In her latest podcast, Michelle Obama gained attention after revealing her biggest pet peeve about Barack during their first meeting.
Michelle Obama shares her first impression of Barack Obama
Michelle Obama recently opened up about a habit of Barack’s that frustrated her from the very beginning.
The couple married in 1992, but Michelle admitted this issue had been a challenge even before they tied the knot.
Speaking on her podcast, IMO, the former First Lady revealed that Barack’s struggle with punctuality was an ongoing frustration in their relationship. Despite his many strengths, time management was not one of them.
Barack Obama’s laid-back approach to time
Michelle shared that Barack’s Hawaiian roots played a role in his relaxed approach to time.
She joked that he operated on “island time” rather than following strict schedules.
She said: “Barack, you know, he had to adjust to what ‘on time’ was for me.”
“Because he was on that island time.” Michelle added.
Explaining the extent of his lateness, Michelle said Barack would often start getting ready at the exact time they were supposed to leave. This, she admitted, tested her patience.
A struggle that lasted into their marriage
Even after years together, Barack’s poor timekeeping remained an issue. Michelle recalled moments when she was ready to go while he was still searching for his glasses or heading to the bathroom.
She described a typical scenario:
“You know, I’ve got this husband who’s like, when it’s time to leave, it’s 3, he’s getting up and going to the bathroom. And I was like, dude, dude, a 3 o’clock departure means you’ve done all that, you know?”
Michelle explained that, over the years, Barack gradually improved.
Their daughters, Malia and Sasha, also learned to arrive early when making plans with their mother. However, she suspected Barack was not as strict when meeting with them.
How Barack’s lateness gave a bad first impression
Michelle revealed that Barack’s habit of being late left a negative first impression when they first met. In 2018, she shared a story about their early days at a Chicago law firm in 1989.
Speaking to ABC News, she recalled her reaction when Barack arrived late for their first meeting:
“I was like, is he trifling? The Black man’s going to be late on the first day?”
Despite this initial concern, their relationship developed, and she learned to accept his flaws.
Barack Obama’s struggles with punctuality in office
Even as President, Barack’s timekeeping did not improve significantly.
In 2014, The Washington Post analyzed public data and found he was over 35 hours late to scheduled engagements during his presidency.
While Michelle admitted his tardiness frustrated her, it was not a dealbreaker.
Over 30 years of marriage, she has seen progress, proving that even presidents can work on their flaws.