NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2009
Author: Barack and Michelle Almost Split
Book Adds They Had Trouble Having Kids, She Was Down on Hillary as Possible Veep, and She Pushed Him to Go With "Yes We Can!"
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Play CBS Video Video Obama Marriage Difficulties? Christopher Andersen, author of "Barack and Michelle: Portrait of a Marriage," defends his claims about President and Mrs. Obama in his new book. To read more, go to Author: Barack and Michell Almost Split.
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The Obamas in May (AP Photo/J.Scott Applewhite)
In "Barack and Michelle: Portrait of An American Marriage," author Christopher Andersen also says the Obamas had lots of trouble conceiving when they wanted to start a family, Michelle gave a thumbs-down on Hillary Clinton as a possible running mate for Barack, and persuaded him to go with the campaign slogan "Yes we can!" which he considered corny.
Andersen writes that Barack's overriding political ambition caused a wedge between the two so serious that they almost split up. "I think she could have walked at one point. She felt abandoned."
"The strains in their marriage, they've been very open about," Andersen told "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith. "During the period when he was in the senate, the State Senate, in Illinois, he said it was a dark time in their marriage. It was angry all the time."
But a terrible scare brought them back together when Sasha was diagnosed with spinal meningitis in 2001.
Andersen also writes that the Obamas had a rough road having children. "For five years," he summed up for Smith, "they tried to have children, and they were very concerned about their ability to have them before Malia came along. And, in fact, one of their best friends has gone on record as saying when she became pregnant, she was afraid to tell Michelle, because Michelle had been trying so hard and she didn't want to break her heart. They discussed adoption with some of their closest friends and then, fortunately for them, Malia came along in 1998."
Michelle "had very strong input" into Barack's decision to bypass Hillary Clinton as a running mate, Andersen told Smith. "Barack Obama has said repeatedly that, 'She is my chief counsel, my chief adviser, I would never make a decision without going to her and asking her opinion,' " Andersen remarked. "She, in fact, gave her opinion, and that was -- she asked him if he really wanted to have Bill and Hillary down the hall in the White House. 'Can you live with that?" "
And, Andersen says, Michelle pushed for "Yes we can!" "The campaign has verified that," he pointed out to Smith. "The fact of the matter is that, when David Axelrod, his campaign manager, floated this by, he didn't like it at all. He thought it was childish and corny and she said, 'No, trust me, I know it will work.' So she was the deciding factor there."
Andersen defended the research he did for the book, noting he'd interviewed roughly 200 people who've been closest to Michelle and Barack over the years.
To read an excerpt of "Barack and Michelle: Portrait of An American Marriage," click here.
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- First, it is sad that there are those who leave such ugly responses towards the First Lady and the President. That's right, the President of the United States! Love or hate him he was elected by a majority of voters and all of the childish name calling really should be put aside. This man has done nothing but fix the mess that the last 8 years has brought this nation and yet he is criticized. For all of you "Tea Party Clowns" I would like know where was all this anger in the last 8 years when your President was sending men and women to war over "Faulty" intelligence? When the nation was losing jobs and ole "W" was taking care of his boys from Enron where was your outcry? Yet, in less than 8 months this guy was elected President and now there are people holding up Hitler signs with the President's face on it. I don't remember Barrack Obama ever exterminating million of Jewish people in Germany and yet this is the treatment that he gets by those on the Extreme Right. That's okay, Hell has a place for you!
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- Obama's command of the language is breathtaking to the ear and heart. And Michelle is right up there with him. I too am impatient to get our country moving again! But just remember, it's a tall order to undo 8 years worth of shame and destruction in 9 months. I for one am glad they have each other - they love each other very much and it shows. Whatever problems they may have or have had in their marriage, I'm sure they have strengthed their marriage by working THROUGH them together. The only way out of something is through it. Anyone agree? It's fine if you don't, but can't we lay off the insults and meanness?
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- ha! now i know why the consensus i unanimous that michelle obama is exceptionally beautiful. because anyone who disagrees is censured apparently. i guess beauty isn't in the eye of the beholder, its in the eyes of wide-eyed crazy kool-aid drinkers.
