New Videos: Michelle Obama Answers Questions About The Let's Move! Campaign

First Lady takes to social media to boost participation in her childhood obesity initiative...
UPDATE, Oct. 17: More videos, below
Following yesterday's 15-second video greeting for Twitter followers from First Lady Obama, the White House today released a video in which Mrs. Obama explains how to get involved with the Let's Move! campaign. It's the first in a series.

"First Lady Michelle Obama sat down to answer questions from the Let's Move! online audience," notes the description that accompanies the video. It's the third video in a series created to utilize Twitter and Facebook to get the message out about the childhood obesity initiative.

Onscreen, Mrs. Obama talks about her Kitchen Garden, Let's Move Faith and Communities, the PALA Challenge, and other initiatives that citizens can participate in. Take action locally, Mrs. Obama says. Plant a garden--even if it's a container garden, or a rooftop garden.

"I encourage you to think about what's happening locally in your community," Mrs. Obama says. "Because one size doesn't fit all."



On Oct. 4, the White House announced that Twitter and Facebook followers could query Mrs. Obama about the Let's Move! campaign, using the hashtag #AskMichelle. Mrs. Obama welcomed 17 @LetsMove Twitter followers o the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup, which took place on Oct. 5, during the 2011 Fall Harvest of her Kitchen Garden. The White House released a 24-second video featuring Mrs. Obama giving her fans a shout-out at the start of the Harvest event.

UPDATE, Oct. 17: White House releases  More Let's Move! videos:

In the first new video, Mrs. Obama discusses her workout routine and the music she listens to to get moving: Beyonce is a favorite, she says. Beyonce has offered huge support to the Let's Move! campaign.



"You may not be as fanatical about working out as me and the President, but you can work out a few days a week," Mrs. Obama says.

In another new video, Mrs. Obama discusses how to stay active in cold climates.

First Lady Obama Makes Second Twitter Video

Critics are utilizing the #AskMichelle hashtag...
The White House has released a 15-second video that features First Lady Obama saying "hello" to followers of the @Letsmove Twitter account, and thanking them for their tweets. A similar video was also released for Facebook fans. On Oct. 4, the White House announced that Twitter and Facebook followers could query Mrs. Obama about the Let's Move! campaign, using the hashtag #AskMichelle. Mrs. Obama has not yet responded to any questions, but the new video sets the record for shortest video released by the White House, beating the 24-second video the White House released on Oct. 6.

That video featured the First Lady greeting the 17 Twitter followers invited to the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup, which took place on Oct. 5, during the 2011 Fall Harvest of Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden. #AskMichelle is actually getting negative response on Twitter, being tweet-mobbed by Mrs. Obama's critics. Some examples:

"#AskMichelle Moochie, what burns more calories? Doin' the Dougie or butting in to the nation's refrigerators? #Ask Michelle"
"
"#AskMichelle Is there anything that you consider to be wretched excess and/or sanctimonious hypocrisy?"

"#AskMichelle Give us a fucking break. Would ya? Btw, can't wait til ur XL ass is evicted."

"#AskMichelle Has a New Goal In Life To Break Guinness World Record For Number Of Ppl Doing Jumping Jacks. How much is that gonna cost Us?"

"#AskMichelle @letsmove You may be doing jumping jacks now, but I'll be doing cartwheels when you're gone from the Whitehouse. #obama2012"

Michelle Obama Greets Twitter Followers

The White House today released a 23-second clip of First Lady Obama welcoming the seventeen guests invited to participate in the Let's Move! Tweetup held during Wednesday's 2011 Fall Harvest of the Kitchen Garden.

"We've got some “Let's Move” Twitter fans that are here," Mrs. Obama said. "Twitter fans in the house. Woo! You guys ready? Got your thumbs ready?"

The event was a first for the Let's Move! campaign, which had 13,875 Twitter followers on Wednesday.

The guests--12 women and 5 men--were selected from "hundreds of applicants" who follow @LetsMove, the East Wing told Obama Foodorama. The First Lady's "thumbs ready" comment didn't quite become a trending topic, but just about everyone in the Twitter Greek Chorus tweeted it, including @Letsmove.

Mrs. Obama, the White House promised on Tuesday, will soon be answering questions on Twitter, with the hashtag #AskMichelle. Unlike @BarackObama, who has more than ten million followers, the First Lady does not have her "own" Twitter account. @LetsMove "is managed by" the White House Office of Digital Strategy, according to the East Wing.

