Every year, Family Circle magazine has a cookie-off among the potential first spouses’ recipes, and the vote often goes the same way as general election. In 2004, Teresa Heinz Kerry’s pumpkin spice cookies lost to Laura Bush’s oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies; in 2000, Laura’s Texas Governor’s Mansion Cowboy cookies beat Tipper Gore’s ginger snaps; and Hilary Clinton’s chocolate cookies beat Barbara Bush and Elizabeth Dole in the 1992 and 1996 elections. This year, Bill Clinton offers the Clinton family cook’s recipe for oatmeal cookies, Cindy McCain shares her (hopefully not plagiarized) recipe for oatmeal-butterscotch cookies, and Michelle Obama divulges the recipe for her children’s godmother Mama Kaye’s shortbread cookies. If Bill wins, does that put Hillary back in the running? [AFP]

UPDATE: It appears Bill Clinton’s recipe was stolen from Betty Crocker. Is nothing sacred? [Huffington Post]

With all the hullabaloo over Barack and Michelle Obama’s much watched fist-bump on Tuesday, we started thinking about how it compared to other political public displays of affection. Who could forget the never-ending kiss at the Democratic National Convention between Al and Tipper Gore? Some people are still holding back their lunch. Republican Presidential nominee John McCain has a PDA pattern of his own—at every rally he make sure to thank wife, Cindy, then gives her a polite kiss on the cheek. For others, as well as another photo of that fist-bump (we couldn’t resist), click after the jump…

So to preface this post, I want to make sure to convey that a woman’s style (or man’s style for that matter) or lack there of, should never be a topic covered by political pundits. It was mega annoying to hear Chris Matthews and the gang analyze Hillary Clinton’s blazers in the same breath that they discussed her health care policy. Though Michelle Obama isn’t running for office, we couldn’t help but notice she’s got some serious style that definitely brings to mind Jackie Kennedy’s fierceness. When she fist-bumped Barack on Tuesday (a moment which made me think these two probably have a vibrant sex life and frankly also made me salivate a little), I was like, “Damn, is she wearing a studded belt?” I’m sorry, but that is just cool. So, with that in mind, I decided to see what other fashion inspirations come courtesy of the possible future First Lady. Three looks, and how to get them, after the jump…

Barack Obama basically clinched the Democratic nomination for President last night and before he gave his monumental speech (he’s the first African-American to ever win the nomination for President of the United States), he and his insanely awesome, hot, purple-clad wife Michelle (we told you purple was on the up-and-up!) shared a fist bump. For some reason, this made me squeal in delight. I never realized how romantic and respectful and mutually appreciative and loving a frat-tastic fist bump could be. Could it be the new peck-on-the-cheek?

Politics aside, I think Barack and Michelle Obama are the cutest couple on the campaign trail (though John and Elizabeth Edwards were pretty sweet too)—here’s a video clip of Michelle describing how and why she fell for the Presidential candidate. It’s nice to see that even in the middle of a tough campaign, with all that mud-slinging and sleepless hours on the road, a couple like them still seems so in love. [You Tube]