First lady: White House needs ‘grown-up’ in times of crisis
ASSOCIATED PRESS
First lady Michelle Obama ‘winks’ and gestures to guests after speaking at the screening for the movie ‘Hidden Figures’ on Thursday at the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington.
WASHINGTON >> Michelle Obama says the White House needs a “grown-up” and the nation will come to appreciate President Barack Obama.
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey set to air Monday night on CBS, the first lady says the election has reinforced her view that her husband’s administration was able to inspire hope “because we feel the difference now.”
“Now we’re feeling what not having hope feels like,” she says. “You know? Hope is necessary. It’s a necessary concept. And Barack didn’t just talk about hope because he thought it was just a nice slogan to get votes. I mean, he and I and so many believe that if you … what else do you have if you don’t have hope?”
“What do you give your kids if you can’t give them hope?” she added.
Mrs. Obama sat for the interview five weeks after the election of Donald Trump to the White House. The Obamas campaigned aggressively against Trump and argued that the New York businessman is unfit to be president.
CBS released an excerpt of the interview on Friday. In it, Mrs. Obama does not mention the incoming president by name.
While Obama has refused since the Nov. 8 election to repeat his criticisms of Trump, Mrs. Obama comes off as less accepting of the outcome.
In the interview, which was taped Wednesday in the White House residence, she said the public will eventually appreciate what a reassuring presence her husband was during the past eight years. She compared him to the person who doesn’t freak out when a toddler bumps his head, causing the child to start crying.
“I feel that Barack has been that for the nation in ways that people will come to appreciate,” she said. “Having a grown-up in the White House who can say to you in times of crisis and turmoil, ‘Hey, it’s gonna be OK. Let’s remember the good things that we have. Let’s look at the future. Let’s look at all the things that we’re building.’”
“All of this is important for our kids to stay focused and to feel like their work isn’t in vain. That their lives aren’t in vain,” Mrs. Obama added. “What do we do if we don’t have hope, Oprah?”
123 responses to “First lady: White House needs ‘grown-up’ in times of crisis”
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Agree with our best First Lady in Decades. We feel helpless and hopeless with trump. He is the master of disaster. He is there to serve himself, his family and the rich at the expense of the ordinary American people. So sad….
Thee adults will soon arrive. Bye bye Mooch. Nice photo.
3 adults? A billionaire, his realtor son in law, and his daughter. When was the last time an adult son in law moved into the WH?
And this bothers you because…..?
He’s not moving into the WH.
How about O’Zero’s mother in law, aint she a peach?
Allie, agree with your 1st sentence, but, the remainder of the comment needs some time to meld. Much like a good spaghetti sauce-give it some time to cook, then try taste. Till then, you’re only trying to taste before the food is ready.
For example: Do you watch a 2 minute preview of a movie and understand the full scope or do you wait, watch the movie in it’s entirety before critiquing?
Paranoia is your biggest adversary-Nuff said.
The next four years, if he lasts that long, will be a circus and a joke, all rolled into one. We’ll probably see a lot of drama in the first four months… Bush’s Brain, all over again, who will be the next Cheney and Rove?
You are hopeless Allie , certainly not Trump’s fault. But if you continue to pay attention and educate yourself Trump’s term may well be the best opportunity for you to flower that one could ever hope for.
allie, if you had enough confidence in yourself, in your abilities, in your skills to make your way in the world, and THRIVE, not just survive, it wouldn’t matter one bit who is sitting in the Oval Office.
OUCH!
Tita….. Well said, you’re absolutely correct. However, the Allies of the world think government is there to take care of them. They are hopeless, maybe even deplorable.
The “D” word. It shows what a poor candidate Hillary was. Anyone in the right mind would not call the opposition “deplorables”. Actually, losing the election was a blessing in disguise for Hillary. She really needs to focus on her health.
help!!! the escalator stopped working and I am stuck!! somebody please help me!!
Deplorable didn’t bother me as much as “basket of” did. When I hear “basket” used in a negative fashion it conjures up images of the French Revolution and guillotined heads falling into baskets. Or in the words of the secondary villain in “Silence of the Lambs,” “It puts the lotion in the basket.”
well said. I take responsibility for myself. accountable to myself and family.
Obama will go down in history as the United States version of Neville Chamberlain. Appeasement to our enemies and bending over to take it from those terrorists who see nothing wrong with operating freely in our country is the legacy Barry Obama will have in the text books for the next century. His “accomplishments” will be seen as failed social experiments due to his failure to understand human nature and basic economics. Luckily for us Donald Trump will be seen as the person willing to take on the “establishment” much like Theodore Roosevelt did when he took on the business trusts and railroad barons that had a choke hold on the United States economy. Barry will be seen as a token he really only good for in a history exam 50 years from now.
