Michelle Obama Responds to Reports of Friction With White House Advisers
EmailIn Michelle Obama’s first response to reports of friction between her and the president’s top advisers, the first lady said that if she disagreed with a White House decision, “I would talk to my own husband about it.”
In an interview with CBS News’ Gayle King, Obama conceded that she is “not an expert on most of the issues that [the president] is dealing with on a daily basis.”
“I am one of his biggest confidants, but he has dozens of really smart people who surround him,” she said. “I want him and he wants to be talking to the people with the best information. That’s not to say that we don’t have discussions and conversations. That’s not to say that my husband doesn’t know how I feel.”
A new book by New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor out today depicts the first lady as a powerful behind-the-scenes player in her husband’s administration. However, the book, entitled “The Obamas,” also says that there was frustration and tension between Obama and her husband’s team, including former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and former Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
“One thing is true, that I talk very candidly to my husband about how I feel, but that’s the kind of relationship we have,” Obama told CBS. “I wouldn’t go to Rahm about something that I would talk to my husband about. If I didn’t agree with something, I would talk to my own husband about it.”
Best Commencement Speeches of 2012 
Joe Biden Recalls Death of Wife, Daughter
Mrs. Obama is a strong mean lady. I could never forget seeing her demeaned Mrs. Clinton, holding a speaker on one hand, gesturing with the other, telling the large crowds, “If you can’t take care of your husband, how can you take care of the Presidency.” But when people called her out on not being proud of America, she said “America is mean.”
Posted by: young_voter | January 10, 2012, 8:53 pm 8:53 pm
No wonder Obama plays golf all the time.
Posted by: Jeff | January 10, 2012, 8:55 pm 8:55 pm
Why was Michelle Obama dis-barred in Illinois?
Posted by: Roger | January 10, 2012, 9:23 pm 9:23 pm
Michelle Obama probably just let her license to practice law in Illinois expire. Why bother when you can travel to world on our dime?
Posted by: newcountryman | January 10, 2012, 9:35 pm 9:35 pm
“…“If you can’t take care of your husband, how can you take care of the Presidency.” But when people called her out on not being proud of America, she said “America is mean.”
GET WATER!!! BE QUICK!!! Someone’s pants are on fire!
Posted by: MyTakeOnThis61 | January 10, 2012, 10:03 pm 10:03 pm
Same petty group of posters. An embarassment to any remaining decent Republicans in the country.
Posted by: Jack | January 10, 2012, 10:07 pm 10:07 pm
“If you can’t take care of your husband, how can you take care of the Presidency.”
Posted by: young_voter | January 10, 2012, 8:53 pm 8:53 pm
Except Michelle Obama never said this, google the quote – you’ll find nothing. Why does the right wing resort so easily to lies?
Posted by: Sarah | January 10, 2012, 10:13 pm 10:13 pm
Sarah,
I saw her said this with my own eyes. Google can’t have everything. If you look hard enough, one day you will see it to. Please don’t use the right wing stuff as your defense.
Posted by: young_voter | January 10, 2012, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm
Mrs. Obama was not disbarred in IL – where do you people get your facts?
Posted by: kathy | January 10, 2012, 10:43 pm 10:43 pm
Young_voter – I would be interested in where and when you saw her “said” that.
Posted by: kathy | January 10, 2012, 10:46 pm 10:46 pm
Kathy,
I saw it in a hotel tv in Newark, Delaware. It was during the early days of the 2008 against Mrs. Clinton. I wasn’t paying where the event was held. But Mrs. Obama holds up this big loud speaker, and yelling out, “If you can’t take care of your husband, how can you take care of the Presidency”. I am pretty sure some news channel should have this. That’s the exact quote from her. Once you hear something like that, you never forget it.
Posted by: young_voter | January 10, 2012, 11:18 pm 11:18 pm
Wasn’t she once hired the official spokeman for the Salem Witch Trials?? — Hmmm!!
Posted by: TheLoyalOpposition | January 10, 2012, 11:18 pm 11:18 pm
You people are so stupid !!!!!! You can say what ever you want about the Obama’s. However It’s a fact that republicans are upset because President Obama has been successful as an President. Republican are scared to death because President Obama and his wife is highly intelligent, and the Republicans is intimidated and scared to death of his success. The unemployment rate is down to 8.5% people are spending more and people are finding employment. So go head try every tool yo have to make the Obama appear or look unsuccessful however deep inside you people are dying in the inside because he doing a GOOD job while Republicans are all battling against each other and I must say looking really stupid and like idiots. 2012 here we come President Obama we going to win it all !!!!! While Republicans have pie in their face…. Ha HA !!!!
Posted by: Glorifina | January 11, 2012, 12:04 am 12:04 am
I saw it in a hotel tv in Newark, Delaware.
Posted by: young_voter | January 10, 2012, 11:18 pm 11:18 pm
We weren’t asking you where your TV was for crying out loud; we were asking where the event took place. Where is it quoted in a newspaper, or any media? Why haven’t the right wing haters jumped all over it and posted it everywhere? Strange isn’t it that the right wing who pull out and repeat every single mispronounced word or verbal gaff by the Obamas, haven’t posted this?
Posted by: Judd | January 11, 2012, 1:40 am 1:40 am
Michelle, I don’t trust you.
Posted by: Alice | January 11, 2012, 1:47 am 1:47 am
Judd,
Like I said, where I saw it was the best answer I can give because I wasn’t paying attention at the time where the event took place. Some reporters can dig it up from some local news channel. It’s not just what she said, it’s also the mean tone that can carry for miles.
Posted by: young_voter | January 11, 2012, 7:52 am 7:52 am
Why is this a news story, honestly hasn’t every First Lady in recent memory disagreed with certain policy directions of the President?
The poster who is ‘sure’ she heard something on t.v. while staying in a hotel room should seriously consider that she might have fallen asleep and dreamed it. Everything gets googled now, every place politicians speak is recorded. If it isn’t on google, and it was a public event, it was most likely just your imagination.
Posted by: Librarian53 | January 11, 2012, 9:10 am 9:10 am