Michelle Obama Speaks Out About Husband Barack's 'Sexy' Trait
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Michelle Obama has shared the "sexy" trait that first attracted her to Barack Obama, on a new episode of her podcast.
Newsweek reached out to Barack Obama's representative via email for comment on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
Barack Obama, 64, served as the 44th President of the United States for two terms from 2009 until 2017. The Honolulu, Hawaii native and Michelle Obama, 61, wed on October 3, 1992, and they went on to have two children together: daughters Malia Obama, 27, and Sasha Obama, 24.
What To Know
During Wednesday's new episode of IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson—which she co-hosts with her brother Craig Robinson—Michelle Obama shared details about how she and the Democratic politician met in 1988.
"He was a practicing attorney at my law firm, I was a first-year associate," the Becoming author explained. At the time, she worked at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin.
"Barack is older than me but took time off and was at Harvard after I graduated. So when I was a first-year associate after I graduated, he was just a first year in law school," she continued, adding that she was assigned to be his adviser.
"I knew of him, this Barack Obama, and everybody was abuzz about him—all the partners and the Harvard recruiting team were talking about this Hotshot first-year Harvard law student, who was brilliant," Michelle Obama continued, before noting that she was quick to judge him.
"I got his profile, and I thought, 'Ugh. What kind of name is Barack Obama?' I was like he's Black and everybody at the firm was excited that he was Black, and I was like, he's probably kind of weird," she told listeners. "A lot of white people were all infatuated with him, I was a little skeptical. And then I read his bio and I saw that he grew up in Hawaii, and I thought, 'Well, how many Black people grow up in Hawaii?' So I already had this image."
Former U.S. President Barack Obama hugs his wife and former first lady, Michelle Obama, after she introduced him on the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois,...
Former U.S. President Barack Obama hugs his wife and former first lady, Michelle Obama, after she introduced him on the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 20, 2024. More
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
Michelle Obama said that the "first sparky kind of feeling" she had, however, was when she spoke with him on the phone and heard his voice.
"The voice was sexier than the image that I had about him," she said. "So I was sort of like, 'Ooh I didn't expect this.' And he was older, so he was self-assured, so we had a great conversation."
Upon meeting in person, Michelle Obama said she was "pleasantly surprised" because he was "cute" and his "picture didn't do him justice."
"He was kind of cool in a way that I didn't expect."
Barack Obama previously shared his perspective on their initial meeting on Oprah.com.
"I remember being struck by how tall and beautiful she was," he said. "She, I have since learned, was pleasantly surprised to see that my nose and ears weren't quite as enormous as they looked in the photo I'd submitted for the firm directory."
The father of two added that he asked her out several times and "she refused" due to their professional relationship. It wasn't until he said he would quit his job that "she relented."
"On our first date, I treated her to the finest ice cream Baskin-Robbins had to offer, our dinner table doubling as the curb. I kissed her, and it tasted like chocolate."
Barack Obama appeared on the July 16 episode of IMO and playfully teased his wife about recent divorce rumors. Earlier this year, Michelle Obama skipped former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral as well as President Donald Trump's inauguration.
While greeting each other on the show with a kiss, Robinson joked: "Wait, you guys like each other?"
"She took me back!" Barack Obama teased, to which Michelle Obama said: "Now don't start."
"It was touch and go for a while," he laughed.
What People Are Saying
On Mother's Day this year, Barack Obama penned a message to his wife via Instagram: "Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing moms and mother-figures! @MichelleObama, the girls and I are so lucky to have you in our lives. We love you."
For Valentine's Day, he shared another sweet note to Instagram: "Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away. Happy Valentine's Day, @MichelleObama!"
What Happens Next
IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson airs new episodes on Wednesdays on platforms like Spotify, YouTube and Apple Podcasts.
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