Stepping up attacks for the rough-and-tumble presidential campaign, Republicans have set their sights on a new Democratic target: Michelle Obama.

In a preview of what's to come, the media is already questioning whether Michelle Obama will be featured in negative ads by the GOP in an effort to discredit Michelle and her husband, Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, who is challenging Republican Sen. John McCain for the White House.

Fox News has dubbed Michelle as Barack’s "baby mama" and some black political analysts say the disrespect for Michelle is just beginning and the attack ads about her are perhaps not far behind.

But a gallant Barack Obama defended his wife and told reporters he’s not having it.

"If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful," Obama told ABC's "Good Morning America" last month, "because that I find unacceptable the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family."

Some black women argue that people are uncomfortable with Michelle Obama in a potential role as America's first black First Lady.   

"Here we have a classy, intelligent black woman and some folks just aren't interested in that picture, particularly because she could become our first black first lady," Breea Willingham, a journalism professor at St. Bonaventure University, told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

"Black women aren't 'supposed' to be in that role; they're 'supposed' to be cleaning the rooms in the White House, not running it," Willingham said. "But bottom line for me: Who cares what the GOP says about Michelle? The sister is bad and will continue to do her damn thing regardless."

In a recent column for The New York Times, Maureen Dowd wrote, "It's good news for Obama that Hillary's out of the race. But it's also bad news. Now Republicans can turn their full attention to demonizing Michelle Obama."

Dowd listed many of the negative rumors circulating on the Internet about Obama, including a videotape in which she allegedly denounces "whitey." Obama aides say no such video exists.

And The Wall Street Journal asked: "Is Michelle Obama fair game?"

Some black women say no.

"This strategy would be laughable if it weren't so sad and desperate!" Margaret Mitchell, a technical writer in Rochester, N.Y., told BlackAmericaWeb.com. "The GOP must really be quaking in their shoes if this is their grand scheme for winning the election."

On Fox News, The graphic "Outraged Liberals: Stop Picking on Obama's Baby Mama!" was flashed during a recent interview with conservative columnist Michelle Malkin about whether Barack Obama's wife has been the target of unfair criticism.

In response to the outcry, the network issued a statement, not an apology. "A producer on the program exercised poor judgment in using this chyron during the segment," said Fox's Senior Vice President of Programming Bill Shine, in a statement to Politico.

In the past two weeks, Fox anchor E.D. Hill has apologized for referring to an affectionate onstage fist bump shared by the couple as a "terrorist fist jab," and Fox contributor Liz Trotta said she was sorry for joking about an Obama assassination.

Dr. Boyce Watkins, a commentator and political analyst, criticized Fox News for the "baby mama" reference.

"At what point is it clearly concluded that Fox News is a racist network?" Watkins asked in a column. "What does this say about our country that we have many Americans who will continue to support a network that says things like this about black people?

"Does this lead us to believe that we have become equal and respected partners in the American family?" he asked. "Would they say the same thing about Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan, Cindy McCain or Hillary Clinton?

Yanick Rice Lamb, an associate professor of journalism at Howard University and editorial director for Heart & Soul magazine, told BlackAmericaWeb.com, "The public would be better served if the media and other political observers focused on Obama and McCain -- not their wives. Minutiae and speculation far too often overshadow the most important issues."

Carol Jenkins, president of The Women's Media Center, said she has increasing concerns about the tone and language used in media coverage of Michelle Obama.

"Unfortunately, even as media professionals are finally taking a look at sexism in the coverage of Hillary Clinton's campaign, we must now pull the brakes on the building assault on the media's next target, Michelle Obama," Jenkins said in a statement. "She is now the subject of countless columns and conversations, websites and jokes -- some of them racist as well as sexist, a very combustible mix.

Fox's "baby mama" graphic "should be a warning shot we all need to heed," Jenkins said. "If the media can, this time, take responsibility, employ good judgment and mute the incessant talk and repetition of insults, perhaps we can avoid sexist and racist media coverage," she added. "These kinds of characterizations demean not just Michelle Obama, but women everywhere of every color."

Meanwhile, the Tennessee Republican Party has created a website criticizing Michelle Obama's infamous comment, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country."

The ad features Tennesseans saying why they are proud of America while repeatedly cutting to Michelle Obama's comments.

The Obama campaign called the ad "shameful."

In her Times column, Dowd wrote: "Mrs. Obama is the new, unwilling contestant in Round Two of the sulfurous national game of 'Kill the witch.' ...There are some who think it will be harder for America to accept a black first lady -- the national hostess who serenely presides over the White House Christmas festivities and the Easter egg roll -- than a black president."

"There are creepy Web sites ... dedicated to painting Michelle as a female version of Jeremiah Wright, an angry black woman, the disgruntled, lecturing 'Mrs. Grievance' depicted on the cover of National Review," Dowd wrote.

Some Republican strategists say the wife of the Democratic presidential nominee is fair game.

"There is less information about him to temper her comments against, so what she says represents something a lot more important than perhaps other candidates in the past who have had a longer track record," Rachel Marsden, a Republican strategist, told CNN.

But one Republican consultant said attacks on candidates' wives often backfire.

"Considering there are so many issues -- legitimate issues -- that you can use on Barack Obama, to attack his wife to me is sheer utter stupidy of the highest level," Stephen Marks, a Republican strategist, said on CNN. "Mr. Obama is going to come to his wife's defense, and it's going to humanize both of them."

Barack Obama, however, was direct in his criticism of conservatives: "These folks should lay off my wife."

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Associated Press contributed to this story.