Excessive coolness and pop culture appeal alone won’t carry Sen. Barack Obama to the White House, but it certainly never hurt anyone.

Witness the cover of the new Us Weekly.

Up there with The Hills’ Lauren Conrad, the pregnant Angelina Jolie and scandalous Linda Hogan is … America’s potential next First Lady!

Michelle Obama, who hosted The View yesterday, has been a lightning rod for controversy throughout the campaign. But she also holds youthful charisma, intelligence and wit that many Americans identify with and gravitate to.

Really, what’s not to love about Michelle Obama?

Growing up on Chicago’s working class South Side, she excelled at Princeton and Harvard Law and now, like mothers everywhere, focuses on keeping romance alive, as well as the difficult balancing act of her career and family.

The Obamas. They’re just like us! Okay, maybe not. But better them on the Us Weekly cover than the opposition. You don’t see John and Cindy McCain getting free publicity like this, do you? No, except when she steals recipes.