"She is smarter, tougher and better looking than me," said Senator Barack Obama.
Barack Obama's proclaimed better half was more than a hot topic, but a co-host on "The View" Wednesday morning.
"People will see through it. The more people get to know me and get to know our family, then it will become clear who I am and what I care about," said Michelle Obama.
Cindy McCain recently used the same format to tout her roots.
"Here I am from Phoenix, Arizona, and I'm part of American history," said Cindy McCain.
The vetting of the woman headed for the White House isn't exactly a foreign concept. It's practically a rite of passage for better or for worse.
"You said something I didn't say, now shove it," said Teresa Heinz Kerry. Sen. John Kerry's wife hit her first public relations snafu when questioned by a journalist in 2004.
Michelle Obama has become a favorite target for critics, drawing many to compare her arrival on the national stage to Hillary Clinton's after she infuriated conservatives when she said, "I could have stayed home and baked cookies."
The 44-year-old Harvard Law graduate and the 54-year-old known for her charity work have few similarities, but share one common goal.
According to the poll, just 16 percent of voters say they put great weight on the candidate's spouse. But the public's view of them might just help determine which man gets to be commander in chief.
