A recent blog in the Washington Post started by journalist Sally Quinn quoted Michelle Obama, who said that her new role was to be “Mother-in-Chief.” Apparently some feminists criticized this as a cop out for a lawyer as talented as Mrs. Obama. But like Sally Quinn, I’m all for the Mother-in-Chief role. After all, being “Mother-in-Chief” of the first black family in the White House and protecting her daughters’ and husband’s health and best interests is going to be a full time job. What happens to all of them in the next four years will affect their health and well being for the rest of their lives. And they’re going to need all the mothering they can get! Talk about living in a fish bowl.

I had the privilege of hearing Michelle Obama speak on a panel of potential first ladies that was moderated by Maria Shriver at the California Women’s Conference in the fall of 2007. Michelle was, hands down, my favorite of all of the candidate’s wives. I was struck by how solid and real she was—and funny. When Maria asked what her children thought about her husband’s candidacy, she said, “They don’t care what he does. As long as they can get a dog.” I’ve never forgotten the humanity in that statement.

And to those so-called feminists who object to the role of motherhood, let me say this. The point of feminism is to be able to choose what you do with your life, be it a high- powered career, motherhood, a combination, or something else entirely. It’s the idea that the roles that were once looked down on and labeled women’s work are just as important as the jobs traditionally held by men. As far as I’m concerned there’s nothing more important than being a mother, a role which is, hands down, the toughest job on the planet. So there!