looks angry. and i have to say, there's some validity to that. she looks like an angry woman. >> reporter: it even surfaced on a magazine cover, "the new yorker," which showed her as an afro-wearing first lady, a gun over her shoulder. >> black women connected with what exactly was going on with her. we've all been through it. she's not unique. and i love that she's talking about it. and, you know, it's probably never going to go away. >> reporter: according to the book, the first african-american couple to occupy the white house was acutely aware of their role in history. and that all eyes would be on them. changing stereotypes was part of why the obamas had run in the first place. >> how do you deal with that image? >> i just try to be me. and my hope is that over time, people get to know me. >> uh-huh. >> and they get to judge me for me. >> reporter: and as the first lady's popularity exceeds her own husband's, we'll be seeing a lot more of her. >> the president of the united states, barack obama. >> reporter: as she tries to help the president win a second term. even with all of this talk about life in the white house, the