Barack Obama and Michelle Obama Marriage: The Former White House Couple Who Almost Called It Quits
Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, admitted that they went through rough patches in their marriage during his presidency. JIM YOUNG/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, first met at work and fell in love. The two met in 1989 when Barack was a summer associate at Michelle's law office.

Michelle was his mentor during a summer associateship in a Chicago law firm. Barack and Michelle went on their first date that summer and got married three years later, or in 1992, Brides reported.

In a 2008 interview with ABC News, Michelle recalled that since both of them went to Harvard, the firm thought of hooking them up.

The former first lady initially turned down Barack's invite, saying she found it to be "completely tacky." However, she eventually gave in, and they went out for ice cream. The night has ended with a kiss.

Barack told O Magazine in 2007 that she kissed Michelle on their first date, and "it tasted like chocolate." On the other hand, Michelle said they clicked right away, and by the end of the date, "it was over... I was sold."

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama Marriage

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama got married at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, with Michelle's brother walking her down the aisle while Barack's brother was the best man.

Michelle earlier revealed that she had multiple miscarriages before giving birth to their first child, Malia, in 1998. She added that she even underwent IV treatments.

In 2001, the former first lady gave birth to their second daughter Natasha. Valerie Jarrett, a pal since the early 1990s, told Us Magazine that Michelle really wanted to be a mother.

Jarrett said Michelle was talking about children when she first met her. The former first lady went candid during a People interview, talking about "the hard parts" of her marriage with Barack.

Michelle said they did not have role models for their marriage as their parents' generation taught their elders not to talk about marriage and "the hard times."

Michelle revealed that she and the former president had gone to marriage counseling earlier in their marriage. She said that marriage counseling for them was one of the ways where they learned to talk about their differences.

It was previously reported that the couple almost called it quits before Barack's presidency. In the controversial biography "The Amateur," released in 2012, author Edward Klein wrote that Michelle started writing up divorce papers before they entered the White House.

Klein said there were many incidents that put a strain on their marriage. Barack Obama has once talked about the times when his wife felt the "underlying tension," with the pressure and stress of needing to get everything right to be on at every moment.

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama Marriage Amid Politics

The former president said their marriage was strained during the eight years he spent as president of the United States. Barack Obama admitted there was tension and stress within the family, and he could not sleep from worrying about it.

He said Michelle Obama very much believed in the work he did. However, Barack noted the former first lady was less optimistic about what he could get done, Hello Magazine reported.

Barack Obama added that Michelle was more skeptical about politics and more mindful of the sacrifices to the family. The former president described the end of his presidency as "a big exhale."

Barack said they were able to get their longstanding marriage back on track after they left office. He shared that Michelle has become more relaxed and joyful and has allowed them "to be friends again."

In the 2021 interview with People, Michelle Obama also said that tough times befall their marriage, but they got through and came out of it stronger.

"We came through the struggle together, which makes our foundation even more solid than it was... I am happy to say that I can now look up from all of that and look over across the room, and I still see my friend," the former first lady noted.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Barack Obama on Married Life as President: 'We Went Through Our Rough Patches' - From Guardian News