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Obama not pathetic, insists wife Obama wife deemed politics 'mean'
(about 8 hours 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 said she did not want her husband to enter politics.
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. "I thought politics was a mean business," Michelle Obama said in a live television interview - and Barack was "sweet and empathetic".
Mrs Obama said "no", and was then heard to say: "He was sweet and pathetic." The remark generated laughter amongst the guests on The View, a leading US morning talk show, as guests asked whether she had said "pathetic".
Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor clarified after the programme that she had actually said "sweet, empathetic". Mrs Obama also vowed to emulate First Lady Laura Bush if her husband won.
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..." Michelle Obama was asked by Barbara Walters whether she wanted her husband to be president.
One of the hosts - the comedienne Whoopi Goldberg - quickly interjected that the guest had meant empathetic, by spelling the word out on air. Mrs Obama said "No".
During the interview, Mrs Obama also vowed to emulate first lady Laura Bush and be a model White House wife. "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..."
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. She looked baffled when she was prompted to clarify what word she has used and denied having said "pathetic".
One of the hosts - the comedienne Whoopi Goldberg - quickly interjected by spelling the word used - "empathetic" - on air.
And Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor clarified after the programme that she had actually said "sweet, empathetic".
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.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 virtually sealed the Democratic nomination, and it subsequently caused a stir after being described by one US TV presenter as a "terrorist fist bump".