The Twitter Greek Chorus live-tweeted their meetings with members of Mrs. Obama's team, including Charlie Brandts by the beehive, Executive Chef Cris Comerford in the kitchen, Let's Move! chief Dr. Judy Palfrey's gardenside briefing, and a garden tour with Kass before watching Mrs. Obama and student helpers harvest the Kitchen Garden. (Above: The group; the White House released the photo without id's)

The White House has been hosting Tweetups since President Obama first had a Twitter Town Hall in July.

*Photo tweeted by @LetsMove

Beekeeper Meets Let's Move! Tweetup Guests

White House Beekeeper Charlie Brandts (above, in the spiffy shades) gave the 17 folks invited to today's first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup some lessons on the importance of pollinators before First Lady Obama arrived at the Kitchen Garden for the Fall Harvest.

The Obamas' beehive is the first to ever be on the White House campus, and sits beside the Kitchen Garden. It was installed at the request of Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass, Brandts told the gang. A White House carpenter for more than three decades and home beekeeper, Brandts built and installed the hive in 2009, and has been in charge of it since. This year it produced a whopping 240-plus pounds of honey.

Brandts also told the gang that the honey is used in the White House kitchen for everything from everyday meals to State Dinners, and explained that the President and Mrs. Obama have included the honey in their Diplomatic Gifts, most recently as part of an elaborate garden gift for HRH Prince Charles of Wales. The honey also now stars in the homebrewed beer the White House chefs have been making since January of 2011. The homebrewing is also first for any Presidential administration. (Above: A label detail from a bottle of White House beer; it reads "Brewed With White House Honey")

The Tweetup guests also visited the White House kitchen with Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and toured the garden with Kass. They watched Mrs. Obama and her kid helpers harvest and then enjoy Grilled Garden Pizza during a garden-side picnic.

The Tweetup guests--five men and 12 women--were selected "from hundreds of applicants" who follow the @Letsmove account, according to Hannah August, the First Lady's Press Secretary. The account has 13,875 followers as of this writing, and is written by staff. (Above: The group; the White House released the photo without id's)

Mrs. Obama will answer questions about her childhood obesity efforts on Twitter "in the coming days," the White House promised on Tuesday, with the hashtag #AskMichelle.

*Group photos were tweeted during the event by @Letsmove; second by Pete Souza/White House

First Lady's Kitchen Garden Harvest: White House Livestream At 3:00 PM ET

When First Lady Obama harvests her Kitchen Garden for Fall this afternoon, it will be livestreamed at wh.gov/live starting at 3:00 PM ET. The event will also include the first-ever Let's Move! White House Tweetup.

Eighteen people are participating, an East Wing aide informs Obama Foodorama (up from Tuesday's announcement of 15 people). The group has just arrived at the White House, and are touring the Kitchen Garden with Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass. (Above: Kass leading the group on the tour)

The group will also be preparing "a healthy meal" in the White House kitchen with Executive Chef Cris Comerford, and visiting the beehive with Beekeeper-in-Chief Charlie Brandts. The group will also have a conversation with Let’s Move Executive Director Dr. Judith Palfrey and Jocelyn Frye, Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady.

The group of Twitter users who have already started tweeting include: @rshreeves @patchesmagarro @katekatebear @Prevent_Obesity @ificmedia @phillyfoodforthought @susaw @dcdiners @goGIRLglobal @Kaboom

Follow @letsmove, @ObamaFoodorama and use the hashtage #WHTweetup. Have a question for Mrs. Obama about her campaign? She'll be answering some Qs on Twitter and Facebook in the coming days. Use #AskMichelle and send to @Letsmove.

*Photo by @dcdiners

Got Questions About The Let's Move! Campaign? #AskMichelle!

White House promises that First Lady will respond to citizens' questions on Twitter & Facebook...
UPDATE, Oct. 14: Mrs. Obama answers questions via video
The White House announced this morning on Twitter and on the blog that First Lady Obama will be answering questions about her Let's Move! campaign on the @LetsMove account, and on Facebook, and at White House.gov.

"Do you have a question about Let's Move!, the First Lady's initiative to end childhood obesity?" wrote Sara Bernard. "Ask it on WhiteHouse.gov, Facebook or on Twitter with the hashtag #AskMichelle and the First Lady will answer a few in the coming days."

No time frame was given for Mrs. Obama's response.

Mrs. Obama will host the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 5th, during the third annual Fall Harvest of her Kitchen Garden. Fifteen people have been selected to participate. Unlike President Obama, Mrs. Obama does not have her own Twitter account. The @LetsMove account is written by staffers. The account has 13,855 followers. Update: 17 people participated.


*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama