Michelle Obama Makes Military Families Her Mission: USNews

Quoted via USNews:

A year ago, Mrs. Obama, a Harvard-trained lawyer, was one of the most controversial figures in public life, and not in a good way. Her remarks about how her husband's political success had finally made her proud of her country offended many Americans who thought she wasn't patriotic enough. Campaign aides tried to contain the damage, arguing that she meant to say she was finally proud of the political system and was always proud of America, but many voters were put off.

Today's Michelle Obama has become what a senior Democratic strategist calls "a superstar." Sixty-three percent of Americans have a positive view of her, with 43 percent "very positive" and only 8 percent negative. These favorability ratings have been increasing steadily as Americans have gotten to know her. In March 2008, her positive rating was only 32 percent, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. "She's really opened up to the public," says Democratic pollster Geoff Garin, "and the American people have embraced her. On a very human level, they relate to her as a great mom and as someone who is strong and smart and very caring." more