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 Girls Sleeveless Dress Michelle Obama aced daytime TV's First Lady test Wednesday with fist-bumpingflair and an off-the-rack dress - charming the leading ladies ofABC's "The View" and their audience. As a special guest co-host for the popular gabfest, Obama managedto defend her patriotism, chronicle her hardscrabble beginnings andsalute Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush - all while chatting cheerfully about the horrors of pantyhose andher love of bacon. Even her sleeveless black-and-white dress drew rave reviews. The Manhattan outpost of the brand, White House Black Market , reported an immediate spike in requests for the $148 leaf-printfrock at its Fifth Ave. store the moment the show went off the air.(It's also on the designer's Web site, DonnaRicco.com , for $99.) The tour de force appearance, balancing serious political issueswith the show's more frothy fare, helped soften the Chicago native's reputation, marking the first step in the Obamacampaign's new effort to reshape her national image. Adele Hammerman , 70, a retired teacher from Baltimore who attended the taping, said Obama impressed her. "I've heard people say they didn't like her, that she seemedhaughty," she said. "After seeing her, I didn't think that's thecase at all. She's poised." After greeting her co-hosts with her signature fist-bump from Barack Obama 's nomination-clinching celebration - "that's the new high-five,"she explained - she addressed ongoing chatter that she'sunpatriotic. "Just let me tell you: Of course, I'm proud of my country," Obamadeclared. "I am proud of my country without a doubt." Last winter, Obama sparked controversy when she told voters, "Forthe first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of mycountry." She explained Wednesday: "What I was talking about was having apride in the political process. People are just engaged in thiselection in a way that we haven't seen in a long time." Obama said she was touched by Laura Bush's recent commentsdefending her remarks. She praised the First Lady's "calm,rational" approach to issues, saying, "I'm taking some cues." GOP candidate John McCain 's wife, Cindy, was less forgiving. "Everyone has their ownexperience. I don't know why she said what she said. All I know isthat I have always been proud of my country," she said on a " Good Morning America " segment that airs Thursday. Obama conceded that unlike her husband, whose temperament is steadyand cool, she wears her heart on her sleeve and oozes a "level ofpassion" that could be a political risk. The more the public getsto know her, "it will become clear who I am and what I care about,"she said. When asked if she thought there was sexism in media coverage ofHillary Clinton's campaign, Obama replied, "Yes." "People aren't used to strong women," said Obama, who months agobristled at the idea she would automatically support Clinton if shewon the nomination. Obama echoed the concession speech in which the New York senator said she had created 18 million cracks in the world'shighest glass ceiling. "We need to keep pushing it and pushing it," she said, referring tothat ceiling, "because it's only until women like her step out,take the risk, take those hits - and it's painful and it's hurtful- but she's taken them so that my girls, when they come along, theywon't have to feel it as badly." On the lighter notes, Obama shined. "I stopped wearing pantyhose a long time ago because it waspainful," she noted. "And they always ripped." She admitted her husband no longer takes the garbage out, andthey're both apparently fond of bacon. About her dress, Obama confessed, "It's fun to look pretty." "I got this dress at this store that's, it's all black-and-whitestuff," she said. "You just put a little pin on it, and you've gotsomething going on." Bill Geddie, the show's executive producer, offered high praise,saying if her husband doesn't win the White House , someone should give her a talk show.