In the past, first ladies were expected to be pleasant housewives that did a little charity work on the side. But Michelle Obama has bucked that trend: as a Harvard-trained lawyer with a significant career, she has criticized both her husband and his staff. A new book about the first family, “The Obamas” also elaborates on her discomfort with the media spotlight as well as with remaining on the sidelines. Feather Schwartz Foster, author of “The First Ladies: An Intimate Portrait of the Women Who Shaped America from Martha Washington to Mamie Eisenhower” and Suzanne Goldenberg, a Washington DC-based Correspondent for The Guardian and author of “Madam President: Is America ready to send Hillary Clinton to the White House?” speak about the unique challenges Michelle Obama has faced during her tenure as first lady.
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