Patriot Brief
Michelle Obama said being first lady caused her prior academic and professional achievements to be overshadowed by her husband’s presidency.
She argued that women, particularly mothers, should maintain careers rather than step away for family responsibilities.
Obama framed public scrutiny of her appearance and role as part of broader systemic challenges facing women in American society.
Former first lady Michelle Obama said during a Wednesday appearance on the popular podcast Call Her Daddy that she felt her personal achievements were overshadowed by her marriage to former President Barack Obama during their time in the White House.
Obama, who graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, said people often questioned her qualifications for the role of first lady and failed to recognize her professional background prior to entering national politics.
“People would be like, ‘Well, how do you know what to do in this role?’” Obama said. “And to me, it was clear that, oh my god, you don’t know anything about what I did before I came here.”
She went on to list her previous experience, including practicing law, serving as an assistant to the mayor of Chicago, running a nonprofit organization, working as vice president for community relations at the University of Chicago Hospitals, and serving as a dean of students.
Obama said that during the 2008 campaign and presidency, public attention shifted away from those credentials and instead focused on her appearance and fashion choices.
“All of that just disappeared in the course of this whole election, and you now see me as just Barack Obama’s wife,” she said, adding that commentary about her clothing often eclipsed discussion of her background and policy interests.
She explained that while she initially resisted fashion-focused media coverage, she later chose to “lean in” and treat it as part of a broader strategy, ensuring that her public image aligned with initiatives she wanted to promote during her tenure as first lady.
Obama also used the podcast to discuss motherhood and career choices, encouraging women not to step away from professional paths for extended periods.
“You don’t have to get off your career track. And I don’t even recommend it,” she said, arguing that children often fail to recognize the sacrifices parents make once they grow older and leave home.
In a separate July episode of her own podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson, the former first lady also spoke about challenges women face in American society, saying cultural expectations and social norms often limit women in ways men do not experience.
Obama has remained a prominent public figure since leaving the White House in 2017, publishing bestselling books, launching media ventures, and continuing to speak publicly on issues related to culture, family, and politics.
From Daily Caller:
Former first lady Michelle Obama complained that people solely viewed her as “Barack Obama’s wife” during a Wednesday episode of “Call Her Daddy.”
The former first lady graduated from both Princeton University and Harvard Law School and held multiple professional roles before entering the White House. She expressed frustration on the podcast about how being the former president’s wife overshadowed her personal accomplishments.
“[P]eople would be like, ‘Well, how do you know what to do in this role?’ And to me, it was clear that, oh my god, you don’t know anything about what I did before I came here … But I was like, well, I went to Princeton and Harvard,” the former first lady said. “I mean, I practiced law. I was an assistant to the mayor in Chicago. I ran a nonprofit, a 501(c)(3) … I was a vice president for community relations at the University of Chicago Hospitals. I was a dean of students.”
“[A]ll of that just disappeared in the course of this whole election, and you now see me as just Barack Obama’s wife … That quickly my shoes become the most important thing about me … not unique to me, it can happen to the best of us,” she added. “So, I shied away from fashion leading the conversation. But I knew I didn’t completely control it. So, let’s lean in. Let’s lean in with what we do. Let’s make sure that we have a plan and a strategy in place for how fashion, just like everything we did in the White House, would have meaning and impact.”
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Screenshot/YouTube/Call Her Daddy and Michelle Obama