With the launch of The Michelle Obama Podcast, the world has rare access to former First Lady Michelle Obama. One tabloid reports that Michelle feels cheated for marrying Barack Obama.
Most of this story from the National Enquirer is spent recapping Michelle Obama’s podcast, where she discussed the “emotional highs and lows during the COVID-19 lockdown,” which we think is safe to say matches up with the way most of us are feeling. Towards the end of the article though, the tabloid speaks to an insider who reveals that “Michelle felt like she was cheated” when her husband ran for president.
Michelle was doing well in her legal career before Barack “persuaded her into birthing and raising their daughters, while he focused on rising in the political ranks.” Essentially, the source says, he got to continue his career while she had to stop hers. The insider says, “She didn’t want a family, but Barack did, and he knew it would help him politically.”
In her Netflix documentary Becoming, Michelle spoke about how having kids changed her life. She said the “concession” was her “aspirations and dreams,” but that it was her choice to do so. Within the same breath, Michelle said that it was “not because he said, ‘You have to quit your job,’” but because she felt she couldn’t raise her kids and pursue her career at the same time.
It’s misleading and disrespectful to act as though Michelle regrets having kids because of what it meant for her law career or that she only had kids under order of her husband. In a conversation with Meghan Markle, Michelle Obama’s advice was to “savor it all.” Debating between family and work is a deeply personal decision, but not one that means Michelle blames Barack or resulted in her feeling bitter. This isn’t the first time tabloids have twisted Michelle’s words to have her and Barack at odds, and it likely won’t be the last.
Gossip Cop once busted this tabloid for saying that the Obamas were planning on stealing back the White House. That was in 2017, so suffice to say they never did. In another marital myth, the notorious tabloid said Daniel Craig’s drinking was ruining his marriage, but the report of his drinking was more in the realm of James Bond than reality.
In another bogus world leader story, this tabloid also said Prince William seized power from Prince Charles. Whether it’s high-powered marriages or the going-ons of heads of state, the Enquirer has an atrocious track record for the truth (or even basic common sense).
It’s safe to say that Michelle Obama does not blame Barack for having kids. It would have been a deeply personal decision, but one she made in the best interest of her family. There’s no evidence that she blames Barack to this day over that choice, and so this story is bogus.