Obama says he did not ‘appreciate the degree of stress and tension’ Michelle was under raising kids
Barack Obama has said he did not appreciate the amount of stress and strain his wife Michelle underwent while raising their two daughters in the White House.
The former president’s comments come after Michelle spoke out candidly late last year, saying she “couldn’t stand” her husband for a decade while their children Malia and Sacha were young.
Speaking to CBS about how he recovered from his marital problems, Barack Obama said, “It definitely helps to be in the White House and have a little more time with her.
“Which also helps, about kids, Michelle, when our girls were growing up, that was priority one, two, three, and four.
“And so, as involved as a father like me, I couldn’t appreciate the level of stress and tension for her.”
Barack Obama said he did not appreciate the amount of stress and strain his wife Michelle underwent while raising their two daughters in the White House.
Disjointed: Michelle previously explained that she did most of the work when it came to caring for their daughters, which made her feel like she and Barack were no longer a “unit”
The Obama family pictured in 2015 when he was still president
Knowing that not only were me and Michelle under scrutiny and put in this strange environment, but we were raising our daughters in a kind of situation that just wasn’t normal.
“Now that they’re doing well, she’s a little more forgiving of my flaws.”
Barack said Michelle has since told him, “Looking back, you did a good job as a father.”
He added, “And if I pass that test, she’ll forgive me for most of my other weaknesses.”
Speaking to Revolt in early December, Michelle said, “People think I’m catty for saying this: It’s like there were 10 years where I couldn’t stand my husband.
And guess when it happened? When those kids were little.
“For 10 years, trying to build our careers and worrying about school and who was doing what and what, I thought, ‘Argh, this isn’t even’.”
‘Guess what? Marriage is never 50/50. Ever. There are times when I’m 70, he’s 30. There are times when he’s 60, 40. But guess what? Ten years.
“We’ve been married at 30. I’d take 10 bad years over 30 — it’s just how you look at it. People give up – ‘Five years; I can not stand it’.’
Malia, 24, and Sasha, 21, were seven and 10 when their family moved into the White House after several years of campaigning.
The pair have spoken candidly about their battle, with Michelle describing the “resentment” she had at having to put her career on hold to become a mother while Barack’s continued to flourish, and her “stress” at being in the public eye was pushed. despite making it clear she wanted nothing to do with the spotlight.
Speaking to Revolt in early December, Michelle said: “People think I’m catty because I say this: It’s like there were 10 years where I couldn’t stand my husband”
The family is pictured on a dog walk in 2009
On her podcast, Michelle previously recalled wanting to “push Barack out the window” on numerous occasions, but added that she was glad she “didn’t quit” with her husband
Expanding their family: They welcomed two daughters together, Malia, now 24, in 1998, and Sasha, 21, in 2000
Barack then proposed to Michelle over a romantic dinner two years after their relationship in 1991. They are seen at their wedding.
Michelle, 59, and Barack, 61, first met in 1989 when they both worked at a Chicago law firm. The future president almost immediately fell in love with Michelle, but she was disinterested.
Despite turning him down several times, Barack didn’t give up – and when she finally decided to give him a chance, the two quickly fell for each other.
They married in 1992 and welcomed their first daughter, Malia, six years later, and their second daughter, Sasha, two years after that.
But they later revealed that having kids almost tore them apart – as Michelle grew frustrated at having to take care of their kids alone most of the time, while budding politician Barack would commute on a six-hour commute to work in the Illinois Senate. , and sometimes being away for days because of his work.
For years, Michelle and Barack’s marriage was plagued by late-night arguments and fierce fighting, recalling an exhausted Michelle once telling him, “This isn’t what I signed up for, Barack.” I feel like I’m doing it all alone.’
As he slowly rose through the ranks of the US government, Michelle did not want to be a part of the “messy” political world or the “disclosure” that came with it, and after declaring she would run for the Senate: “Don don’t expect me to campaign. You shouldn’t even count on my vote.’
She initially resisted when Barack decided he wanted to run for president.
But she finally came around after realizing the huge impact he could have on young black kids across the country as America’s first president of color.
Unfortunately, during their time in the White House, tensions only increased because of the immense “pressure” that came with “having to do everything right and be ‘on’ at all times,” as well as Barack’s focus on his job rather than on his family. .
For all their problems, Michelle and Barack never gave up on each other, and the president later explained that even in their darkest times, they never stopped showing each other “respect.”