I would not be surprised to lean that your assessment becomes 100% accurate. Unfortunetely due to his failed health experiment I may not be around to see this come true. Lost my doctors due to the insurance situation. Meds are unaffordable. Barry ruined a great health system that we had here back in the 90’s.
Can’t wait for this president to leave and a real president like Trump will show what America can really do. Michelle like her husband is so full of it. He hasn’t done nothing for our nation except spend its money. One more Xmas with him here is one to much. On President Trump first day half of Obama’s legacy will be wiped out and the rest will be done in the next few days.
What legacy? The Obamas join the Jimmy Carter trash heap of history. In spite of being paid handsomely by certain local trusts, they failed to deliver on anything worthwhile for the native Hawaiians or Hawaiians. The Supreme Court defined hope according to America’s long history, not according to how the outfit does things in Chi town.
mythman, I read your comments and wonder if you are as stupid as look?
“as stupid as look”? Looks like you’re the “stupid” one.
wow slim, you got some skills with that inter webs X-ray vision.
BINGO, my sentiments exactly. Maybe now we’ll have a real President. But as someone stated above, we need to let the sauce simmer a while before we taste it. Time will tell but one thing is for sure, Barry’s legacy is in the toilet. The peanut farmer is one Happy Camper!
Hopefully, Trump can climb out of the toilet and #MAGA.
I’m sure Carter is wondering if Barry will also excel at being the worst
I’m sure Carter is wondering if Barry will also shatter his record of being the worst ex president ever.
What can America really do.? Like revert to when it was ok to openly discriminate based on gender, race etc. Or when old white guys ruled? Really, done nothing eh? Facts do not support your stupid remark.
But your remark sounds stupid. Do you have a brain?
no brain for slim. Buuuuuut he gots the inter webs X-ray vision skills.
Agree with you Allie. Trump and gang, are looking like a train wreck about to happen for our country and our civil rights, freedom of speech and press, and our democratic institutions, and our climate, and planet.
Comedy Corner at its best. You one train wreck that already happened. You’re free to speak your mind, like you already do. Senseless, but free. The Press is free to lie all day every day. And you swallow it up everyday like fish on chum. Democratic Institutions? The one that spends to the end. More like theres no end. Programs that do nothing. Those institutions? You’re a joke Hannibal. Odummy spent 8 years scewring up our once great country and you and keaukaka was nowhere to be heard. Now, non-stop chirping from you clowns. Democraps are a dying breed. You 2 can move to Syria, get choke jobs ova dea. Trump wins 2nd term in 2020. Make this country Great again.
Allie, I was shocked to here Michelle O basically say there is now no “hope”. That’s probably worse than when she said “for the first time I’m proud to be an American”, when her husband was first elected. The Obama’s have lived very well for the last 8 years. In my opinion, it takes a lot of nerve to say that Americans have lost hope. It would have been more appropriate to say “we’ve lost a good gig”. Too bad that the White House concerts and trips for hundreds of staffers will come to end. The nerve of the American voters.
allie, you need some hot chocolate, we already know you spend serious time on couch for counseling. For most Americans we are fed up being led by community organizers that have produced 50 million people on food stamps.GNP has dropped to less than a paltry 1% over 8 years and our national debt has doubled to $20 T. Time to get professionals to run our economy and eliminate regulations and bureaucracy. For someone touting to be anti-establishment you share values with elite democrats that dole out money to anyone that will vote for their party and are too stupid to know they are being used!
You are do clueless and you live in an alternate reality if you actually believe the Obamas actually did any good in the last 8 yesr
You are clueless and you live in an alternate reality if you actually believe the Obamas actually did any good in the last 8 years…
I hear your mama calling. Have a safe trip.
Obama is a “grown-up”. Ha. Ha. Ha.
Barry restarted the cold war and cut a terrible deal with Iran. It will be nice to get these kids out of the White House and at least have some folks in there who understand the need for good relations with Russia and where the true danger exists. After all, it was Iran that failed to respect the sanctuary of the embassy system. Too bad the kids in the White House were partying it up in college when this was going on and not paying attention to real world matters…
Trump is no grownup. He is a bully and throws tantrums on twitter multiple times of the day
Would you consider a person to be a bully who passes a healthcare law with zero votes from the opposing party?
No,30 million Americans signed up for it. The opposing party you talk of is a part of the SWAMP.
