With a new role as First Lady on the cards after the November elections, interest in the two women will inevitably continue to grow.
Born in Arizona, Cindy McCain comes from a privileged background. The only child of both her parents' second marriages, she's also heiress to a beer manufacturing fortune. Michelle on the other hand enjoyed a more more modest start to life on the south side of Chicago. And it was ambition and drive which took her to Princeton and delivered a law degree from Harvard.
Cindy, a former cheerleader, studied education at university in California before going on to work with children with learning difficulties. The mum of four - she has three biological children, and adopted a little girl from Mother Theresa's orphanage in Bangladesh in 1991 - is expected to maintain her involvement with non-profit organizations overseas should her husband take over the Oval Office. For lawyer and mum-of-two Michelle key areas of interest are racial equality and unity.
Both stylish, the two women have been showing off undeniably individual approaches in their choice of wardrobe during campaigning. Whereas Republican spouse Cindy adds a confidently alternative spin to the country club chic look, combining sleek silhouettes with skyscraper heels, 44-year-old Michelle has developed a fashion signature of her own, ringing the changes between chic 'power' suits and figure-hugging affairs in primary hues to print summer dresses teamed with flat pumps.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
