The Obamas Get Intimate With Denver Magazine

As the Democratic National Convention arrives in town, the Party’s power couple, Michelle and Barack Obama, will be bombarded with political questions from every media outlet in the world. For our exclusive interview, Denver Magazine decided to take a different approach.

In a Q&A with each of the Obamas, America’s history-making couple set the campaign aside and got candid, allowing
DM readers a rare peek into their lives as husband and wife; father and mother; to reveal the people behind
this legendary crusade for change.

HE SAID…

Denver Magazine: A year ago, did you ever imagine you’d be standing on the DNC stage in August? How does it feel to be making history?
Sen. Barack Obama: I would not have decided to run if I couldn’t in some way envisioned winning and being on the DNC stage in August. But, obviously, we were big underdogs and had no idea how it would go. What’s been most gratifying is just seeing how we’ve been able to tap into the excitement and real hunger for change that is out there right now. I don’t really think about making history so much as I think about how can this campaign be the vehicle for making the lives of ordinary Americans better. The fact that I’ll be speaking on the 45th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech obviously resonates and just reminds us of how far this country has come. On a day-to-day basis, I spend most of my time thinking about how we can make this country better for our children and grandchildren.

DM: What did you and Michelle say to each other the night Sen. Clinton conceded?
Sen. Obama: Michelle said she was proud of me and I told her that I was proud of her because there is no way that I could have done it without her — and then we both said that it would be nice to have a weekend off and get some sleep.

DM: Everyone sees you as a potential Commander-in-Chief, but you’re a husband and partner, too. We know that women have their faults — care to share one annoying thing that Michelle does on — or off — the campaign trail?
Sen. Obama: Michelle has no faults and does nothing annoying. It took me 15 years to understand that, but I am absolutely clear about it now.

DM: What are you most looking forward to when you think about living in the White House?
Sen. Obama: Surprisingly enough, I think it’s the fact that Michelle, the girls and myself will all be under one roof. I’ve been splitting time between the road and home — and D.C. and home — for two years now. Before that, I was campaigning for the U.S. Senate. The idea of having a situation where I am more frequently sleeping in my own bed and having some time to carve out for dinner with the family multiple times a week, that’s a real blessing.

DM: Little has been said about your personal style — suits, shirts and ties are pretty easy. Many people, however, comment on Michelle’s style. How do you feel about Michelle being compared to Jackie O?
Sen. Obama: Michelle is gorgeous. She looks great in whatever she wears although I am probably less picky about what she is wearing than she is.

DM: Have you already picked out your suit and tie for the DNC?
Sen. Obama: I have not picked out a suit and tie for the DNC. I suspect it will look like all the other suits I have — and the other ties I have.

DM: We know you’re trying to keep your daughters out of the political process, but with two very smart young girls, we can only imagine the clever things Malia and Sasha must say. What are some of the funniest things to come from the mouths of your babes during the campaign? Do they think daddy is a rock star or do they bring you down to earth?
Sen. Obama: My children definitely don’t think that I am a rock star. They think that I am daddy and bringing me down to earth is pretty simple. They tease me mercilessly for my big nose and my big ears, and the fact that I sometimes leave my clothes hanging on the doorway. And it’s true that they haven’t been focused on the campaign very much. Their main focus is getting a dog after the campaign — whether we are in White House or not.

DM: Are you and your family locked into the Pepsi Center while in Denver, or will you have any free time to enjoy our beautiful city?
Sen. Obama: I would love to be able to travel through Denver. I suspect that we may be a little busy, but we have some friends there and I hope we have a chance to do a little sightseeing as well. It is one of the loveliest cities in the country.

DM: You’re through the primary season and heading into the general election. Was the process as rough on your family as you thought it would be? What are your expectations as you move forward with the campaign?
Sen. Obama: The primary campaign was obviously a lot longer than we expected and being away from the family was extraordinarily difficult for me. I missed the girls tremendously, but Michelle responded like a champ and the girls have been great. I am glad to see they have stayed happy and healthy and thrived despite the craziness of an election season.

SHE SAID…

Denver Magazine: A year ago today did you ever imagine you’d be standing on the DNC stage in August? How does it feel to witness Barack make history?
Michelle Obama: You know, when Barack first started talking seriously about running for president, my initial reaction was something like, “Absolutely not! Please don’t do this!” I thought politics was a mean, rough business, and the last thing in the world I wanted was to turn my girls’ lives upside down. I wanted the best life possible for them, and a presidential campaign was not in any way part of that equation. But then I took a step back, and I thought about the world I want my girls to grow up in: a world where they can dream without limits and achieve without a glass ceiling ever standing in their way. And then I realized that if that’s the world I want for my girls, then I had to do my part to ensure that someone like Barack would be president. And that’s why I’ve been campaigning for my husband for the past year and a half. Because I believe that helping Barack become president is the best investment I could ever make in my daughters’ future — and in all our children’s future. I want my daughters — and all our sons and daughters — to have opportunities that we and our mothers and grandmothers could only dream of. And I’m really looking forward to being in Denver in August.

