lady like Mrs O could pull off.
Nakijima:
I too am curious about your "kinks" comment. You seem to have an inordinate amount of interest in her hair. I believe you commented once before that you didn't understand why any AA women would want to straigthen their hair. To me, your comments seem to indicate that you feel Mrs O shouldn't be allowed to have the same flexibility and freendom in hair style choices that every woman (and man for that matter) on this earth has. Why would changing her hairdo be any different than changing her shoes, a favorite handbag, or any other accessory. After all, 10 days out of ... how long has she been a fixture on the national scene now...is just not that long to warrant the interest and makes me wonder what's truly behind your comment. I'm particularly interested in your choice of "kinks" as a way to describe her hair. Her hair could be naturally wavy for all you know.
Chris Rock has done a terrific short subject "Good Hair" which explains gently and with humor, in their own words, what some AA women do with their hair to achieve various results. Oprah dedicated a whole show to this film and was very forthcoming about what she does with and to her own hair.
Mrs. O has very curly hair (have a look at her graduation photo from Princeton). I am one who once posited that she might look great again with her hair left natural and several jumped on it as being an impossible option.
Seems to me that everyone should lighten up about the hair. Her choice, obviously, as it is with every woman. But that should not preclude well-meaning comments from those who visit this site.
Just for laughs, I am staying away from that "KINKS" conversation.
First it was belts, now it's kinks LOL. Can't get too serious all the time deeries.
The day women stop coloring their hair blonde is the day Mrs O should stop straightening her hair. Or perhaps every GROWN woman has the right to do whatever THEY want to THEIR HAIR.
Mrs T, you have GOT to post this adorable picture I found on the daylife site, Mrs O is playfully biting Sasha's arm, how cute is that?!?:
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0gMo3ETbz5dHw/610x.jpg
LOL @Lorns
I guess everyone would like to see themselves in the first lady, whether it's in skin tone, physique, height, career choices, family etc. and it's all good!
As a woman of African descent I defintely wear my hair kinky because I can do it and I love it. I'm sure Michelle feels the same about her current hairstyle choices. Would it be nice to see her in nice Afro blowout twist one day? Of course it will, but until then I will continue appreciate all that she contributed to Fashion and Beauty thus far. Rock on Michelle!
THE FIRST FAMILY LOOK GREAT ON THEIR FAMILY DAY OUT. THE PRESIDENT LOOK LIKE HE FINALLY GOT SOME REST. THE FIRST LADY AND THE FIRST GRANDMOTHER LOOK VERY HAPPY AND PROUD OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE FIRST BROTHER. MALIA AND SASHA ARE SO CUTE AND LOOK VERY HAPPY TO BE WITH THEIR FAMILY. PS THE OBAMAS HAVE TO WHAT OUT FOR
EACH OTHER BECAUSE THE SECRET SERVICES IT NOT. I AM SO GLAD THAT REGGIE LOVE IS
THE PRESIDENTS BODY MAN.
Yes Mr. Love is quite a cutie pie, and great body man too lol.
Lol, about the "kinks" coming back. My kinks come back every 4 to 5 weeks and then after that 6th week, I am in the chair getting them relaxed all over again. So, I don't think it is a question of if her kinks are coming back, it's whether or not she chooses to straighten them out. Personally, I could care less whether she goes natural or gets her hair relaxed. I know she would be beautiful either way.
Mica, I saw that pic and thought it was adorable and funny. From the pics on yahoo and getty you could tell they are real basketball fans because you could see it by their reactions in certain pics.
Wish I could have been at that game, although I doubt I would have really watched the game ;-)
@Nakajima
"kinks" ...... really "kinks" ???????
are we in grade school?
This is a great picture and everyone's hair looks just fine !
I fully agree with Nyon that Mrs. O will look great no matter what she does wiith her hair but I would love to see it go natural. After all, she goes about with bare legs, rejecting the torture of nylon stockings or panty hose. Why wouldn't she say no as well the torture of chemical straighteners. I am hoping to see the
un-Condoleezza Rice.
Unitl women of all nationalities stop processing their hair from its natural state:
Curly hair perms to straight hair perms
Straight hair to curly hair
Dying the hair color
Curling iron used by all women on this earth
Then why pick on AA women as if we are the only ones who process our hair. There are not many women of different nationalities who alter the natural state of their hair texture or color.
So if we are all supposed to be natural that would entail not shaving our legs or other torture we put ourselves through to get rid of natural hair on our body. Following the natural movement we should stop putting substances on our faces such as face creams, foundation and lipstick? and what about deodorant we where all born with natural body odor?!...so where does it all stop? We all alter ourselves be it hair, makeup, waxxing etc? We have done this since the dawn of time! It's your body and your life do whatever makes you happy!
You can have it both ways! I lived in Manila from 1983-88 where I got waxed regularly to avoid wearing stockings (extremely hot there) and little by little the hairs stopped regrowing. Now I have hairless legs, naturally!
@nakajima....So...if I follow your logic, will Mrs.O's hair eventually fall out from all the torture, or start to grow in permanently straight. Either way, you will no longer have to obsess about her kinks, and you can obsess about something that you have control over.
Take a cue from an India Arie lyric....
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectation
I am a soul that lives within
The operative word here is "your expectation". Quit fostering yours on Mrs. O and leave her to her own freedom of choice!
Desiree Rogers has been invited to testify before Congress on Thursday concerning her failure to insure that the entrance to White House for the state dinner was manned -- as it has been in all previous administrations; interestingly, Rogers got rid of that position in the spring. Meanwhile, Barack's office announced early this evening that they have reinstated that very job, an announcement that should have come from the social office that Rogers runs but did not; rather, it came directly from the execuitive branch (the West Wing, not the East). I have read that both the Obamas are furious by the oversight but no more furious than I. I pray for their safety every day, and pray especially that they surround themselves with people who put their welfare before personal agendas. Rogers is a huge disappointment to me. She is a very talented bright and attractive woman who is in the wrong job. Her reluctance to take responsibility after the fact is almost worse than what she didn't do to start with. You might recall that Michelle had to get rid of her original chief of staff because Desiree refused to report directly to her like everyone else and insisted on reporting directly to Michelle. In retrospect, that was a telling demand. Hiring friends is a very tricky business and previous presidents and first ladies have had to learn the same lessons. Thank God no one was hurt.
I REALLY can't believe anyone says "kinks."
@nakajima
I would love to know what you do with your hair, do you wear it "kinks"?
If Michelle cannot straighten her hair then I think we should outlaw all unnatural beauty processes, that means no perms, no peroxide, no highlights, no waxing, no threading, no makeup, no perfume, just be smelly, hairy natural women!
MsG, you better believe it! (lil Boosie voice)
So, I found some cute video of the Obamas at the game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6etdo7z8G4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y-pG0-bdAI (on this one I just like how personable the Pres is)
@julie
This is from the Merriam Webster dictionary
Main Entry: 1kink
Pronunciation: \ˈkiŋk\
Function: noun
Etymology: Dutch; akin to Middle Low German kinke kink
Date: 1678
1 : a short tight twist or curl caused by a doubling or winding of something upon itself
My hair is naturally straight. I shampoo once a week, use a conditioner and blow dry. Get a cut every 2-3 months at the local hairdresser (Chauvigny, France) or once in a great while in Paris when I go up there with my husband. Admittedly, not very exciting. I tried a few permanents years ago but was not happy with the damage they did to my hair so gave up trying for any style with curls or "kinks".
I envy people with naturally curly hair. When I was young I used to feel so embarassed after swimming that my hair just hung there until I put it up on rollers and dried it. Thank heaven for the blow dry!