Quickly reinventing herself as a comedian and tabloid analyst — hey, didn't another former celeb weekly EIC try doing that? — ex-Star chief Bonnie Fuller has plastered copy all over Huffington Post as a concerned mother dishing out advice for celebrity moms. Now, she's a media strategist for what may be the future First Family: "I'm convinced that the marketing and PR experts surrounding the Obamas clued in to the enormous influence that 'celebrities' have had on the American public, particularly women, over the past seven years since the emergence of Us Weekly, Star and other celebrity newsweeklies and the subsequent explosion of celebrity news. And they want to take advantage of the deep affection that Americans have developed for celebrities." Get. Out.

Writes Fuller:

If humanizing celebrities sells magazines and movie tickets, why wouldn't some "Obamas are just like us" stories help make voters feel more familiar and comfortable with the Obamas? After all, it's widely believed that George Bush managed to beat out Al Gore in the 2000 presidential campaign because Americans thought he'd be more fun to share a beer with than with "elitist" Al.

"More than most presidential candidates, the Obamas have to introduce themselves and make sure the American public is comfortable with them. They haven't been on the national stage that long," points out Michael Ferrara, senior VP-marketing for Coty. "And they need to go in short-lead publications like People and Us Weekly — they can't wait another month or two for monthly magazine interviews. They want the American public to understand who they are and who they are as a family immediately."

And it seems to be working:

A recent Associated Press-Yahoo News poll of more than 1,700 adults reported that 52% of Americans would like to invite Barack Obama to their summer barbecue vs. the 45% who would extend the invite to John McCain. So you can argue that the PR/marketing strategy is beginning to work. You could also argue that the strategy is necessary for Obama to win the White House. The same poll reports that as of June, 40% of Americans would elect Obama vs. 39% for McCain if the election were held then.

[...]

A subsequent visit by Michelle to "The View" in a $148 sundress helped enhance her image as an everyday wife and mom. Something that Team Obama clearly needed desperately to do after she was deemed insufficiently and belatedly proud of her country. That AP-Yahoo News poll added urgency to a Michelle perception makeover after it reported that only 30% of Americans viewed her favorably and 35% had an unfavorable viewpoint.

So there you have it: The Obamas are executing a media strategy plan that squarely pegs them as normal Americans who just happen to want to run the country while wearing budget apparel.

Except for the fact that after this People shoot, and that Access Hollywood story, they completely disavowed this entire charade.

Related:

• People’s Presidential Portraits