Is this serious news, or a joke?

POLITICO Breaking News:
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First lady Michelle Obama and second lady Jill Biden made a surprise visit to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, taking a helicopter tour of the earthquake-ravaged city. In a statement to the pool, the administration said the visit was intended to "underscore … the enduring U.S. commitment to help Haiti recover and rebuild."
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"Second lady" - say WHAT??!! I have followed politics and government for a long time and never read/heard this term.

And, seriously, does a helicopter "tour" "underscore" any kind of commitment to anything/anyone?  How'd that work out for Bush re Katrina?  This is not change I can believe in.