Poll: First lady retains high popularity rating

{mosads}Clinton and Michelle Obama were able to post such high numbers by drawing support from more than twice as many Republicans as President Obama. Michelle’s numbers remain virtually unchanged from a similar survey ahead of the 2010 elections.

The first lady joked about her popularity Tuesday night during an interview on “The Daily Show.” Host Jon Stewart, riffing on the first lady’s new cookbook to promote healthy eating, said her poll numbers were only rivaled by “ice cream” among Americans.

“You exaggerate,” Obama replied, before joking that her husband was more like “vegetables” by comparison.

But Obama insisted she never interjected personal popularity into domestic quarrels.

“No, I don’t wield it over him,” Obama said. “The truth is, one of the things I’ve seen over the last three and a half years is, I’ve seen what it takes to be president. I kind of watch this thing pretty closely.”