Obama's Wife: 'It's His Time'

May 20, 2007 — -- Despite questions about the country's readiness for a black president, Barack Obama will win the race for the 2008 White House if he connects with Americans, his wife Michelle Obama told "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts in her first major morning television interview.

"I think that the American people ... are ready to have somebody that they can believe in and that they can connect to," Obama said in an interview that begins Tuesday. "And I think that if Barack does what he's supposed to do and this campaign is ... run well, and he can be clear and articulate in his message, ... he'll be the next president of the United States and ... we will be swearing him in."

Watch the two-part interview which begins on Tuesday only on "Good Morning America."

Michelle Obama contends that Americans want a new approach to politics that only her husband can offer.

"I think that people are tired," she said. "They're tired of ... the same old kind of politics. People want a new tone to politics. People want to feel hopeful. People are tired of the fear-mongering. And Barack is really the only candidate, in my view, in this race at this time who offers that approach."

Michelle Obama waved away criticism of her husband's lack of experience. In the Democratic primaries, the freshman senator will face off against more experienced politicians, such as Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Joe Biden, D-Del., and former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.

"He has great experience," she said. "He's been in the state legislature; he's been a community organizer. He's been a civil rights attorney. ... Need I go on?"

"This [is a] rare opportunity where spirit, vision, hope, uniqueness, experience combine in this one individual at this point in time," she continued. "It's his time."

Campaigning for her husband's White House run has not been all about Barack, however. Michelle has come under fire for serving on the board of a company that is a major product supplier to Wal-Mart. Her husband has spoken out about Wal-Mart's labor practices.

When asked if she had considered resigning from her position, Michelle said that ultimately any changes that she made would be based on her own moral and ethical compass.

"I'm going to have to make a range of changes in my life. I've reduced my work hours at work. I will probably have to take a leave at some point. I will probably not be able to maintain my commitments," she said. "But if I make a change, it's going to be based on ... what I think is right."

As for her job being a conflict of interest, she maintains that her husband isn't changing his views based on her job.

"Barack is gonna say what needs to be said, and it's not going to, you know, necessarily matter ... what I'm doing if it's not the right thing," she said. "He's going to do what's right for ... the country. He's going to speak out. And he's going to, you know, implement his views as he sees fit. ... I see no conflict in that."