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- It seems that the evangelical right wing whackos will latch on to anything to attack the President. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, he has tried to do from day one has been attacked in one way or another. It is difficult, if not impossible, for those of us who do not hate to understand the minds of the hate mongers. There is something in their psychological make up that causes this hatred and those of us who do not have that can only shake our heads and wonder why. In a nation of 300 million people it seems that the haters make up the majority but that is just not so. They have a way of getting all the attention since the media are not interested in reporting real news but only in chasing the ratings. One poster on here goes on about Obama's inability to speak without the use of a teleprompter. I can tell you from experiance that he is dead wrong about that. I attended two Obama rallys and both times I watched him speak for an hour and a half and not even consult a note card. This is just one example of the stupid lies the right wing puts out here. And many of you believe it because you are so filled with hate that you will believe anything. I suggest that you back off and let this man do the job he was elected to do. There is no way that he can do a job this size and never be wrong nor can he do everything that he wants to do. He is working harder than our previous leader ever dreamed of and in spite of the vicious attacks will be a great president. He has my support and will until he does something to lose it which I do not believe will happen.
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- Michelle is jealous of Hillary Clinton. Secondly, Obama should make his own choices just like Bill Cliton did as president. Michelle is no Hillary and Obama is no Bill. I can't imagine what that white house looks like now.
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- im trying to figure out how can you write a book about someone marriage and its not your own....in every marriage there are ups and downs...duh...even to a point that you want to just give up and throw in the towel..so what makes barack and michelle marriage so special...duh...oh i forgot hes the president and this man wants to make some money and that you will...so typical
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- coucou
par slownewsday_
"by Majesty_Command »par Majesty_Command
I would hate to have to wake up and Je n'aimerais pas avoir à se réveiller et
see Michelle's face, next to me. voir le visage de Michelle, à côté de moi.
I think she is one ughly woman." Je pense qu'elle est une femme ughly.
eh bien plus délicat que ça , tu meurs...
quand au livre..personnellement et d'aprés ce que je constate a travers la télé, c'est plutot un couple solide, soudé, les filles semblent etre bien entourées et avoir beaucoup d'attention de la part de leur parents. il est certain aussi que leur couple a eu sa part de hauts et de bas comme tous les couples, mais bon c'est naturel ...au revoir - Reply to this comment
- Too much information. Brack!!
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- Where is a family or a couple that never, at one moment, had trouble?Zero.
Find something else to do - Reply to this comment
- Almost is NOT over yet>
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- 3rd high achieving ,very smart 1st lady in a row-this is great!
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- Michelle does not have a chip on her shoulder, and she is not angry/mean. Her face is falling, as does many an aging face. This falling face gives her the angry appearance. I can say this with confidence because I have the very same problem!!!
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- Why would the author of this book feel he had an obligation to write this book? What does he gain from it? I'm certainly not going to spend my hard earned money on it just to fatten up his pocketbook. Unless you are behind closed doors with any couple, how can a person speak the absolute truth about a couples marriage.
As for those friends who might have given any information for this book, I feel sorry for you. Women talk to women in confidence they don't expect to hear what they have said repeted back to them from another source. Most of the women I know are woman enough to speak their minds and they don't need an aquaintance to repeat their feelings to the press for 15 minutes of fame.
At least our first lady and our president are really finding out who their true friends ARE or AREN'T!
Show me a marriage that doesn't have problems. The strong ones work through problems rather than bail out. They have lasting power.
Marriage is a private sacred place in a couples life. I don't recall the Obama's inviting the public into that private space.
I'm so sick about hearing about a higher up's marriage. Is the press so eager to tell us about a company's CEO's marriage? Being the president is his job. We hired him to do a job. Beyond that we do not own his/her private life (public figure or no public figure.)
NOW EAT THE DUST ON THAT! - Reply to this comment
- I am surprised the author has been accused of being racist after coming out with these things that might cast a shadow to some.
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- I would be willing to swap America's Obamas for Canada's healthcare.
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- TO natnat8476 you wish you have half the smarts & class Michell has!!!
get a freakin clue!!!! - Reply to this comment
- by DaVicar6 September 22, 2009 1:06 PM EDT
"I as a Canadian would be proud to have him as a President and her as his wife."
We, as Americans, would be happy to give them to ya...eh?
Not ALL Americans are stupid. - Reply to this comment
- This comment is for majesty_command. I dont know if you are a man or woman (from your comment I pretty sure you a MAN) to say Michelle is ugly and you would'nt want wake up to her, I'm sure you nothing to look at either. I'm sure you would NEVER meet a woman with her education, class & glamor!!! YOU SUCK!!
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- by wtcmedic-911 September 22, 2009 1:06 PM EDT
1. they would be much more colorful then anything canada has ever had.
And what exactly do you mean by that? - Reply to this comment
- So he is not polling much better at home than he is with the country.
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