First lady talks Target trip with David Letterman

First lady Michelle Obama to David Letterman: ‘Don’t make me cry…this isn’t Oprah’ (theGRIO) — NEW YORK (AP) – First lady Michelle Obama says she thought for sure her cover was blown during an undercover visit to Target last year when a woman approached her in the detergent aisle. But the first lady told David Letterman on Monday the woman only wanted help with a package she couldn’t reach. During Obama’s visit to CBS’ ”Late Show,” Letterman held up a picture of her after she put on sunglasses and a baseball cap to try to visit a Washington-area store last September. Obama said the woman apparently was oblivious to the fact she had asked a favor of the…

First Lady Makes Headway Calling for Healthy Foods

WASHINGTON (AP|theGrio) – Calorie by calorie, first lady Michelle Obama is chipping away at big portions and unhealthy food in an effort to help America slim down. In the year and a half since she announced her campaign to curb childhood obesity, Mrs. Obama has stood alongside Wal-Mart, Olive Garden and many other food companies as they have announced improvements to their recipes — fewer calories, less sodium, better children’s menus. The changes are small steps, in most cases. Fried foods and french fries will still be on the menu, though enticing pictures of those foods may be gone. High-sodium soups, which many consumers prefer, will still be on the grocery aisle. But the amount of…

First Family Attends Church Service

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama took his family to services on Sunday, walking out of the White House and to a nearby church frequented by presidents. Accompanied by his wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia, Obama walked through Lafayette Square to attend the 10:30 morning service at St. John’s Church. Obama wore a dark-colored suit, while the first lady and Malia wore shades of purple and Sasha a floral green and white dress. Obama has worshipped at St. John’s previously, as well as at other churches in the nation’s capital. A pew nine rows back from the altar at St. John’s carries a small brass plaque designating it as “The President’s Pew.” Church history claims that…

Michelle Obama and Family Meet with Nelson Mandela

JOHANNESBURG (AP) – A healthy-looking Nelson Mandela met with Michelle Obama and her daughters on Tuesday, an unexpected encounter between the first lady and the former South African president and anti-apartheid icon who has largely retired from public life. A photo provided by the Nelson Mandela Foundation showed the 92-year-old Mandela sitting on a couch next to Mrs. Obama, pen in hand to sign an advance copy of his new book, “Nelson Mandela By Himself: The Authorized Quotations Book.” Mandela was wearing one of his trademark shirts, richly patterned and buttoned at the neck. Mrs. Obama, daughters Malia, 12, and Sasha, 10, and her mother, Marian Robinson, were viewing some of Mandela’s personal papers at his foundation…

Obama: ‘My family would be fine with just 1 term’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says his wife and daughters aren’t “invested” in him being president and would have been fine had he decided against running for re-election. But he says they believe in what he’s doing for the country. WATCH THE TODAY SHOW’S COVERAGE HERE Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Asked about his family’s reaction to his wanting another term, Obama said: “Michelle and the kids are wonderful in that if I said, ‘You know, guys, I want to do something different,’ They’d be fine. They’re not invested in daddy being president or my husband being president.” He says first lady Michelle Obama would be the first one to…

‘Teach Me How to Dougie’ Rapper Killed in Drive-by Shooting

(theGrio) Hip-hop fans are mourning the loss of 22-year-old Cali Swag District group member M-Bone (born Mante Ray Talbert) today. Talbert was reportedly shot in front of an Inglewood, CA liquor store late Sunday evening. According to the Associated Press the Cali Swag District group member was sitting in a car shortly after 10:30 p.m. when another car pulled alongside him. The driver of the car shot the rapper twice in the head. Talbert was taken to an area California hospital where he was pronounced dead. Lt. James Madia said the motive for Sunday night’s shooting is still under investigation. Thus far witnesses have provided varying descriptions of the fleeing car. “Talbert was the victim of…

Michelle Obama Gives Hope to Young Black Women

Why Michelle Obama Gives Young Black Women Hope (theGrio) Today at 3:00 PM in Atlanta, Georgia 500 young, bright, confident women will wear white dresses, nude hosiery and black shoes as they line up to “march through the arch”. They will honor tradition — lining up by class year from front to back, as the old guard leads out the new. Theirs is a sisterhood unbroken by over 130 years of sisterhood. Theirs is the pride and power of being the “first”. The first school in America whose sole purpose and mission was the leadership development and education of black women. Of course, I am speaking of the distinguished women of Spelman College. Today is a…

Obama Attends Easter Service at Historic Church

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama and his family attended Easter service Sunday at a Washington church founded in 1863 by freed slaves. The first family entered Shiloh Baptist Church to a round of applause on a sun-splashed day in the nation’s capital as members of a choir dressed in black, white and gold sang “Total Praise.” Obama shook a few hands and hugged some members of the congregation as he and his wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, walked to a second-row pew. According to the church’s pastor, Dr. Wallace Charles Smith, 21 freed slaves made it to the nation’s capital from Fredericksburg, Va., to establish a place where they could worship freely…

2012 In Sight, Obama Looks Back to Chicago Again

CHICAGO (AP) — President Barack Obama’s relationship with his hometown may be best described as a long-distance love affair. He lavishes attention on it from afar and proud Chicago pines for its hometown hero, though the two rarely see each other. That looks like it’s about to change. Obama is returning to his roots as he embarks on his re-election race for 2012. He’s setting up his campaign headquarters in a downtown high-rise near Grant Park, the site of his victory celebration on election night in November 2008. He’s coming back Thursday to raise money, a week after launching his second White House bid with an understated email and online video. The president is putting Chicago…

Michelle Obama to Speak at Spelman College Commencement

(theGrio) More than 500 graduates of Spelman Graduates are preparing for a commencement address they won’t soon forget. On May 18, first lady Michelle Obama will deliver the commencement address to the liberal arts women’s college located in Atlanta, Georgia, White House sources said today. “In a personal address, the first lady will discuss her upbringing, and the significance of being part of the first generation in her family to graduate from college,” a White House source told theGrio. “She will also encourage the graduates to continue to serve their communities, embrace the challenges ahead of them, and strive to fulfill their ambitious goals.” Last year, the first lady addressed the graduating class at another…