May 1, 2009 10:51 AM
The Obamas: branding, image - and a groupie press corps
I've been ignoring a lot of the stories involving White House glamor and hypocrisy and the ridiculously sycophantic Washington press corps, but perhaps you all in flyover country aren't hearing this stuff, so here's a little round-up:
First Lady Michelle Obama steps out in Lanvin sneakers and they're only $540!
BY Amy Diluna
Friday, May 1st 2009, 9:25 AM
Michelle Obama and Jill Biden (center) at a Feeding America event. The First Lady could feed quite a few people with what she paid for the sneakers she's wearing.
The kicks, made by high-end French fashion label Lanvin, cost $540.
Michelle Obama has taken casual to a haute new level.
While volunteering Wednesday at a D.C. food bank, the First Lady sported her usual J.Crew cardigan, a pair of utilitarian capri pants and, on her feet, a sneaky splurge: trainers that go for $540.
That's right: These sneakers - suede, with grosgrain ribbon laces and metallic pink toe caps - are made by French design house Lanvin, one of fashion's hottest labels. They come in denim and satin versions, and have been a brisk seller all spring.
More stinginess and narcissism on parade:
As members of the media argue over the effectiveness of Barack Obama's first 100 days in office, there's one issue they probably all agree on. The president is a terrible gift giver.
During Gordon Brown's visit to Washington, Obama presented the PM with a box set of 25 DVDs. Michelle Obama also committed a gaffe when she gave the Brown children, Fraser and John, two toy models of Marine One after Sarah Brown carefully picked out Top Shop dresses and books by British authors for the Obama daughters.
When the president made a trip to the UK for the G20 summit, he gave the Queen an iPod.
And now we learn the Obamas have resorted to giving magazines to the school his daughters are attending. MSNBC is reporting the only items the Obamas gave to Sidwell Friends school for a fundraiser are a signed copy of a Rolling Stone magazine featuring the president and the January edition of Vogue with the first lady's signature.Members
of the school are disappointed with the gift and recall Bill Clinton's donation when daughter Chelsea attended: a round of golf with the then president that brought in nearly $100,000.
It's scary how the Obamas are being branded and marketed like Hollywood stars. From the UK Times Online (the UK does a better job of reporting on the Obamas than the press groupies here):
May 1, 2009
Meet the woman behind Brand Obama
Desirée Rogers is the most powerful brand manager in the world - as social secretary to the Obamas.
Desirée Glapion Rogers is the descendant of a Creole voodoo priestess. The first time I meet her, she welcomes me into her East Wing lair of the White House and turns on just enough Southern charm to camouflage an aura of self-assuredness typically reserved for catwalk models or first ladies. Wearing a crisp white shirt, black patent flats and high-waisted navy slacks that would look terrible on almost anyone else, 49-year-old Rogers talks about her job as White House social secretary.
Read entire article here.
Oh, and this is old news, but just in case you haven't heard - Michelle Obama is the first First Lady to hire a fulltime makeup artist in the White House:
So what's my problem? I guess I wish that the American public - and our gaga press corps - had somehow not gotten so confused about what makes a great leader. It's not about the covers of Vogue and Rolling Stone and high fashion shoes and pedigreed dogs and symbolic gardens.'Glamorous' Michelle Obama: Full-time Makeup Artist in White House
The transformation of Michelle Obama from angry and bitter candidate's wife to fashionista icon of the world has been really remarkable to witness. Read more about it below, see amazing photos and watch a video.
The Glamorous Transformation of Michelle Obama
'Glamour First' seems to be the motto for the Obama White House and for First Lady Michelle Obama.When looking at the above before and after pics, is there any doubt that Michelle Obama has had a heck of a lot of work done to soften and stylize her appearance since we first became aware of her two years ago? 'The camera doesn't lie' as they say. We can see from the reshaping of her seriously wicked eyebrows, the adding of diva false eyelashes, and a trendy designer wardrobe that she looks completely different these days.
Now we're told that Michelle Obama is the nation's first First Lady to add a full-time makeup artist to her traveling entourage, according to the stylists who have worked with presidential wives over the past 16 years.
Her new makeup artist is Ingrid Grimes-Miles and she is behind the first of Michelle Obama's make up reinventions - those scary eyebrows. It seems after the First Lady was criticized for looking angry, her high-arched eyebrows were reshaped to give her a 'friendlier' appearance.
Glamorous Michelle Obama Photos
Read entire article and see the press groupie video here.
Where's the authenticity?
It's disturbing to see the press participating in the selling of The Perfect President. As they have said themselves, they see their role as doing everything they can to help him succeed. That certainly is not the way they treated Bush, is it?
There is certainly no justice - or reason - here.
Posted in Media Bias, Obama Nation | Permalink
Comments
So, Top Shop isn't the most upscale place to shop in Britain. However, books and cute dresses are MUCH more thoughtful and classy than DVDs. It is embarrassing for them to have come off so low brow and thoughtless, especially when there are so many other nice gifts they could have given.
Posted by: anon | May 2, 2009 12:16 AM
oh my, no i certainly had not heard of ANY of these things. it truly makes me yearn for the days when radio was barely beginning, and candidates were chosen more for thier beliefs and stances than thier looks or appearances.
Posted by: kristy in Germany | May 2, 2009 2:39 AM
Eh, you know, it's not so much the style, or the expense, or the glam.
It's that the Obama's were touted as "ordinary people" who could relate to the rest of us ordinary people. We commoners finally had a hero, supposedly.
Ha! I wish people would just admit that President Obama is a politician, just like any other politician. He may not have been born into wealth, but he's not the only man to reach the Presidency with such a background. And he's certainly been well beyond the American average wage for a long, long time now.
If they'd just give up the "People's President" schtick.
Posted by: Margaret | May 3, 2009 3:19 PM
