Wednesday, former First Lady Michelle Obama sat down with ABC’s Robin Roberts for the standard warm and cozy chat she is used to receiving from her friends in the media.
Mrs. Obama was there to promote the adapted version of her bestselling memoir, “Becoming,” now for “younger readers" (Amazon's listing says 10+ years of age.) ABC’s morning show Good Morning America was happy to act as Michelle Obama’s PR team, not only helping to sell her book to kids but also promote her well-crafted image of the wise and inspirational role model.
There wasn’t one critical or tough question in the exclusive ABC interview. For example, this is how the interview started, and was representative of the tone of the entire conversation:
ROBIN ROBERTS: Former First Lady Michele Obama with over 15 million copies of her memoir sold worldwide, blockbuster book tour, well, she is now bringing "Becoming" to young readers. I talked with Mrs. Obama. Her first interview since the inauguration and asked her who she is becoming now?
MICHELLE OBAMA: I'm becoming more free and I hope I'm becoming smarter and wiser and more patient. I hope I'm becoming someone that is comfortable getting out of the way so that the next generation can take the seat that I'm sitting in.
ROBERTS: Michelle Obama is making room. Lifting up the nation's future leaders. It's her longtime mission as former First Lady and now with her best-selling memoir adapted for young readers.You know two young women very well. Malia and Sasha.
OBAMA: Oh, those two? Yes.
ROBERTS: What have they learned from your story, do you think?
Roberts also asked about the inauguration, which prompted Obama to fret about the threat of violence from Trump supporters:
ROBERTS: What was it like for you to be there, to witness this historic swearing in?
OBAMA: Well, it was a glorious day, the sun was shining, the mood was wonderful but it was also mixed. I think everyone was concerned about more riots but we were assured that things were under control. When you see fellow Americans storming the capitol, that sits with you. That reality was with us on that stage….
Ironically, right after this, the pair gushed over young Black Lives Matter activists "taking to the streets" across the country last Summer. Unmentioned or shown in the accompanying video footage? How many of these "protests" turned into violent riots. Yet that “r” word wasn’t used to describe these inspirational young people, whom Mrs. Obama encouraged to keep "marching and protesting," with some flattering words from Robin Roberts:
ROBERTS: A rising generation not afraid to call out injustices and demand change. A lot of people were watching those taking to the street following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, say their names and unfortunately there are too many names to mention. Is it different this time?
OBAMA: I hope so. It feels different. And, you know, what gives me even more hope is what happened at the polls in November. We got to march. We got to protest. And we have to vote. We have to be educated. We have to be informed. Young people are starting to put those pieces together and understand it's not either/or. It's all of it.
The cozy chat ended with the GMA anchors fawning over how comfortable the former First Lady appears.
ROBERTS: When I asked her also at the beginning, so 'who are you now? Who are you becoming now?' She was like, 'more relaxed.'
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You can see it!
ROBERTS: You can really sense that. So many projects that she's working on and very excited about but oftentimes comes back to the young'uns with her.
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Read the relevant transcript portions below:
Good Morning America
3/3/2021
ROBIN ROBERTS: Former first lady Michele Obama with over 15 million copies of her memoir sold worldwide, blockbuster book tour, well, she is now bringing "Becoming" to young readers. I talked with Mrs. Obama. Her first interview since the inauguration and asked her who she is becoming now.
MICHELLE OBAMA: I'm becoming more free and I hope I'm becoming smarter and wiser and more patient. I hope I'm becoming someone that is comfortable getting out of the way so that the next generation can take the seat that I'm sitting in.
ROBERTS: Michelle Obama is making room. Lifting up the nation's future leaders.
ROBERTS: It's her longtime mission as former first lady and now with her best-selling memoir adapted for young readers. You know two young women very well. Malia and Sasha.
OBAMA: Oh, those two? Yes.
ROBERTS: What have they learned from your story, do you think?
OBAMA: What I hope they learn is that, you know, who they are right now is enough. I always have wanted them to start practicing the power of their voices very early on. Look, if you sit around the dinner table, me and Barack, we can't get a word in edgewise and we like it like that. We want to hear their thoughts and opinions and that's where it begins.
ROBERTS: Mrs. Obama says it continues with embracing all of life's bumps and bruises along with its triumphs. That message resonating as the country enters a new chapter.
ROBERTS: What was it like for you to be there, to witness this historic swearing in?
OBAMA: Well, it was a glorious day, the sun was shining, the mood was wonderful but it was also mixed. I think everyone was concerned about more riots but we were assured that things were under control. When you see fellow Americans storming the capitol, that sits with you. That reality was with us on that stage. But to watch our friend Joe Biden and Jill stand there with their beautiful family to see Kamala and her family standing there brave and bold knowing that they were taking on a massive amount of responsibility to get this country back on track.
AMANDA GORMAN: Being American is more than a pride we inherit. It's the past we step into and how we repair it.
ROBERTS: Another moment, Amanda Gorman. Your first reaction hearing her poem?
OBAMA: I was proud and moved almost to tears to hear not just her words but the confidence with which she delivered. I know there are many, many Amanda Gormans. I'm just proud when one of them gets a chance to be seen and the rest of the nation and the world gets to see, yep, a lot of black folks contribute to this country. A lot of black folks have made this country what it is today.
ROBERTS: A rising generation not afraid to call out injustices and demand change. A lot of people were watching those taking to the street following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, say their names and unfortunately there are too many names to mention. Is it different this time?
OBAMA: I hope so. It feels different. And, you know, what gives me even more hope is what happened at the polls in November. We got to march. We got to protest. And we have to vote. We have to be educated. We have to be informed. Young people are starting to put those pieces together and understand it's not either/or. It's all of it.
ROBERTS: And they have had many examples. And Vernon Jordan who recently passed, a civil rights icon, you have any thoughts that you'd like to share about Vernon Jordan?
…
ROBERTS: I remember being in Chicago with you and talking about "Becoming." As soon as you walked into your old high school, you light up around young people. What is it about them?
…
ROBERTS: She really believes that becoming is an evolving process and it is being adapted for young readers it is out now. You can see her reaction. When I asked her also at the beginning, so who are you now? Who are you becoming now? She was like, more relaxed.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You can see it!
ROBERTS: You can really sense that. So many projects that she's working on and very excited about but oftentimes comes back to the young'uns with her.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Great to hear her description of what was happening on that inauguration day as well.
ROBERTS; You know, and you wondered even though, you know, everybody was -- it was festive in many ways, the feeling and she did say that was in the back of the mind but also you remember all they had to do was look around and see all the barricades and that but they were not going to let the moment pass them by, what they were seeing there on the stage.
