Michelle Obama Lets On That She Initially Wasn’t Too Impressed With Barack In New Memoir ‘Becoming’
In Michelle Obama’s new memoir Becoming, the former first lady says that Barack Obama didn’t make a very good first impression. In the highly-anticipated book, which was released on Tuesday, the writer and attorney dishes on the couple’s relationship which, from the sounds of it, almost didn’t begin. ET revealed some of the most salacious details about the budding romance.
Michelle Obama met Barack when she was assigned to him as her mentor. She describes the former president as a “hot shot law student” who she wasn’t sure had earned his reputation.
“I was doubtful he’d earned the hype. I’d checked out his photo in the summer edition of our staff directory — a less-than-flattering, poorly lit head shot of a guy with a big smile and a whiff of geekiness — and remained unmoved,” she wrote. “His bio said he was originally from Hawaii, which at least made him a comparatively exotic geek.”
Barack showed up late on the first day of work, and though she found his “rich, even sexy, baritone” appealing, little else was.
“Not once… did I think about him as someone I’d want to date. For one thing, I was his mentor at the firm. I’d also recently sworn off dating altogether, too consumed with work to put any effort into it,” she said in her memoir. “And finally, appallingly, at the end of lunch Barack lit a cigarette, which would have been enough to snuff any interest, if I’d had any to begin with.”
Things only got worse for the future couple as they worked together that summer. Michelle attempted to set Barack up with her friend. Despite the fact that date didn’t go well, Michelle had to acknowledge that the future president “was a catch.” She even decided that his lack of stylistic sense didn’t ruin the fact that he was “good-looking, poised and successful.” She also noted that he was athletic and kind while remaining resolute that he wasn’t the right fit for her.
The former president persisted in trying to date Michelle, and she slowly found herself developing feelings for him. She found herself wondering what he was up to when they weren’t working together, but after a firm-related outing at Baskin-Robbins, the couple had their first kiss and “everything felt clear.”
The couple ended up getting married in 1992, and though they have had their ups and downs, according to Michelle, they made their “seesaw marriage” work. From the sound of Barack’s support for his wife’s new book, things are still going well.
Of course, @MichelleObama’s my wife, so I’m a little biased here. But she also happens to be brilliant, funny, wise – one of a kind. This book tells her quintessentially American story. I love it because it faithfully reflects the woman I have loved for so long. pic.twitter.com/X0i9jja4TE
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 13, 2018