DM: What did you and Barack say to each other the night Sen. Clinton conceded?
MO: Sen. Clinton ran a historic campaign that shattered barriers on behalf of my daughters and women everywhere who now know there are no limits to their dreams. And more, she inspired millions of women and men with her strength, her courage and her unyielding commitment to the causes that we all care so deeply about — the hopes and aspirations of working Americans. Hillary Clinton is one of the most formidable and groundbreaking candidates ever to run for the presidency. In her 35 years of public service, (she) has never given up on her fight for the American people. I applaud her and the campaign she ran. She and her supporters have much to be proud of. The two campaigns have had their disagreements, but we all admire (her) courage, her commitment, and her perseverance. (She) has shattered myths and broken barriers and changed America, and for that we are grateful to her. While it’s an honor for Barack to be positioned to become the Democratic nominee, and while we are thrilled to have come this far, we still have a lot of ground to cover and a lot of work to do.

DM: Everyone sees you as the future first lady, but you’re a wife and partner, too. We all know that men have their faults — what is the most annoying thing that Barack does on — or off — the campaign trail?
MO: When he gets home from being on the road, he hangs his jackets on the bedroom door, so when I go to close the door, I can’t, because there are his clothes — right there on the door!

DM: What are you most looking forward to when you think about living in the White House?
MO: Well, I’ve been hosting these roundtable discussions with women across the country, and I’m really looking forward to continuing this dialogue with women should we have the honor and opportunity of being in the White House. Of course, the girls are looking forward to getting a dog more than anything else.

DM: People have compared your style to that of Jackie O. How would you describe your style? How would you describe Barack’s style?
MO: I’ve always loved clothes, and to be compared to Jackie O — well, it’s very flattering. I really just see myself like any other woman — I like to feel pretty, but the most important thing to me is to feel comfortable in what I’m wearing. I do a little bit of everything. I have some high-end stuff, for special occasions I work with a great designer in Chicago, but for the most part, I’m still shopping at places like J. Crew, The Gap and H&M. I think it’s funny that Barack is involved in this fashion icon stuff, because men have it so easy. He slips on a pair of slacks, a shirt and tie, and he’s out the door. A shopping trip for Barack involves finding a style he likes — and getting it in three colors.

DM: Have you picked a designer to dress you for the DNC?
MO: You know, I haven’t gotten that far ahead in our planning. And as a mom, whose husband is a little busy these days, I need to think about packing for that time away from home — not just for me, but also for the girls!

DM: We know you’re trying to keep your daughters out of the political process, but with two very smart, young girls, we can only imagine the clever things Malia and Sasha must say. What are some of the funniest things to come from the mouths of your babes during the campaign?
MO: Well, the girls are at that age when — despite the attention — they still walk in the door and it’s like, “I don’t care how your day was, let me tell you about soccer, and what happened in school today.” One of my favorite stories is when somebody asked my oldest, Malia, who recently celebrated her 10th birthday, what she thinks about going in front of these huge crowds. And she said, “Well, you know, I realize those people aren’t here to see me.” She said, “I’m just a kid. I can do my part — I can recycle, pick up the trash, but I can’t pass any laws to make anybody do anything. They just think I’m cute. So I just wave and smile and then I’m out of there.”
DM: Are you and your family locked into the Pepsi Center or will you have any free time to enjoy our beautiful city while you’re in Denver?
MO: Whenever we’re on the road as a family, we like to incorporate a lot of fun — activities like picnics, fairs and parades — because it’s not very exciting for Malia and Sasha to sit and listen to Daddy talk. We’ll definitely take the girls to see and explore Denver — it’s really been a wonderful gift for them to have the opportunity to see so much of the country over the past year.

DM: You’re through the primary season and headed into the general election. Was the toll of the process as rough on your family as you thought it would be? What are your expectations as you move forward with the campaign?
MO: When Barack first decided to run, he and I decided that we would do our best to keep our lives as normal as possible as long as possible for our daughters, and that’s really been my role. My schedule revolves around the girls and their activities. So when you’ve got one parent on the road and the other one dropping you off to school and one there when you get home, it’s not too much of an adjustment. And despite all the attention, one of the things I think that we’ve been able to do is to paint in this little island of normalcy in the midst of all this swirl of activity. And other than me not being home as much, and us not being able to go out in public in the same way, our lives are pretty much the same, our relationships haven’t changed. We have the same friends, the same kids come over to the house, we spend holidays the same way — and Barack and I are going to do our best to maintain a certain level of normalcy through the election in November.

BONUS QUESTION:
DM: How do you feel about women fainting at your husband’s rallies?
MO: Oh dear … well, he is cute!