*Michelle Obama has opened up about how she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, have navigated the challenges of public life, particularly when it comes to dealing with gossip and speculation.
During a taping of her new podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, at SXSW, the former first lady shared insight into how they manage to rise above negativity, especially as unfounded divorce rumors continue to swirl, PEOPLE reports.
“People always ask me and Barack, how did we stay hopeful in, not just the eight years that we were in the White House, but beyond?” Michelle, 61, said during the discussion.
She acknowledged the many rumors they’ve faced over the years, including attacks on Barack’s patriotism and theories about his background.
“Because, let me tell you, there was a lot of negative energy flipping our way — a lot of rumors, a lot of gossip, a lot of, you know, my husband wasn’t born in this country … we weren’t patriotic, he didn’t get into Harvard,” Obama added.
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Despite the relentless scrutiny, Michelle explained that she and Barack have maintained their peace by avoiding the noise, a principle they’ve also tried to instill in their daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23.
“But through it all, what kept us sane — and we tried to instill this in our daughters — is, you cannot live through social media,” she stated, noting that she has never “once looked at a comment section.”
She emphasized the importance of not letting outside negativity affect personal well-being.
“Don’t let that negative energy enter into your space. These are people who don’t know you. A lot of this stuff is made up, and it does not feed you,” Obama continued.
Speaking on the Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce podcast, Michelle reflected on her time in the White House as a mother, revealing that she constantly worried about her daughters making headlines for normal teenage behavior.
“I wanted to give my girls enough rope to live and be normal teenagers, but I was also worrying about them turning up on Page Six because they were doing what normal kids would do,” she said, Page Six reports.
Malia and Sasha entered the White House at ages 10 and 7 when Barack became president in 2008. Growing up in the public eye, they remained under intense scrutiny until they were 18 and 15, respectively, after his two terms in office.
“I was so glad when we got out of the White House — it was just I wanted them to have the freedom of not having the eyes of the world on them,” Michelle shared.
The Obamas continue to be the subject of speculation, particularly as Michelle has been seen attending events without Barack. However, sources have dismissed rumors of marital troubles, explaining that Michelle is simply enjoying life beyond Washington, D.C.
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