Barack Obama is getting unusually honest about his marriage to Michelle Obama.
The former president, 64, made a surprisingly candid admission during a joint interview with his wife, saying their 33-year marriage may not have been an “equal partnership” after all.
“I don’t know if it’s been an equal partnership,” Barack admitted.
Then he took it even further.
“I’ve gotten more out of it than she has,” he quipped. “For her, it’s probably more of a mixed bag.”
The eyebrow-raising confession comes after months of chatter about the state of the Obamas’ marriage, with rumors swirling that the former first couple had been spending less time in public together and may have been quietly struggling behind the scenes.
Michelle, 62, has also been open in the past about the difficult side of life in the White House, including the pressure, the sacrifices and the emotional toll of being one of the most watched women in America.
But during their latest sit-down, the former first lady made it clear that despite the “ups and downs,” Barack also changed the course of her life in ways she never expected.
“The truth is, I probably would have been someone who stayed more put,” Michelle said, reflecting on the life she might have built if the couple had remained in Chicago and avoided the political spotlight.
“I think I would have had a beautiful life here, but it would have been smaller,” she continued. “But because of who my husband is, he offered all of us — our girls, my mom, my family — a broader sense of what’s possible in life.”
Michelle said Barack pushed her to imagine a bigger future than simply using her Harvard law degree to practice law.
“He made me think more broadly about what I could do with this Harvard law degree besides be a lawyer,” she said. “He gave me the courage. He was my ballast. He was like, ‘I got you.’ And however hard it’s been, the ups and downs, he’s got me.”
The couple’s emotional remarks came as they returned to Chicago for the grand opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Library on the city’s South Side.
For Barack, the event was more than just a political milestone. It was also a homecoming.
“Michelle and I, our wedding reception was over at South Shore Cultural Center. You could walk from here,” he said during his remarks. “Our daughters were born right down the street. This is where we bought our first home. This is where our kids took their first steps.”
He also looked back on the humble beginning of his political career.
“This is where I launched my candidacy for the Illinois state senate over at the Ramada Inn on Lake Shore Drive — serving pretzels and soda, embarking on the path that, ultimately and improbably, led to this day,” he said.
Michelle also spoke at the ceremony and gave a glowing tribute to her husband, even while acknowledging that their life together has not always been easy.
“You told me all those years ago that you couldn’t promise me the world, but you could promise me an interesting life,” she said. “And of course, you outdid yourself and managed to give me both.”
She added, “I know it hasn’t always been easy, but there hasn’t been a single second through this experience that standing by your side hasn’t left me in awe.”
The touching comments appeared to push back against the divorce speculation that has followed the couple over the past year.
Still, Barack’s blunt admission that he may have benefited more from the marriage than Michelle is sure to get people talking — especially after years of the Obamas being held up as one of the most powerful political love stories in America.
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