First Lady Michelle Obama's Popularity Plummets After Spain Trip

First Lady's Popularity Plummets After Spain Trip

Michelle Obama probably won’t be vacationing in Spain again anytime soon.

The First Lady’s approval rating has plummeted following her highly-criticized, luxurious Mediterranean vacation with her 9-year-old daughter, a new poll finds.

According to the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, just 50% have a positive impression of her — compared to 64% who answered favorably in a similar April 2009 poll.

Michelle Obama returned from the shopping and sightseeing trip on Sunday with daughter Sasha and a few close friends. She has been disparaged by critics and pundits for staying in the ritzy Costa del Sol in a hotel that has rooms costing up to $2,500 per night.

Even though White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the Obamas paid for their personal expenses, Obama has been described as a “modern-day Marie Antoinette” for taking such an expensive trip while so many Americans are pinching pennies.