POLLS

That’s One Classy Mom

 

Email To A Friend

Please fill in the following information and we'll email this link.

Separate multiple addresses with commas

SPONSORED BY
 

Michelle Obama likes to call herself the "mom in chief." Images abound of the first lady frolicking on the White House swing set with Malia and Sasha. Basically, you'd have to be living under a rock not to know that Michelle is a mama. Yet when people were asked in a recent Pew Research poll to pick one word to describe her, only seven out of the 765 surveyed used the word "mother." (The most common was "classy.") In a similar 2001 poll, 24 out of 1,212 described Laura Bush as a mother—a slightly higher ratio—even though her daughters were in college.

So why isn't Michelle's motherhood tag sticking? "She is such a dynamic and powerful woman," says Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother Media, "that her being a mom is not popping out as her first trait." Perhaps the polling quirk, though, says less about Obama and more about stereotypes of moms as supportive but behind-the-scenes players. Whereas "motherly" Laura Bush cultivated a quiet, retiring image, says E. Ann Kaplan, a cultural-studies professor at Stony Brook University, Michelle plays second fiddle to no one, including her husband. And why should she? According to the Pew poll, the first lady is now more popular than he is.

© 2009

Label

Newsweek Top Stories
NEWSWEEK's 20/10
NEWSWEEK's 20/10

Our decade-in-review project recalls the highs and lows of the last 10 years.

Obama's Promises
Obama's Promises

Is the new president fulfilling his campaign pledges? Or falling short?

The Decade in 7 Minutes
The Decade in 7 Minutes

Video: A fast-paced review of the best and worst moments. Don't blink.

Accidental Celebrities
Accidental Celebrities

From Levi Johnston to Elian Gonzalez, these people never expected to be in the spotlight.

Discuss

Sponsored by

Member Comments

  • Posted By: brydges @ 05/20/2009 1:36:02 PM

    What is absolutely appalling is that there is nothing in this magazine or any other liberal rag about A.C.O.R.N. and its voter fraud the money they embezzled or the fact that Congress refuses to investigate.

  • Posted By: hjudaves @ 05/20/2009 2:31:05 AM

    Hey 52packrat, it is called a photo op you idiot. And since we have had to tolerate your previous mentally challenged administration, in short, SUCK IT UP!

  • Posted By: 52packrat @ 05/18/2009 9:23:48 PM

    Disgusted that she is our First Lady and furthermore, We are all sick and tired of hearing about her ARMS.......Michelle Obama is not attractive in any way......the media just slobbers all over themselves talking about the way she is is so attractrive and charming........not so!! She is ugly!! And she has horrible taste in what she wears!! And we are sick of seeing her on every magazine and hearing about everything she is doing.........we don't hear about her being a Mother....we just hear stupid stuff about her Arms....planting a garden........or what dress she is wearing..........I have NEVER seen a picture of her playing with the kids on the Swing Set!! I bet she doesn't spend much time with her kids!! Michelle Obama.......go away and take your man with you!!!

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse