The Secret Socialites
Of course, the strategy is modeled on the Reagans' incredibly effective wooing of Beltway elites. But the Reagans -- Mrs. Reagan especially -- had to take a lot of hits in the press for hanging around with assorted high-fliers.
In contrast, the press dutifully reported on Michelle Obama's repeated assertions about how important it is to make The White House "more accessible" to regular people (a "working man's White House," as it were) -- an image quite in contrast to the Obamas' courtship of glossy luxury magazines and the like.
For my part, I couldn't care less whom the Obamas care to pursue socially. But the Washington Times piece is another indicator of how much the press is willing to assist the Obamas, to some degree, in presenting a false portrait of who they are and what they are doing.
Kind of like this.