Clinton first headed the list in 1993 as the new first lady in the White House.

And she remained highly admired as first lady throughout the public and private turmoils of her husband’s two terms, then as a senator from New York and now as the nation’s 67th secretary of State, only the third woman to hold the post.

All this despite  — or actually perhaps because of — her brutal, toe-to-toe, sometimes bitter Democratic presidential primary contests against Barack Obama in 2008.

What is surprising is the nose dive that Oprah and Michelle Obama took. Oprah got 8% and the FLOTUS just 7%. Oprah topped the poll in 2007 with 16% of the poll. Is the era of Oprah is finally ending?

Oprah hasn’t been in the news as much as Clinton or Palin, but Mrs. O has. Is the FLOTUS could be seeing a reaction to the over-the-top coverage and lavish lifestyle she’s enjoyed this year. By my count, she’s graced the cover of around different magazines this year, everything from Vogue to Prevention.  She’s certainly been in the public eye, yet Rasmussen reported this week that her approval ratings are down from a high of 67% to 55% (via Top of the Ticket).

Now approval polls for a First Lady are largely pointless since she doesn’t run for office, but they do reflect how the Americans feel about the “heart” of the presidency. The role of the First Lady has been dramatically different over the years. Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton took on higher profile roles than Laura Bush or Nancy Reagan. Michelle Obama seems to be striking a balance between Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush.

This doesn’t mean that the office of the First Lady isn’t powerful. The issues she champions recieve a tremendous amount of media attention. However, is she championing the right issues or is she using the right methods to raise awareness? Her efforts to get Americans to eat healthier and get more exercise are admirable, but growing an organic garden comes across as elitist to many. “Organic”, “renewable” and “green” are very charged words, and I write this a Crunchy Conservative who supports those efforts.  Staging a hula-hooping photo-op makes her look silly regardless of the cause or situation. She’s also had a number of fashion faux pas that I’ve covered here that Laura Bush never encountered.