Nboss: my insurance premium went up $600 a month with Oblundercare. How about yours? I’m still waiting for the JV Team to fold.
Anybody with “fake” name can say their premiums went up. Doctors expect more $$$ now. So do hospitals,etc.etc.
“Fake”, you the “fake”. Lip service all day from you loser. Trump serves 8 years. Get over it scrub.
Perhaps doctors expect more $$$ now but they sure aren’t getting it. I think it’s more that they wish they got the money they used to. Or that they wish they got to spend as much time with the patient as they do on the paperwork to justify seeing the patient.
Saddest chapter in American history..it could’ve been the best but it ended as the worst.
January 20, 2017 #MAGA
In 2008 this woman said it was the first time she felt proud to be an American. After 8 years of her husband, she now says there is “no more hope.” The Obamas and the Democrat party are a complete disaster. Fortunately, Americans have been able to see just how corrupt they’ve been along with the liberal media. Americans have finally figured-out that the democrats are the most dangerous threat facing our nation. Far more than ISIS, they have already devastated our society and way of life. I hope the door hits them both in the arse on the way out.
peanuts, it’s vile and malicious people like you, who are a threat to our country, it’s institutions and our civil liberties.
What has p gallery said that is a threat to our civil liberties. I believe you’re misplacing the Dem talking points.
Name calling is always the last resort when running out of facts and offer conjecture.
well said p gallery!
She`s all pau already.
hope…yeah, right. I hope you don’t hit your okole on the White House door when you finally leave.
I must respectfully disagree with the First Lady. Her arrested development husband had a once in a lifetime opportunity to unite the country. Instead, he wasted no time alienating “bitter clingers” and openly displaying progressive condescending attitudes towards traditional America.
ha!
Nice to see you placing all the blame on one man. So unfortunate you cannot see the entirety of our countries woes.
Selfish people will never recognize the problems are no ONE man’s responsibilities-We are a COUNTRY with a diverse society with issues caused by diverse beliefs ranging from economics to education to religion and beyond.
To place blame on one person is totally short-sighted.
To place blame on one man, is totally myopic
ok then…just 99%.
Good point, but consider that was his background as a community organizer. For his adult life his job was “against the man”. As President, you’re suppose to be the President of everyone, not just one party. A person with business experience would not (and will not in Trump) take such an approach. I believe he will unite the country.
Witness his press conference yesterday where he bemoaned the loss of the sense of unity the country had and stressed the need for the country to come together. Then he proceeded to blame the Republicans for the division. Not particularly unifying.
Regarding:
“Michelle Obama says the White House needs a “grown-up”….”
That’s correct.
Now vacate it ASAP !!!!
good one
Guess she’s be back where she started with that not proud of America attitude.
“Now we’re feeling what not having hope feels like” – Michelle Obama
Oh really Michelle? I felt that way when your husband froze my pay raise for three years while you kept coming here on your 4.5 million dollar vacations.
The White House needs a “grown-up”? I totally agree.
A real “grown-up” would have actually done something besides talk when Assad crossed your husbands “red line”. The Russians weren’t even there yet but he still chickened out. Your husband is like a kid that yells from across the school yard playground and then runs away.
Yes the fist family all show and no go. Stuck in reverse
Trump will have two White Houses when he is in office. The one on 5th Avenue in Trump Tower, home of First lady elect, Melania and his youngest son, costs the City of New York $1,000,000 a day for police security and traffic control.
Since when do DEMS worry about spending money foolishly?
^5
He froze your pay? You sure it wasn’t Ryan or Cruz? Are you an “entitled” government worker?
Yes he did. It was his plan and he convinced Congress to approve it. And it affected every single civilian DOD worker (except Congress and the Armed Forces in uniform) from janitors to management, even the non-appropriated fund (NAF) jobs who don’t get paid from taxpayers money but self generated profits from military exchange stores & MWR programs. Millions of workers. The same millions of workers who didn’t want a 3rd Obama term.
He convinced congress? Oh yeah,Mitch said we”ll work together. Yeah right.
as bill clinton said, “it’s time to put the awful legacy of the last eight years behind us.”
enough with the race baiting divisiveness, insulting law enforcement as acting stupidly, apologizing for america, fraudulent voter registrations and elections and losing control of international affairs in the mid-east, north korea, russia, china and everywhere in-between.
americans voted change from corruption and corrosive democrat politics and opted for the hope of a great america taking its place as a world leader in peace and justice.
Mrs. Obama, do the people of Appelo, Syria need hope, or do they need some Isis shot?
