First Lady Michelle Obama recently  talked to local elementary students at the White House during Take Our Daughters to Work Day.  She answered questions from the children about being First Lady, Chicago and her favorite music.

 
Do you miss Chicago?
 
We can’t just walk down the street by ourselves. I miss being able to walkout of my house, go down to the lake and ride my bike.
 
Is it hard to spend time together?
 
It’s easier now than it was before. We live upstairs and my husband’s office is here. It’s very easy to come downstairs. We’re home when the children arrive. We have dinner together. We have weekends together.
 
What is your favorite music?
 
Here’s what’s on my Ipod. I like all kinds of music, Stevie Wonder, Rihanna, Beyonce, I really like Beyonce. I have some new Usher on there too. I like Sting. I also have jazz on there.
 
How often do you use the movie theatre?
 
Almost every weekend, we get all kinds of movies, new movies, old movies. We can also watch TV and we had a big Super Bowl party here. We also use the Tennis Court the most because everyone is taking tennis lessons. But when it gets hot we’ll be using the pool.
 
Is there anything in the White House you didn’t have in Chicago?
 
Practically everything. We didn’t have any of this stuff. We had each other. We had love.
 
What’s your favorite part of being First Lady?
 
My favorite thing is even small gestures can impact people’s lives. I can use this platform for major issues. It’s hard work and sacrifice but an exciting opportunity to shine the light on things.
 
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“I’m blacker than Barack Obama.  I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little Laundromat in a black community not far from where he lived. I saw it all growing up.”

Blagojevich later said:

“It was a very stupid thing to say.  Obviously, I’m not blacker than President Obama.  I was speaking metaphorically, and it was, again, a stupid way of saying it.”

Mary J. Blige and Usher are some of the performers scheduled to join President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle at the annual “Christmas in Washington” celebration Sunday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m central time on the TNT network.  The event will benefit the National Children’s Medical Center.  Host George Lopez, Neil Diamond, Sugarland, Justin Bieber and Rob Thomas will also be there to ring in the holidays.  The show will be taped Sunday, Dec. 13 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

“We take pride in presenting CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON each year as we bring together musical artists from a variety of genres for a fantastic holiday concert,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president/head of programming for TNT, TBS and TCM. “This year, we’re especially thrilled to welcome a lineup of top-name performers and an equally amazing host, George Lopez. Together, they will make this a holiday celebration to remember.”

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle honored Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his wife Mrs. Gursharan Kaur Tuesday night during the first state dinner of the Obama administration.  Besides political insiders, the 338- guest list included Hollywood stars such as Alfre Woodard, who is a member of the president’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, and Blair Underwood.

The First Lady wore a sleeveless, gold and cream-colored sheath dress with an overlay of silver and matching shawl by Indian-born designer Naeem Khan.  The designer has also dressed Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Queen Noor of Jordan.  Academy Award winning actor and singer Jennifer Hudson performed at the event.

While visiting China, President Obama met Monday with his half-brother, Mark Ndesandjo, who lives in China with his wife, a native of the country.  Ndesandjo recently wrote a semiautobiographical novel about their abusive Kenyan father.

“I don’t know him well. I met him for the first time a couple of years ago,” Obama told CNN. “He stopped by with his wife for about five minutes during the trip.”

Forty-eight years ago today, President Barack Obama was born in Honolulu.  He will spend his birthday at the White House having lunch with the Senate Democratic Caucus.

“Chuck E. Cheese was booked,” Press Secretary Robert Gibbs joked yesterday.

“Michelle she looks fabulous,” Obama said. “I’m a little frumpy. Up until a few years ago I only had four suits. She used to tease me… I hate to shop.”

President Barack Obama, who sent a private condolence letter to the Jackson family, spoke publicly about the death of Michael Jackson Thursday.

“I’m glad to see that he is being remembered primarily for the great joy that he brought to a lot of people through his extraordinary gifts as an entertainer,” Obama said in an AP interview.

The president said he grew up on Jackson’s music and “I still have all his stuff on my iPod.”

“I think that Michael Jackson will go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers,” Obama said. “His brilliance as a performance also was paired with a tragic and in many ways, sad personal life.”