To be sure. But that's just on one level. Michelle is being readied for national office.
You see, the dream ticket ... go for broke ... nothin' left to lose .... Demo ticket for 2016 is (are you ready?):
Joey Plugs is ready for party martyrdom. His job (if the ticket wins, which it could) is to die immediately after the inauguration.
"But what," you say, "if the ticket loses?" No harm done. In fact, it's going to be a rather long shot, anyway. So what? IMNVHO, they don't want the WH in '16. As the economy reaches low tide, they are confident of a legislative sweep in '18. They want to stick the Republicans with the Depression and establish Senator Michelle (or a utility Marxist yet to be named) for the 2020 campaign.
By then, she'll have shed Barry and really be ready.