They were good girls deeply involved in student government and in decorating the gym for high school dances. They did their homework on time and got good grades, and they all remember Hillary Rodham standing out as the most organised kid in homeroom, writes Nina Burleigh

IN October, US first lady Michelle Obama said she wasn’t thinking about what she might do in the future.

With polls suggesting women voters were shifting their support to Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama made an aggressive pitch to them yesterday that yielded awkward moments for the Republican and a new catchphrase on social media.