Muppets Meet Michelle, Hillary, Barbara, Laura

First ladies find individual pursuits while paying homage to past tradition. Sesame Street is a modern must do for the spouse of a president. The music and the rhymes just comes back to me from childhood. Now my earworm is permanent with grandkids who like the characters just as much. Everybody's A-Okay when you get to...

During the 1993 Clinton Inaugural festivities, Kermit plopped and perched comfortably on Hillary Clinton's shoulder during a concert Disney-thon. Yep, think about that, not Minnie or Mickey, the apple of Miss Piggy's eye, the froggy wonder got the prime shoulder for the finale of the show. As first lady, Hillary also went to the 25th season for Sesame Street and appeared with muppets throughout her tenure. It was episode 3136. The first lady came on to give health tips. As a senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton did a PSA for Healthy Habits for Life (photos courtesy muppet wiki)

The inaugural appearance from a first lady and president came from George Herbert Walker Bush and his wife, Barbara, on video tape to warn children away from drugs. Later she came by herself to read a book since literacy was her major raison d'etre in her official capacity as first lady. It is ironic that its the numbers cruncher Count in the skit with her though.

Hillary Rodham Clinton with Big Bird - Barbara Bush with The Count

Laura Bush added an international flavor to her appearance on Sesame Street. First she mimicked her mother-in-law by reading a book in 2003 with Big Bird and Elmo in episode 4032. Boombah, a royal sociable purple fuchsia lion, is the mainstay of New Delhi's version, Galli Galli Sim Sim greeting Laura Bush with a great roar of approval in 2006 in its first year of production. In 2007, Laura Bush whooped it up with the green version of the US's Big Bird, Nimnim, who sports a rocking Egyptian patterned vest and skull cap and speaks Arabic. Looks like she wore the same color attire in two different years.

Laura and Boombah (2006) - Nimnim & Mrs. Laura Bush (2007)

Diplomacy in an internationally shared Sesame Street environment would not be possible without direct assistance for USAID in conjunction with the host nations. The need to reach children through their mediums becomes important to first ladies trying to impart life lessons and instill good habits. So it is with First Lady Michelle Obama who was over the moon ecstatic at her chance to appear at the New York City Children's Television network Studios. Mrs. Obama considers it the best thing she has done in her 110 days on the job. Taking a page out of Hillary's book, Michelle spoke on healthy foods. The reason that might cause a few chuckles - is she attended a Cinco de Mayo celebration at LAMB Elementary School, and well, the first lady let the kids ask a few questions. One small tyke asked Mrs. Obama if she liked Mexican food and she preceded to wax poetic on a list of her favorites quesadillas, carnitas, moles - any color, tamales. She said it was on the record as it being her favorite type of food. Michelle Obama is also on record that the siren song of the French Fry is irresistible to her.

Just For Solomon! Michelle's PSA with fave Elmo