(CNN) - Michelle Obama and Ann Romney's dresses drew attention at Tuesday's presidential debate first for their color, and second for the statement they may have made.
While their husbands clashed spectacularly onstage, Obama's and Romney's dresses bore more in common than one might expect of people with their two last names.
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Both showed up in vibrant pink - which is the color of the breast cancer awareness effort, and October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
President Barack Obama may have been in on the occasion, too. His suit was black, shirt was white, and tie was red, but tucked up his right sleeve was a pink wristband. He wore the wristband at a campaign event on Wednesday, and in early October, issued a proclamation saying in October "we honor those we have lost, lend our strength to those who carry on the fight, and pledge to educate ourselves and our loved ones about this tragic disease."
Michelle Obama wore her knee and sleeved length pink dress with a matching pink jacket and a pearl necklace. An Obama campaign official said the color was in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Ann Romney topped her short-sleeved dress with an emerald necklace. She is a survivor of early stage breast cancer.
A spokeswoman for Romney's campaign did not return CNN's request for comment on whether Ann Romney's wardrobe selections were a nod to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
But some on social media weighed in regardless.
Anisa Cottrell Willis wrote on Facebook, "Among the scandals of last night....the First Lady and Ms Romney in the exact same color Barbie pink dresses."
If you guys didn't notice. #Obama had a #breastcancer awareness bracelet on. You could hardly see it.But I did lol. Support cancer victims
—
Ivan Soto (@cheIvan91) October 17, 2012Will the two spouses sport similar shades in the same room again? They'll have an opportunity next Monday, at the third presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida.
– CNN's Kevin Liptak and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
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lol I thought this article was going to be why MITT's wives wore the same shade.
Good to see the ladies in pink. One or both could have emerged as winners if they could have thought of donating to Breast Cancer Sufferers. Actions speak more than words. Wearing was words BUT donation could have meant taking action.
Mitt wore pink boxers. Obama wears briefs...he doesn't need as much room.
LOL – – - >whew< What an article – talking about what they wear . LOL – - – Well, to be perfectly honest, Both of the wives are good looking women. But one of them is a "trickle down" or "top down" type of gal, compared to the other one, who is a "middle out" or "bottom up" type of gal.
Truth is : they are BOTH good hearted women, and Family oriented.
What else can you say ?
May the Best Man Win – 2012
Why is this a big deal? The dudes wore almost identical outfits...dark (black?) suits, white shirts and black shoes.
Let's see, Anne wore pink to celebrate her support and success with beating breast cancer.
Michele wore pink to score some points.
Well both ladies had on pink, however First Lady Michelle Obama look a million times better than that stone face ann romney, she just look mean and down her nose at people all the time, I guess the little princess cant help it since she is pampered and cared for by many.
@Dean, I think you might have that backwards. Mitt wears the briefs and the POTUS wears boxers. Here's a little info for you. The majority of black males, including little boys, refuse to wear briefs. Here's another little tip for you, most skinny black guys are packing the punch. LMAO.
Thanks for the laugh this morning......
Both look fine, will say though that Anne looks like an ice queen...BRRRRR it gets cold when she appears. Must be her real heart.
Lets go easy on the 1st lady and soon to be 1st lady. They are both promoting a worthy cause and I thank them both.
What the ladies wore is far less important than what their spouses had to say.
As a volunteer for the American Cancer Society, I'm glad to know that breast cancer awareness is the reason both ladies wore pink.
Romney's wife wore pink for Breast Cancer Awareness month while her husband and the GOT continue to advocate a willingness to slash alll funding for early detection breast cancer screening. Hypocrisy hypocrisy hypocrisy.
There are thousands of American women across this country who have breast cancer or are survivors of breast cancer and many of them fall into the 47% category Mitt Romney called moochers and victims looking for handouts and free stuff from the government. Some of them have lost their homes because treatment for kimo and other forms of cancer treatment costs tens of thousands of dollars. And of course, Mitt the millionaire Romney has vowed to repeal the ACA if elected. Yes, this elitist hypocrit don't care about the 47% and he don't even care about the middle class republicans who are supporting him. But go ahead and vote for Romney since you hate the black guy so much.
@Critical Thinking – are you suggesting only people who have beaten breast cancer can wear pink?
I dont think either of theses women called the other to see what they were going to be wearing that night, but Mrs.Obama usually looks good in anything she wears.
Thanks for explaining that. I kinda THOUGHT is was National Breast Cancer Month when all those NFL players showed up in pink...
What's so sad is you stupid people forget that Ann had breast cancer and Michelle is just wearing pink.
I would bet that Ann has donated more money to breast cancer than Michelle and all of her friends combined.
Why don't you just stop all the hate and understand Obama and Michelle was not poor they came from good families with good jobs and plenty of Government money.
@Middle Class Independent Swing State Voter
Lets lay off the candidates wives and stick to the real issues please. I'm an Obama supporter and I think both ladies looked lovely last night. Next topic....
I agree with you 100% ,
Thanks
@Critical Thinking: "Let's see, Anne wore pink to celebrate her support and success with beating breast cancer.
Michele wore pink to score some points."
The fact that you misspelled both women's names speaks volumes about your "critical thinking" ...
Critical Thinking
Let's see, Anne wore pink to celebrate her support and success with beating breast cancer.
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Actually, the color for breast cancer SURVIVORS is purple.
This is news?????? Who cares what color their dresses were. Must have been a slow news day for your staffers. The real news is that Candi lost control of her debate and allowed Mitty to be disrespectful of the office of the Presidency.
Ann Romney is a breast cancer surviver, why the need to say "first stage", believe me when you are told you have cancer, stages are not what you are thinking about – get your head out of Obama's behind and start reporting without spin,
BTW both women looked beautiful.
Ed1
What's so sad is you stupid people forget that Ann had breast cancer and Michelle is just wearing pink.
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Wow Ed, childish and petty much?
I would bet that Ann has donated more money to breast cancer than Michelle and all of her friends combined.
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Well, she's got more money than half of the state of Illinois so it isn't much of a stretch to presume such a thing. Thay being said, that you judge a person based on their wealth or lack thereof speaks volumes about you, and none of it good.
To Blah, Blah Blah the wheel's off your trailer.
Agree with you on the hypocrasy statement. Mitt cared when his "woman" got cancer and would have done anything to ensure her return to health, but obviously his concern does not apply to women who are not his.