Mrs. Obama stays course in home stretch

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Michelle Obama is no longer considered by her husband's campaign commanders to be a potential source of unpredictable comments in the U.S. presidential race.

The New York Times said Tuesday that months on the campaign trail has honed Mrs. Obama into an effective and disciplined asset who is being deployed to key battleground states as Election Day looms.

"I think she learned from experience that in this business, you have to be very precise with your words so people don't misinterpret them," said Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod. "That's part of the learning experience."

Mrs. Obama stirred up some controversy earlier in the race by giving her hubby a "fist bump" and saying during one speech that she was proud of America for the "first time."

The Times noted that along with sticking to the script more rigorously, Mrs. Obama's campaign schedule has been more limited than most candidates' wives in recent elections.