Michelle Obama Denies Telling Carla Bruni White House Life is "Hell"

Michelle Obama, left, and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in Strasbourg, France, April 3, 2009.

/ AP

Updated 7:13 p.m. Eastern Time

A spokesperson for First Lady Michelle Obama is denying a book's claim that first lady Michelle Obama told French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy that life in the White House is "hell."

"The First Lady never said that," Katie McCormick-Lelyveld said.

French Embassy spokesman Emmanuel Lenain also called the claim false.

"Mrs. Bruni-Sarkozy distances herself completely from the content of the book 'Carla and the Ambitious,' which was not authorized and the authors alone are responsible for its contents," Lenain, spokesman at the French embassy in Washington DC, said. "The words attributed to the First Lady of the United States were never said."

The Daily Mail newspaper first reported the book's claim that Mrs. Obama responded the following when asked by Bruni-Sarkozy about life in the White House: "Don't ask. It's hell. I can't stand it."

The Daily Mail reported that the book was written "in collaboration with Miss Bruni," but the statement above contests that claim. 

CBS News political analyst John Dickerson said that "the people who dislike Michelle Obama will run with this reported anecdote," despite the fact that there is no way to know that it is true.

"When Michelle Obama was unknown, a quote like this might have been more painful, but now she's become known as the first lady and people generally like her," he said.

He noted that if the quote was true, the response to it becoming public would to some extent prove her point.

"If this is true, the sentiment is not a new one for first ladies or presidents for that matter," said Dickerson. "They have all, over time, at certain times, said that the office was brutal and difficult and one of the reasons it's brutal and difficult is because you can't even have a private moment with the wife of the head of another country without it being reported in some gossipy way."

One of the authors of the book told CBS News in Paris that they stand by the "it's hell" quote attributed to Michelle Obama, but wouldn't disclose the source.

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Brian Montopoli is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of his posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

[Jimmy70802]

Another "whitey tape" lie. I am wondering whether Drudge or Rush Limbaugh are going to be releasing the tape next week? After Bush gave us two wars and a great recession, you would think there are more serious things we need to be thinking about in this country.

[pragmatist1]

Former First Ladies were always dignified and classy and grateful for the honor and privilege of the title. While they may have intimated the challenges, difficulty with the rigors, lack of privacy, etc., none of them ever said what this First Lady said. That's because Mrs. Obama is boorish, undignified and class-less. She is also an ingrate. Nothing new.

[Brian5013MS]

Of course life is tough for Michelle.....she is living under sharia law. Who would want to?

[gcgray1]

you know i seen a bumper sticker the other day a picture of Obama and it said I'm not racist but I don't like the white side of him either.I THOUGH TAT WAS COOL.

[notparicular]

Looking at the picture I was convinced once again that the fair sex in the White House is Barack, not his wife.

[gig76]

All of this is very telling that American hates Abe Lincoln for freeing black people from slavery. Is there one Black person or one Hispanic or one Alaskan Eskimo on the ballots she has endorsed? The answer would be NO. They are all white of both gender, men and women white folk of the plantation. One in South Carolina, one in Delaware, one in Kentucky, and one in Alaska all white folks who rule others of color. Again, Palin, the leader of the "white" folk party. Burn tea to set America free. Vote Democrats 2010 and beyond and keep American values safe.

[gig76]

George Bush screwed America and Americans. Typical of his love life which is loveless. America will never be the same ever again. We lost over 75 years of repair of America from the last republican lead depression to this one. George Bush was a lost soul looking for government paycheck. He couldn't make it own his own in the private sector so he gets a job at taxpayer expense. Good going George. You are such a L O S E R!

[erasmus111]

by michaelm07 September 17, 2010 12:46 AM EDT
Yes, Bush was a loser but please don't deflect and try to redirect from the fact that Obama is worse in just a little more than a year and a half -



Wrong. Obama is not worse. Do some research. There are graphs showing what Obama has done and it shows that there is improvement. It's amazing how some b*tch just for the sake of b*tching.

[Save-]

More right-wing lies!! Saying so does not make it true!! Obama decreased the deficit by 8% in his first year.. and that includes the stimulus that did indeed work. Had it not been for that stimulus, the UE would have been near 15%. Yet the republican'ts did nothing but vote NO. The y did not try to offer 1 proposal except repeal everything, keep tax cuts for the top 2%, and cut spending on the backs of the middle class! Trickle down economy has never worked, because the wealthy do not put that money back into the economy. The middle class will spend their money creating demand and jobs,

[gig76]

Let's place sanctions on the French. This is war of words. And furthermore, the President of France and his are typical in upper class behaviors. They act like they can "do" whomever they please and still get all the perks that France provides them. France should demand their President and "lie" mouth resign. The French people deserve better.

[rwsmith29456]

I can dislike Michele enough without making up lies.

[saturn05]

The French First Lady should be ashamed.

[erasmus111]

Why?