CONCORD, N.H. -- Michelle Obama is standing on a low stage under a hot and hazy sun, wearing a black top, black lacey skirt and pearls. About 150 people are sprawled on the grass in front of her. They are wearing shorts and t-shirts. Toddlers are toddling around, dogs are rolling in the grass, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the expectations are low.

That is because Michelle Obama is a surrogate, and by definition, surrogates are not the real deal. They are stand-ins, substitutes, second-stringers. They represent the candidate, but nobody expects them to be nearly as good as the candidate.

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