This is one of many tender moments Chris Andersen describes in Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage
In a last minute development, President Barack Obama decided to join his wife Michelle and the rest of the Chicago delegation on their trip to Copenhagen to bring the 2016 Olympic Games to Chicago.
Chris Andersen’s Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage is a breezy and mostly recycled look at the First Couple’s roots, courtship and marriage.
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Hi Jeff!
I can’t help but applaud Michelle on this one–the Olympic bid, that is–I haven’t read the book yet. Sorry.
I think Michelle Obama has to be excited to get the opportunity to “sink her teeth” into a worthwhile (to her and the delegation’s mind anyway) project. I think she enjoys the competitive nature of it and might even miss being “out there” professionally. Building a career has to be different from acting in the role of First Lady, I would think.
It must be hard to purposely position yourself in the shadows when you are as smart and accomplished as Michelle is. It probably helps if you don’t enjoy self-promotion and the limelight. For running the family for so long in his absence, she gets to give her opinions to the president and can become well-versed in nearly any issue she’d want–as long as she doesn’t speak publicly about it.
I’m not entirely sure what the Obama marriage has to do with all this, but it seems like the team spirit is alive and well in Michelle Obama. This is an important, but not always easy, spirit to cultivate in any marriage, but especially one where there are strong-minded and accomplished individuals coming together.
I wish them both luck–you’ve got to wonder what kind of special pressures the presidency puts on a marriage.
Hey, Stephanie,
Great to hear from you, as always.
Thanks very much for your thoughtful comment, which is going up as a post!
Let me know what you are up to when you have a chance. We’ve had more good news on the nursing homes front and I’m thinking about having another Team Nursing Home reunion!
Regards to your family, and thanks again for the comment.
Jeff