Book Depicts Tensions Between First Lady, Aides.

[elleng]

First lady Michelle Obama is a behind-the-scenes force in the White House whose opinions on policy and politics drew her into conflict with presidential advisers and who bristled at some of the demands and constraints of life as the president's wife, according to a detailed account of the first couple's relationship.

New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor, in a book to be published Tuesday, portrays a White House where tensions developed between Mrs. Obama and former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and former press secretary and presidential adviser Robert Gibbs.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/01/06/us/politics/AP-US-Obamas-Book.html?hp

[Scuba]

1. She didn't get along with Rahm? I just KNEW I liked that girl!!!!

[peacebird]

3. Me too!

[JDPriestly]

8. +1000

Michelle Obama -- best first lady since the FDR administration -- and she is the equal of Eleanor in my view. I would like to hear a lot more from Michelle Obama.

[Remember Me]

15. Yeah, but really, who could --

other than self-absorbed sociopaths?

[Beaverhausen]

2. I bet these tensions exist between every first lady and her husband's aides

but thanks for letting us know about this book. Not.

[applegrove]

11. +100

[BlueToTheBone]

4. Can we credit Michelle with getting rid of Rahm? Go Mrs. Obama

You are my heart throb for a First Lady!.

[supernova]

6. GMTA!

That's just what I was thinking when I read the OP!

She got rid of Rahm? Good.

[BlueToTheBone]

13. I've always loved her

and now I wish she could move the rest of the corps out of the administration. May her power increase and we put People First in all our policies.

[TBF]

5. This just makes me like her even more. nt

[NCarolinawoman]

7. When Hillary Clinton was First Lady, she wanted to get Rahm fired.

She couldn't stand the guy. He wasn't fired, but he was demoted to a lesser job.

Seems Rahm has a history of being totally obnoxious.

[Remember Me]

16. No, really?

I'd never have guessed anyone could think him obnoxious.

[tabatha]

9. It has become a learned fact

at our company that women can see the fakes faster than the men.

That may sound sexist - but past history has shown that to be true for a few cases.

Under different circumstances, the opposite may be true.

[elleng]

10. Facts and noticing differences between groups of people are not sexist/racist/etc, just FACTS.

Its sometimes a difficult distinction to recognize, but its true.

[Remember Me]

17. Would you like to know why?

One major reason is that oppressed classes always know more about their oppressors than the oppressors themselves know. That absolutely includes scoping them out psychologically AND intuitively and yes, women excel (as a rule) at the intuitive because that realm was at once relegated strictly to us and made undesirable -- or at least suspect -- as a human trait by the Patriarchy.

It's a survival skill. Ask any African Americans who are keenly aware of their past. You'll likely get an earful.

[tabatha]

18. Spot on.

That was true amongst the African people in South Africa. There are a few valuable lessons I learned from them.

[NBachers]

12. Sorry- I'm on Michelle's side

[yurbud]

14. who wouldn't have conflict with Rahm?