What’s Appelo?
wave1, read the news more carefully before you post, it’s Aleppo, Syria.
There will be one come 20 Jan.. been missing an adult in the WH for the past 8 years…
You guys taking cheap shots at our President and his wife are a bunch of dunces, who cannot read, spell or comprehend anything.
“Cheap shots”? All you throwing is “cheap shots” at our new president. Shut the f–k up all ready.
Melania first mission will be online bullying of women, sort of like we have here. Lol. Cept the Donald is going to dumb down her. No speech or interviews. He and Ivan will speak for 3rd wife.
We will get one on January 20th
This is the same piece of trash who declared publicly that she was never proud of America until her husband was elected President.
GOOD RIDDANCE TO GHETTO RUBBISH.
One month to go…
Youtare is a punk hiding behind a puppet. “Ghetto”? Grown up puke.
Looks good in heels though.
Elections have consequences. Deal with it momma bear.
Totally worthless first lady, good riddance.
A fake and a phony who does not like America. Her efforts to help Military families was just a big show and her school cafeteria menus saw most of the food not eaten and thrown away. Thank goodness that Obama and his hangers on will make one last official visit to Hawaii.
I believe her private retinue was the largest of any first lady, and frightfully expensive. Does anyone know if they brought the dog with them?
I’m surprised that a Muslim even has a dog especially with a 110K dog handler. Probably just protocol.
I think the bust of Churchill will reoccupy it’s intended place.
Relocating our embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel could happen real quick.
The Adults are coming Michelle, so no need to worry everything is going to be alright. Now hurry up and get your A$% out of the way and do not forget to take that sorry excuse of a president with you. The american people have suffered enough.
davcon, Michelle has one good thing going for her, she’s not brain damaged like you and the others making nasty comments about the First Family.
No different than the brain dead left and Michelle making nasty remarks about PE. Trump. Turn around is fair play so get over it.
Well of course the double standard does not apply to the holy democrats and king and queen obama RIIIIIIIGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHTTTTTT!
News flash Michelle, hope is coming and its in the name of TRUMP. Can not wait to feel what its like to be an American again. Eight years of O…. was eight years to many.
Michelle is expressing the results of a president and first lady who are constantly being told how great they are, when in reality the president has been a huge failure. The metaphor for his term is the Nobel Peace Prize which was awarded to him before he did anything to deserve it. It is the left’s way, results are unimportant, if it feels right, then it must have been right. Sad really.
It’s the same mentality as getting a trophy for participating.
Hope doesn’t pay the bills.
The “grown up” now in the White House is about as grown up as Alfred E Neuman of Mad Magazine fame wearing a beanie hat with a propeller on top.
Heh heh. What, me worry? Kumbaya. Beam me up Donald.
I agree with the First Lady. We needed a grown up in the White House, not some community organizer and black activist bent on destroying America. He did an incredible job.
Look at the mess he will have left behind.
We hope that the truth will prevail and honest people will be president.
We hope that peace will take over and calm the world of all the fighting and killing.
We hope that the elected people in Washington do away with their elite health care plan and get what the ordinary citizens have.
We hope that the elected people in Washington change there self-enrich retirement plan to what federal workers have.
We hope that pay for play will no longer be allowed and anyone who had done so be convicted and sent to jail.
We hope for a president who will work hard and for the people of America by making sure he does not take 5 months of vacation a year.
We hope that our trade deals bring back jobs and money to America.
We hope that the new president will make “America Great Again”.
We hope he keeps to his promises and not be like many presidents before him who did not.
We hope and we pray everyday for a better world.
AMEN!
“Michelle Obama says the White House needs a “grown-up””
Agreed. It will happen on 1/20/17.
We,the people,HOPE you leave sooner than later, please.
Your comment is awaiting moderation. well try this:
as bill clinton said, “it’s time to put the awful legacy of the last eight years behind us.”
enough with the race baiting divisiveness, insulting law enforcement as acting stew-pidly, apologizing for america, fraudulent voter registrations and elections and losing control of international affairs in the mid-east, north korea, russia, china and everywhere in-between.
americans voted change from corruption and corrosive democrat politics and opted for the hope of a great america taking its place as a world leader in peace and justice.
You forgot exchanging deserter Bergdahl for Gitmo Muslim extemist terrorists, many who have returned to the battlefield for ISIS or Al Qaeda with their goal to kill all Americans and non-muslims.
