GetListy » Michelle Obama

U.S. First Ladies

Bill Sullivan — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:01:39 +0000

While Barack Obama will represent the substance of his administration, America will look to Michelle Robinson Obama to set the style.

Joining the ranks of America’s First Ladies, the President’s wife and mother of two may endure more scrutiny than any of her predecessors. From picking the new paint for the living quarters to selecting the drapes, her every move will be subject to report and review in the era of the 24 hour media and the blogosphere.

Tough job? So it would seem, but so far, Obama has appeared to be up to the task. To find out how to handle the ups and downs of life in the fishbowl, she can look back on the long list of women who have occupied the position, beginning with Martha Dandridge Custis Washington and continuing most recently with Laura Welch Bush.

Here’s a list of the women who have paved the way:

Martha Dandridge Custis Washington
Abigail Smith Adams
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson
Dolley Payne Todd Madison
Elizabeth Kortright Monroe
Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams
Rachel Donelson Jackson
Hannah Hoes Van Buren
Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison
Letitia Christian Tyler
Julia Gardiner Tyler
Sarah Childress Polk
Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor
Abigail Powers Fillmore
Jane Means Appleton Pierce
Harriet Lane*
Mary Todd Lincoln
Eliza McCardle Johnson
Julia Dent Grant
Lucy Ware Webb Hayes
Lucretia Rudolph Garfield
Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur
Frances Folsom Cleveland
Caroline Lavina Scott Harrison
Frances Folsom Cleveland
Ida Saxton McKinley
Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt
Helen Herron Taft
Ellen Louise Axson Wilson
Edith Bolling Galt Wilson
Florence Kling Harding
Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge
Lou Henry Hoover
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman
Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy
Claudia Taylor Johnson
Patricia Ryan Nixon
Elizabeth Bloomer Ford
Rosalynn Smith Carter
Nancy Davis Reagan
Barbara Pierce Bush
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Laura Welch Bush
Michelle Robinson Obama

*Niece of James Buchanan, who never married

Source: whitehouse.gov

Best dressed stars 2008

Bill Sullivan — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:00:04 +0000

In the entertainment business, being beautiful isn’t enough. What you do with all that pulchritude counts, too.

As we turned the calendar to 2009, People magazine took a look back at which celebrities made the most successful visits to the clothes closet in 2008. It’s a list not to be missed, so here goes:

1. Kate Hudson

2. Rihanna

3. Gwyneth Paltrow

4. Fergie

5. Anne Hathaway

6. Heidi Klum

7. Sarah Jessica Parker

8. Michelle Obama

9. Eva Mendes

10. Charlize Theron

Disappointed you didn’t make it? We were, too, but so it goes.

To read more about the winners, and to see a slideshow, visit People.

Secret Service code names

Bill Sullivan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:26:18 +0000

The Secret Service likes to have a little fun with the people it protects. When a new president comes into office, he and his family are given nicknames that make it easier for the guys in the black suits to know who they are talking about.

President-elect Barack Obama was offered a list of possible monikers beginning with “R.” He chose “Renegade.” In turn, wife Michelle became “Renaisssance,” while daughters Malia and Sasha are “Radiance” and “Rosebud,” respectively.

What are some of the other nicknames the Service has used for presidents and other people they are charged with keeping out of harm’s way?

Here’s a list, courtesy of Time magazine:

John F. Kennedy: “Lancer”

Richard M. Nixon: “Searchlight”

Jimmy Carter: “Deacon”

Edward M. Kennedy: “Sunburn”

Ronald Reagan: “Rawhide”

Pope John Paul II: “Halo”

Karenna Gore (daughter of VP Al Gore): “Smurfette”

Dick Cheney: “Angler”

Cindy McCain: “Parasol”

To read more about these choices, and to see a slideshow, visit Time.

Related lists:

Top Convention Moments

GetListy — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:39:52 +0000

Whether you’re a fan of elephant or donkey, just about anyone would have to agree that the Democratic Convention hardly lacked for good theater. From Teddy Kennedy’s dramatic first-night appearance to Barack Obama’s closing act, the party did its best to capture America’s attention and win over a few hearts.

No one knows for sure if that will carry over to November, of course, and many a rousing Democratic gathering has ended in Election Day defeat. For whatever it may prove to be worth, here’s a list of some of the highlights from four days and nights in Denver:

– Kennedy Rallies the Troops: The ailing Massachusetts Senator insists that “nothing could keep him away” from this gathering. He sets the tone with an emotional and riveting talk on opening night.

– Michelle Obama Takes the Stage: Described by some as distant or angry, Barack Obama’s wife moves to soften that image by talking about their family and makes a personal plea for her husband’s candidacy.

– Hillary Buries the Hatchet: Hillary Clinton publicly sets aside any lingering rancor with the Obama camp and urges her supporters to put themselves behind the Democratic ticket.

– Bill Eases on Board: Still smarting from a bruising campaign that resulted in his wife’s defeat, former President Bill Clinton casts his lot with Obama and turns up the heat on the Republicans and John McCain.

– Biden Takes a Bow: Vice Presidential nominee Joe Biden follows a touching introduction from his son and mixes a personal appeal with reminders of his status as a an experienced foreign policy expert.

– Obama Closes the Deal: In front of some 80,000 supporters at Invesco Field, Barack Obama attempts to set aside fears that he is too inexperienced for the job by promising to cut taxes and end the Iraq war in an honorable fashion. It is a big speech in a big venue, and it plays well to the faithful. How the rest of the nation will view the candidate remains to be seen.