Michelle Obama Reveals What ‘Sealed the Deal’ in Barack Relationship

Michelle Obama revealed what “sealed the deal” in her relationship with former President Barack Obama.

During Wednesday’s episode of IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, a podcast she co-hosts with her brother, the former first lady spoke out about her first date with her husband.

Newsweek reached out to Barack Obama‘s representative for comment on Friday via email outside regular working hours.

Why It Matters

This year, the couple has been at the center of divorce rumors. Speculation first began in January when Michelle Obama was the only spouse of a former president not to attend President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Earlier, she had also skipped former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral.

Meghan McCain, the daughter of late Senator John McCain, later said on a podcast that she heard the Obamas were splitting up from “reputable people.”

Both Michelle, 61, and Barack Obama, 64, have since denied the claim.

Barack Waves Michelle Obama Smiles Election Rally — Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, greet supporters at an election night rally at the Xcel Energy Center on June 3, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

What To Know

On Wednesday’s episode of IMO, which featured guest Spike Lee, Michelle Obama shared details about the beginning of her romance with her husband of nearly 33 years. The Becoming author said Barack had planned a “beautiful day” that concluded with watching Lee’s 1989 film, Do the Right Thing.

“Do the Right Thing is the kind of movie that after you watch it, you gotta talk about it, you know?” Michelle Obama told Lee and Robinson. “I found out his character—did he see what I see? Did he have the feelings I felt? Did he get what I got out of the movie? So we talked for hours after the movie like everyone would tend to do, and I would say that that date probably sealed the deal.”

Michelle Obama said, however, that she wasn’t sure at first whether it was “appropriate to date” him.

At the time, they were both working at a Chicago law firm together, and the podcast host was assigned as his mentor.

“We worked in the same place, we were probably one of a handful of Black folks, but he was persistent,” Michelle Obama said. “So I acquiesced.”

“It was sort of one of those dates that goes on and on,” she added, noting that they spent time at the Art Institute “walking” and “talking” and had dinner at the Lake Point Tower.

The Obamas wed in October 1992 and have two daughters: Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24. Barack Obama was president for two terms from 2009 until 2017.

What People Are Saying

During a previous episode of IMO, Michelle Obama said of Barack: “There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I’ve thought about quitting on my man, and we’ve had some really hard times. We’ve had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures, and I have become a better person because of the man I’m married to.”

In response, Barack Obama, who was a guest on the podcast at the time, said: “OK, don’t make me cry now right at the beginning of the show. Don’t let me start tearing up now!”