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| Obama's wife in 'pathetic' gaffe | Obama's wife in 'pathetic' gaffe |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has insisted that she did not call him "pathetic" in a live television interview. | The wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has insisted that she did not call him "pathetic" in a live television interview. |
| Appearing on The View, a leading US morning talk show, Michelle Obama was asked by Barbara Walters whether she wanted her husband to be president. | Appearing on The View, a leading US morning talk show, Michelle Obama was asked by Barbara Walters whether she wanted her husband to be president. |
| Mrs Obama said "no", and was then heard to say: "He was sweet and pathetic". | Mrs Obama said "no", and was then heard to say: "He was sweet and pathetic". |
| Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor clarified after the programme that she had actually said "sweet, empathetic". | Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor clarified after the programme that she had actually said "sweet, empathetic". |
| Mrs Obama said: "You know, I did not want Barack to go into politics because I thought politics was a mean business. And you know, I knew this man that I loved, he was sweet, empathetic. I thought, there was no way..." | Mrs Obama said: "You know, I did not want Barack to go into politics because I thought politics was a mean business. And you know, I knew this man that I loved, he was sweet, empathetic. I thought, there was no way..." |
| One of the hosts - the comedienne Whoopi Goldberg - quickly interjected that the guest had meant empathetic, by spelling the word out on air. | One of the hosts - the comedienne Whoopi Goldberg - quickly interjected that the guest had meant empathetic, by spelling the word out on air. |
| During the interview, Mrs Obama also vowed to emulate first lady Laura Bush and be a model White House wife. | During the interview, Mrs Obama also vowed to emulate first lady Laura Bush and be a model White House wife. |
| The 44-year-old mother-of-two said she was now "taking cues" from Mrs Bush, who is renowned for taking a back seat on political issues, correspondents say. | The 44-year-old mother-of-two said she was now "taking cues" from Mrs Bush, who is renowned for taking a back seat on political issues, correspondents say. |
| Mrs Obama greeted the show's female hosts with jokey fist bumps. | |
| She had shared the greeting with her husband on the night he won the Democratic nomination, and it subsequently caused a stir after being described by one US TV presenter as a "terrorist fist bump". | She had shared the greeting with her husband on the night he won the Democratic nomination, and it subsequently caused a stir after being described by one US TV presenter as a "terrorist fist bump". |