Book depicts tensions between first lady, aides

AP ^ | January 7, 2012 | By JIM KUHNHENN

[Comrade Brother Abu Bubba]

New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor, in a book to be published Tuesday, portrays a White House where tensions developed between Mrs. Obama and former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and former press secretary and presidential adviser Robert Gibbs.

Among the book's most provocative anecdotes, Kantor recounts a scene in which Gibbs, frustrated after tamping down a potential public relations crisis involving the first lady, exploded when presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett told him the first lady had concerns about the White House response to the flap. The initial commotion had been over an alleged

remark by Michelle Obama to French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy that living in the White House was "hell."

In another, the book describes how Obama, after winning a U.S. Senate seat and writing a best-selling book, "The Audacity of Hope," sought self-protection and privacy as he came to terms with his new fame. Some staffers came up with a

word to describe times when Obama couldn't connect with people: "Barackward," a combination of "Barack" and "awkward."

[StAnDeliver]

"The idea of Gibbsie cursing MO out is pretty comical"

No, he went after Valerie Jarrett. Great story buried in the article.

[StAnDeliver]

Bollinger is good stuff, but a lobster hors d'oeurve as an appetizer to a whole lobster main course is so declasse.

[mojitojoe]

One thing I noticed is that how many things in the book are the same as things the White House Insider said nearly a year ago. In fact, he could have darn near written that book the accounts of incidents are so similar.

[kearnyirish2]

“When the whole enterprise seemed to have fallen apart, following the election of Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, a Republican, the first lady was furious.”

She knew then that it was a one-term gig; they had 3 years to contemplate that.

[Le Chien Rouge]

I NEVER thought I’d write this:

I miss the days of Bill and Hill in the white house.

Although Hill probably put more holes in the white house walls that termites and Bill ran the oval office like it was his own private strip club, at least they LIKED being their.

[Go Gordon]

Personally, I think it’s “hell” because I believe she and Barry are on the outs.

Barry prefers men.

[americanophile]

[Fu-fu2]

“the chief of staff was trying to convince the president to scale back his health care efforts, but the first lady wanted him to push forward.”

I wish Emmanuel had prevailed. This was reported on local Chicago news last night, but the tone was very defensive of Michelle. The female news babes love her.

[RedMDer]

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[Question Liberal Authority]

"Michelle and I are perfectly comfortable if we're only here one term if we feel like we really accomplished something," the book quotes the president as telling aides.

So the fact that he's running for re-election must mean that he doesn't feel he really accomplished anything.

I tend to agree, but why should the country have to suffer for it?

[hattend]

She is seen publicly as the friendly and popular face of the softer side of the White House, the one reading to school kids or promoting exercise as a means to reduce child obesity.

Friendly? Old perma-scowl Moochie?

And the only exercise she gets is cracking lobster with her bare hands.

[mojitojoe]

I feel the same way and I never thought I would feel that way either. It’s pretty sick when you find yourself looking back on Hill and Bill as the good ole days... sort of. At least Bill didn’t hate America and want to “fundamentally change the Unites States of America”. Even Chris Matthews has jumped ship:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB4b11_LREA

[mojitojoe]

[Rocky]

Barack is Awkward

and Michelle has Aides?

[Blood of Tyrants]

I’ll bet she treats her aides like crap.

[hattend]

The after story comments are great!

[FreedomPoster]

Precisely so. It reveals someone who simply doesn’t understand how to order at a nice restaurant.

[DoughtyOne]

Oh I like that.

New tagline moment...

[hal ogen]

I just read several hundred of the comments in the source article. Not one was pro-nobama or mooch-elle. They were from all over the country. All had a lot of thumbs-up votes. Pretty amazing. LOL!

[leapfrog0202]