Imagine being Laura Bush and turning on the television and watching the absolute deluge of sticky-sweet syrup being poured all over Michelle Obama during her European debut as first lady. It is as if every TV reporter was handed a pamphlet of talking points and ordered to compare Mrs. Obama to Jackie Kennedy. NBC's Dawna Friesen gushed: "Though Harvard-educated Michelle Obama has substance, not just style, and that's what sets her apart."

Apart from … whom? Unspoken, but unmistakeable, NBC's saying Michelle has more substance than Laura and more style than Hillary. Everyone expects the press to be polite and gentle with the First Lady, but this is ridiculous. The official "news" media line now is that Michelle is the most smashing and fashionable and intelligent first lady in recent history, maybe ever.

Friesen's embarrassing report set the tone early; it began with five seconds of the Frankie Valli song "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," as in "You're just too good to be true." That would describe the press, in love and going way beyond the truth. Apparently, Michelle's just like heaven to touch. The media want to hold her so much.

Liberals might insist that conservatives are once again protesting that "reality has a liberal bias." After all, left-wing Europeans and the left-wing European press were captivated by Mrs. Obama, and thrilled the Bushes are gone. Even Queen Elizabeth allowed the usual faux pas of Michelle's hand on her back. But American reporters weren't going to let facts be an obstacle to their Obama hosannas. Continued...