First lady Michelle Obama cozied up to children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., late Wednesday and opened up about life in the White House, assuring the kids that through her six years she has remained just a simple mom to her family.
Asked if she ever felt overwhelmed, Obama said, “You know, you kind of get used to the pace of it,” then added, “I think in many ways I’m like any working mom. I’ve got to make sure that I do my job and that I try to do it well, but I’ve got to make sure my girls are good.”
After joking about daughter Malia learning to drive — “that’s scary” — the first lady said, “I’ve got to hang out with my husband. He needs attention, too. So it’s all a balance, just like your parents. It’s the same thing. So you just learn that rhythm.”
Obama, whose flight was delayed by jet troubles, appeared to enjoy her Q&A with the kids. She bantered with them for nearly 30 minutes, encouraging questions with a simple, “don’t be shy.”
She bounced through several issues, including her abilities as a chef.
“I’m an excellent cook,” she bragged though noting that she hasn’t done much in six years. “People at the White House cook for us. But before I came here, yes, I was a good cook. I had a few good solid dishes that I loved to cook. The fast ones that everybody was sick of, like — well, I didn’t do sandwiches, I did like baked chicken and brown rice and broccoli. I had this great shrimp pasta with garlic that I did.”
She added that President Obama also cooks a “great chili.”
As for why she traveled to the hospital, Obama said that she has been interested in the world famous facility since her days as a hospital administrator in Chicago.
“Well, first of all, before I was first lady, in my former career, I worked for a hospital,” she said. “And I have always wanted to come to St. Jude’s. Marlo Thomas invited me to come. So it was just a matter of finding the right time, and this was a good time in my schedule to come. And so we got on a plane and popped down.
“And I think it’s really good to be able to highlight the great work that’s going on here. I mean, St. Jude’s is — you guys know. You can tell the world better than anyone just how important this institution is to so many kids and families,” she said.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
