There was a hint of irony in the way first lady Michelle Obama grabbed headlines with a remark made during an interview this week with In Style magazine.
At one point in the interview, the first lady was asked what she looked forward to when she leaves the White House in January.
Obama admitted it will be nice when she’s “not responsible for every headline.”
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She went on to say, “My hopes are to recapture some of the everydayness, some anonymity. And we know that will take some time. But I always joke that I dream of opening up my front door and walking out without any notification, without any security.”
The interview, conducted by author Ariel Foxman, took place Wednesday at the White House.
While she may not be making headlines after leaving the White House, reports suggest the president and first lady will likely be making millions in income from book deals.
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Raphael Sagalyn with the ICM/Sagalyn Literary Agency comented, “His [Obama] is going to be easily the most valuable presidential memoir ever, and I think Michelle Obama has the opportunity to sell the most valuable first lady memoir in history.”
When asked about the future earning potential of the Obamas, White House spokespersons refused to speculate.
White House communications director Jen Psaki told the New York Times, “There will be plenty of time post-presidency to discuss books and book contracts, but for now the focus of the president and first lady is on squeezing every last ounce of progress out of the next five months.”
As for his post-White House plans, President Obama has said he wants to be more active on the issue of climate change. While the first lady hasn’t announced any specific plans, it is expected she will remain focused on programs like her “Let Girls Learn” initiative.
“Sixty-two million girls around the world aren’t in school, and the first thing that comes to my mind is, ‘That could’ve been me,'” she told In Style. “[I think about] how I would have felt at the age of 10 or 11 or 12 if somebody walked up and said, ‘That’s it. Your dreams are over! You’re going to have to leave school and get married to somebody twice your age and start having kids.'”
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The first lady went on to say in some cultures around the world, girls are not considered worthy of an education.
She said parents save to ensure an education for their boys while expecting girls to “stay home, get married early, care for the chickens, cook, and clean.”
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