Michelle Obama decided to go all in. Ever since her husband took office in January, the first lady has been cautious about the causes she embraced. But with her hometown of Chicago vying to host the 2016 Olympics, Michelle boarded a plane to Copenhagen last month to make a personal appeal. She brought along Oprah Winfrey, worked her sleeveless charm on the assembled dignitaries, and even lunched with the Queen of Denmark. Her efforts culminated in a passionate televised speech to the International Olympic Committee—perhaps her most high-profile advocacy ever. Then it all fell flat. Rio won the Olympic bid; Chicago never made it to the final round.
Friends say Michelle was heartbroken by the surprise defeat. But I hope she won't be discouraged for long. Even if her push did not pay off, Copenhagen provided a glimpse of what Michelle can be like when she wants something: determined, focused, spirited, graceful. We saw flashes of that Michelle during her husband's campaign. But in the year since the election, she's mostly played it safe, dabbling in traditional East Wing issues—much like the first ladies before her—without yet gaining much traction on any particular front.
OK, expectations were impossibly high when Michelle stepped into the role of first lady in January. African-American women in particular followed her every move—from her attention-getting wardrobe choices to her brief remarks on domestic policy. The truth is, she's done pretty much what she said she'd do. She's served as the "mom in chief" helping her family adjust to life in Washington. She's opened the White House doors to local residents for evenings of mentoring and jazz music. Her schedule—which is typically jampacked on the three days of the week she holds public events—has included more than 50 visits to schools and community centers. She's accompanied the president to seven countries on three different trips. She's also made good on her vow to take up the problems of military families by visiting bases regularly to personally hear their stories of pain and loss—tales she relays to White House staffers back home. She's even been Hula-Hooping with kids on the White House lawn to play up the virtues of exercise and healthy eating.
To read the rest of this article on Newsweek.com,
click here.
Follow Newsweek on Twitter.
