A New York Times op-ed today verges on self-parody, as the biggest cheerleader for Michelle Obama, graphics editor Charles Blow, expresses his adoration for the First lady. He has enough sense to begin with the words, "Forgive me in advance for fawning..." and lives up to the billing:

... the first lady [is] utterly unencumbered by convention. She seems to feel free - free enough to loosen up and laugh a little, free enough to let her inner child peek through the veil of parenthood, free enough to be herself.

I couldn't imagine recent first ladies jumping a puddle on the sidewalk, let alone two ropes swinging at the same time in opposite directions. So, on behalf of New York City, the so-called double Dutch capital of the world (so much so that this year it became a varsity sport in the city's schools), allow me to say: Well played.

She is served by twenty-six attendants, including a hair dresser and make-up artist.

The annual cost to taxpayers for such unprecedented attention is approximately $1,750,000 without taking into account the expense of the lavish benefit packages afforded to every attendant.

Little did American voters realize the call for "change"  would result in the establishment of an Obama oligarchy.

The discovery of the additional attendants was made by D'Angelo Gore of factcheck.org and by calls to Katie McCormick Lelyyeld, Michelle Obama's press secretary.