AS BARACK Obama, his wife and daughters strode out before an adoring Chicago crowd on election night, one thing was abundantly clear: the new first family will bring a vitality, charm and sense of style the White House hasn't seen since the Kennedys took up residence there almost half a century ago.
Admittedly, the black scoop-neck Narciso Rodriguez dress Michelle chose for the occasion was not the most flattering outfit she had worn in the long campaign. But still, oozing energy, charisma and poise, the Obamas could not help but invoke the spir
it of Camelot.
It is traditional for Democratic contenders to lay claim to the party's lost leader in their bid for the presidency, but none has seemed such a natural heir to JFK. Like him, Obama is good-looking, a political outsider beloved of the left-wing intelligentsia; he also promises a breath of fresh air to a jaded nation. Also like his predecessor, Obama's success owes much to the large number of actors, authors and musicians who came out in support of his candidacy.
It wasn't just Democrat stalwarts such as Barbra Streisand, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, or prominent black campaigners like Oprah Winfrey, who joined the Obama bandwagon. A new generation of stars hopped on board too: George Clooney, Natalie Portman, Sarah Jessica Parker and Jennifer Aniston all raised funds; Brad Pitt was at the victory celebrations in Grant Park, Chicago; Courtney Cox and David Arquette held an election night party in their home in Beverly Hills.
Last week Motion Picture Association of America chairman Dan Glickman told Variety magazine: "There are some parallels to when John F Kennedy came to town and there were big, social relations between Hollywood and Washington."
Beyond Tinseltown, musicians Pete Wentz, Jay-Z and Sean 'Diddy' Combs attracted younger people into the polling booths. And, like Kennedy before him, Obama was feted by more intellectual types too: authors formed support groups; two Nobel prize winners were said to be advising him on scientific issues, while 65 others wrote an open letter saying they were convinced he was a visionary leader who could "ensure the future of our traditional strengths in science".
Then there's Mrs Obama, who has already been nicknamed 'Michelle O' in honour of Kennedy's widow, Jackie Onassis. Her distinctive, cutting-edge style (she has worn outfits by up and coming designers as well as off the rack pieces) has already made her a fashion queen, with women's magazines competing to get her on their front pages. And like her predecessor – who dazzled Nikita Khrushchev – Michelle, who has already said she will give up her highly paid hospital management job to become "Mom-in-Chief", is likely to be the perfect hostess.
Certainly, the Obamas are a more outgoing couple than the Bushes and will probably host their fair share of social events. His inaugural celebrations look set to be a star-studded affair, with celebrities rewarded for all their support and fund-raising efforts. There have been rumours too that Obama is preparing to offer Caroline and Robert F Kennedy junior roles in his new administration, with Caroline mooted as ambassador to the UN, and Robert to head up the Environmental Protection Agency.
Yet the problem with rekindling the myth of Camelot is that it has negative as well as positive connotations. At a time when the US is leading the world into recession, will Obama really want to hark back to an era of glitzy white tie dinners and celebrity love-ins which bears no resemblance to ordinary people's lives today? Or will he prefer to be seen as a man prepared to roll up his sleeves?
Many believe Obama will have studied Bill Clinton's presidency and want to shy away from presenting himself as interested only in rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. Already there are some signs he is trying to distance himself from the A-listers.
Michelle Obama has even attempted to play down the Kennedy legacy, saying: "Camelot, to me, doesn't work. It was a fairytale that turned out not to be completely true, because no one can live up to that. And I don't want to live like that."
What's in a name, or breed? A lot, judging by the speculation over the type of puppy Obama will buy his daughters.
The first family favours a dog from a rescue centre, with Obama declaring most rescue dogs are "mutts like me". The may opt for a hypoallergenic dog – important as his daughter Malia suffers from allergies. The children are thought to favour a goldendoodle (a poodle crossed with a golden retriever), a labradoodle (a cross between a Labrador and a poodle) or a cockapoo (cocker spaniel/poodle).
The new White House crowd? Rapper SEAN "DIDDY" COMBS was a familiar face during the campaign, performing at rallies to get out the young vote.
Sex And The City star SARAH JESSICA PARKER wowed voters over the phone from the Democrats' New York HQ.
JENNIFER ANISTON was one of several big name donors to Obama's campaign, helping him clinch the Democrat nomination.
OPRAH WINFREY was in the spotlight throughout and danced during the all night victory celebrations in Chicago.
