Peggy Noonan misses the old Michelle Obama, the 'beautiful' one

Michelle Obama has been on a media tour (plus a pause to present an Oscar award) the last two weeks promoting her "Let's Move!" health campaign.

The Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan doesnt' like it. Not one bit. In her column today, she even sounds a little scared:

Michelle Obama is omnipresent—dancing with Jimmy Fallon, chatting with Rachel Ray, on "Good Morning America" talking about the kids and another show talking about the bangs. On ABC she accidentally said something factually incorrect, and they thoughtfully edited it out. Mrs. Obama's presence reached its zenith, one hopes, Sunday night at the Academy Awards when she came on, goofily star-struck military personnel arrayed in dress uniforms behind her, to announce the Best Picture award. It was startling and, as she gave her benediction—the movies "lift our spirits, broaden our minds, transport us to places we can never imagine"—even in a way disquieting.

... It seemed to me an expression of this White House's lack of hesitation to insert itself into any cultural event anywhere. And this in a 50-50 nation, a divided nation that in its entertainments seeks safety from the encroachments of politics, and the political.

"I miss Michelle Obama's early years," Noonan says, "when she was... beautiful, a little awkward, maybe a little ambivalent about her new role, as a sane person would be. Now she is glamorous, a star, and like all stars assumes our fascination."

When asked yesterday about critics of her appearance at the Academy Awards (via satellite from the White House) Obama said she doesn't "think about that stuff"