the buzz log

No doubt about it. This story's got legs. The first lady took a look-see at the Grand Canyon with her family this weekend while the rest of the country got a good look at her gams. Michelle Obama braved the blistering Arizona sun with an even braver style of shorts.

This winter we got a view of the fashionista-in-chief's powerful arms, and now there's proof that she's got stems to match. The bare legs set off a firestorm of buzz on the Web, with looky-loos typing in "michelle obama short shorts" into the Search box.

The Huffington Post declared that Michelle O. was the first first lady to step out of Air Force One in anything close to Daisy Dukes and asked, "After all, can you imagine Laura Bush or Patricia Nixon doing the same?" Soliciting online opinions, the site is holding a poll on whether the first lady has the "right to bare legs."

To be clear, the shorts pictured are above the knee. But note that the first lady pairs the shortish shorts with running shoes. She looks like a tourist at a national park, except with Air Force One behind her. Another fashion accessory that's turning heads: Michelle Obama's confidence.

The Washington Post's Fashion Editor Robin Givhan told the "Today" show that we're conflicted about how we want our first lady to look: "We don't see first ladies looking informal, and I think a wonderful thing that she's bringing informality to that position. But we're still grappling with what the first lady is supposed to be all about."

One thing's for sure. We won't stop looking — or commenting — on Michelle Obama's outfits any time soon. Here's the "Today" show clip with some long opinions on the first lady's shorts.

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Filed under: Fashion, First Ladies

The Obamas are really on a roll. First the president put his weekly radio address on YouTube. Then, Michelle Obama dug up the White House backyard to plant veggies. Now, the White House Easter Egg Roll is getting its makeover.

Instead of standing in line for free tickets to attend the annual event, they'll be available online, starting this Thursday. The idea is digital democracy: Parents around the country (or, for that matter, the world) can attempt to partake in the free activity. Just drop, click, and roll. Let's just hope the new site don't suffer the fate of the Jonas Brothers', which crashed from overwhelming demand for pre-sale tickets.

While the ticket experience may be virtual, the rolling part is very much real. The theme this year is "let's go play," a nod to the need for kids to be more active and spend less time in front of those computers where you can now order those tickets.

For the uninitiated, it's not really a roll: It is a grassy lawn, after all. Kids are handed eggs (in this case, hard-boiled ones) and attempt to fling them across the lawn. Airborne eggs are not an uncommon sight. The extreme Easter sport has been around since 1878. The tickets are available here. Jonas Brothers, eat your hearts out. And let the egging begin.

Filed under: Kids, First Ladies