Happy Inauguration Day, girlfriends! One reason we’re so excited about our incoming First Family is that the new First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, recognizes the power of female friendship. That’s right: In addition to being strong, beautiful, a great mom and a loving wife, she makes time for her girlfriends! A Chicago Tribune article by Dahleen Glanton (”The White House’s Working Mom,” November 6, 2008) says Michelle Obama will rely on girlfriend connections as she makes the transition to the White House.

“Like First Lady Laura Bush, Obama has surrounded herself with a small circle of girlfriends [bold ours]—doctors, lawyers and businesswomen who not only provide a support system but also keep her grounded. And like Bush, who still takes yearly vacations to a national park with her girlfriends, Obama will likely maintain those close bonds when she moves into the White House.” The article says that Obama counted on her girlfriends to help her out with child care during the campaign. Many of us can relate!

The Chicago Sun-Times also reported on Michelle Obama’s friendships. This column by Mary Mitchell  quotes Michelle Obama’s friend of 18 years, Yvonne Davila. The article reads, “During the long campaign, Michelle Obama would often hold round-table discussions with women to talk about her husband’s campaign. ‘Some of what she had been doing with her girlfriends, she took on the road,’ Davila said. ‘She’s going to be an amazing first lady.’” Obama’s Chicago girlfriends are going to miss her, and certainly she’ll miss having them nearby. But happily for her, she seems to have found a kindred spirit in Jill Biden, the wife of new Vice President Joe Biden.

In an Access Hollywood interview (see the video here), Michelle Obama and Jill Biden mention how difficult it is for women to form friendships. We loved hearing them acknowledge what our readers already know: It’s tough for busy women to make and keep female friends! They also talk about how, after spending a week together, they had a “magical moment” in which “we just clicked.” Watch it! You’ll be heartened, as we were, by the thought of these girlfriends facing newfound challenges together as they adjust to life in the White House. Will they have girls night in their new digs? We imagine that they will! (And we’d be happy to plan all the details—just sayin’!) We hope that they’ll continue to bring positive attention to the importance of female friendship.

So hip-hip-hurray for us all, American girls. Michelle Obama is an inspiring role model for many reasons. Now we can add “being a dedicated girlfriend” to the list. 

Photo by DianthusMoon via Flickr