I Heart Obama

Nope. Not Barack.

I’m talking about Michelle Obama.

She’s awesome. What I admire most is her ability – and determination – to balance her family and her career.

There are times when I struggle with how I want life to be. Do I want to be a devoted mother, with my family being the focus? Or do I want to put this $50,000+ degree in print journalism to use and accomplish all my career related goals? For some reason, in my mind, there’s no way the two can be meshed together.

Michelle Obama is an example of those two lives meshed. The Obama’s two daughters are her focus but she’s also a successful lawyer and executive.

Alone she’s interesting, but coupled with her husband, the Obamas display a type of love and partnership in their marriage that some – like me, the product of a single-parent household – find it hard to believe exists anymore.

The two have made it no secret that Michelle Obama was hesitant to support another campaign. She questioned how it would be run and how it would affect her family. Only after she got answers she was satisfied with, did she give the OK her husband was waiting on. Now, not only has she given her OK, she’s proved to be his biggest fan and supporter. She is even taking a hiatus from her job as V.P. for Community and External Affairs at University of Chicago Hospitals to participate on the campaign trail.

I’ve read dozens of articles about her and what she’s doing (Check out Newsweek’s package) but what sealed the deal for me was listening to her talk about her husband. Her conversational manner was disarming and when she spoke, the mix of adoration for her husband and being able to intelligently speak about his platforms was entertaining, informative and refreshing. She wasn’t too soft or too harsh. To me, she was real.

Loved it. I could go on and on, but I won't. (You're welcome.)

My boyfriend once bought up the point that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is also pretty awesome. While I give Rice her props, Michelle Obama is more real to me. Not to downplay Rice’s accomplishments, but it’s truly the successful balance of home and work lives that gives Obama the edge, in my book.

Decide for yourself and let me know what you think. Here’s part of an interview she did for CNN’s Anderson Cooper.