No!, What we REALLY NEED, and I believe we got, is a Presidential family that won’t be spending taxpayer’s monies so flagrently wasteful as previous white house occupants that even PAID MOM, an EXORBITANT AMOUNT for child care. Whats up with that????? Not to mention over a Mill, for kids party???? I’m embarrassed he’s “From Hawaii”…….
“LADY” ?? C’mon, First Lady Mrs. Regan was a REAL, Lady! Never heard her speal lowly of anyone.
Mrs Regal ever do nudies?
Take a break …come back in about 8 years.
So Right!!! Good thing that your husband is leaving the office. His legacy will be The Great Divider and the one who made it popular to protest against and target police officers.
Good riddance!!!!
U beat me to it: Obama is the great divider.
hopefully the first family will go back to the jungle where they belong. [Chicago?]
You should keep the racist comments as you would garner more national support for Trump. Many African Americans appeared to,have stayed home during the election in many key swing States, giving Trump the electoral college victory but badly losing the popular vote. African American voters did NOT support Hillary the way they supported Barry by keeping neutral. Making comments like the ‘ape in heels’ will only anger and energize African Americans to want to vote ABT ( anyone but Trump) like how how Ige defeated Abercrombie. That is why Reince Preibus is mkaing sure Trump stays away from making racist comments and renouncing White supremacist and KKK groups even though guys like Steve Bannon quietly support these groups. There are plenty of FACTS to support the negative impact Obama has had as president of the US but the racist stuff don’t help. If you want Trump to get a second term best to leave the racist stuff out of SA postings and more for KKK and White supremacist websites. If someone asks is Trump a racist I would say Trump is just as much a racist as Obama and his wife. No question African Americans were given a really bad deal with slavery, including the fact the Whitehouse was built African American slave labor but the disappointment was that Obama and his wife coukd have rose above that and truly helped race relations in the US., especially between African Ameicans and law enforcment. Sadly they just perpetuated racism by taking a Reverend Jeremiah Wright attitude of leading the nation (ie ‘those police acted stupidly’, ‘If I had a son he’d look like Treyvon” etc.). On CNN Van Jones called the Trump victory a ‘whitelash’. Using Van Jones’ vernacular Obama and his wife tried to turn the Whitehouse into the Blackhouse and now Trump is going to put White back in the Whitehouse
The “black vote” is minuscule, it wasn’t the black vote that put O’Zero in the white house, it was white liberals believing they could be absolved of any trace of racism.
Reagan never got the black vote, the GOPE vote, the hispanic, Hollyweird, academia and their mind numbed, mal educated students vote, and still won a 49 state landslide.
Can’t wait for Melanie to grace the White House. Enough of this ubangi. Just horrible.
Ubangi? Haven’t heard that in ages!! Lol
Between her and her husband they are only dividing this nation furthur. What happened tto promising a smooth transition? I don’t recall Bush or his wife making disparaging remarks about the incoming President. Get some class!
Totally agree with Michelle and am glad that she, her husband, her children, and her mother are leaving the White House. Our country has lacked real leadership these past 8 years.
Hope is a religious notion. It is a retreat from reality. As in “hope for the best”. Leadership is not a place were hope survives for any length of time. I hope the first lady is wrong. To answer the first ladies question to Oprah-what do we do if we don’t have hope? We pray. Governments don’t have a department of prayer. Hope and fear are brothers. Not the way to run a government. One cannot hope that a foreign policy is in place or that medical coverage is available to all Americans. One cannot hope that racism evaporates or hope to avoid fighting a war. I don’t believe in hope.
The truth hurts.
Michelle Obama is a loser. Her efforts to help Military families was a nothing but a big show. Her special dietary food which she used her husband to strong arm
school cafeterias to serve was a big bust. The cafeterias ended up throwing most of the food away. She is out of touch with America, the country that she hated
most of her life however loved the benefits that she received. Bye Bye Mrs BO you will not be missed. Hopefully this will be their last vacation in Hawaii as future
vacations will not be paid by the taxpayer.
Latest People magazine and comments from readers there, speak highly of the Obamas compare to the comments within this forum! Somehow, the majority comments here seems to describe the true feelings aboit the Obamas! In general, all show – no go! They were nice until recently when they indulged in negativity of the incoming Administration! Claimed to be highly educated yet resort to juvinile behaviors and comments. (I think I just insulted the juveniles of this world! )
agreed. The hope and change they promised never happened. In fact in got worse. Voted for him twice and totally regretted it the last 2 years. He should tell his wife to go quietly into the night and not make their reputation even worse. Obama had so much promise in the beginning but he eventually started to show his extremely partisan and decisive ways. What an embarrassment to Hawaii.
Smells like sour grapes