Obama admits he's been 'digging himself out of hole' with Michelle

By GRANT TUCKER, ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR and STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER

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Barack Obama revealed he has been 'digging himself out of a hole' with his wife Michelle after his political career dominated their family life at the White House. The former president was being interviewed by historian David Olusoga in London last night when he was asked what he had been doing for the past few years.

Barack Obama revealed he has been 'digging himself out of a hole' with his wife Michelle after his political career dominated their family life at the White House. The former president was being interviewed by historian David Olusoga in London last night when he was asked what he had been doing for the past few years.

'I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself with Michelle,' Mr Obama told an audience at The O2 Arena. 'Now I'm at about level ground.' He also spoke about 'violence against the truth', pointing towards Donald Trump's claim this week of a link between autism and pregnant women taking paracetamol. Mr Obama, who is currently on a European speaking tour, said: 'We have to insist that there are things that are true and false. Not perfectly true. But more truthful.'

'I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself with Michelle,' Mr Obama told an audience at The O2 Arena. 'Now I'm at about level ground.' He also spoke about 'violence against the truth', pointing towards Donald Trump's claim this week of a link between autism and pregnant women taking paracetamol. Mr Obama, who is currently on a European speaking tour, said: 'We have to insist that there are things that are true and false. Not perfectly true. But more truthful.'

'So we have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have continuously disproved. That undermines public health. The degree to which that can do harm to women who are pregnant. The degree to which that brings anxiety for parents who do have children who are autistic - which by the way is itself subject to a spectrum and a lot of what is being trumpeted as these massive increases actually have to do with the broadening of the criteria across that spectrum, so that people can actually get services and help. All of that is violence against the truth. And that's why, by the way, it is important for those who believe in the truth and believe in science, to also examine truth when it is inconvenient for us.'

'So we have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have continuously disproved. That undermines public health. The degree to which that can do harm to women who are pregnant. The degree to which that brings anxiety for parents who do have children who are autistic - which by the way is itself subject to a spectrum and a lot of what is being trumpeted as these massive increases actually have to do with the broadening of the criteria across that spectrum, so that people can actually get services and help. All of that is violence against the truth. And that's why, by the way, it is important for those who believe in the truth and believe in science, to also examine truth when it is inconvenient for us.'

He also criticised those who campaigned to keep children out of schools during the pandemic. Mr Obama said: 'There were certain debates in the United States, for example, around the fact that children were luckily less vulnerable to Covid than others. And what's the cost of keeping schools shut for another year, but because then it got politicised and become ideological and was viewed as a Left versus Right issue. Sometimes we weren't looking at some of the evidence that said, you know what most kids really need school. And parents they're working all day and they need their kids at school and the social consequences we have to balance and not just assume that anybody who objects to continuing these very strict regiments is somehow crazy. We didn't have those conversations either.' Mr Obama's latest comments on his wife follow other comments about his marital status earlier this month amid unverified rumors that the former first couple's relationship had been on the rocks.

He also criticised those who campaigned to keep children out of schools during the pandemic. Mr Obama said: 'There were certain debates in the United States, for example, around the fact that children were luckily less vulnerable to Covid than others. And what's the cost of keeping schools shut for another year, but because then it got politicised and become ideological and was viewed as a Left versus Right issue. Sometimes we weren't looking at some of the evidence that said, you know what most kids really need school. And parents they're working all day and they need their kids at school and the social consequences we have to balance and not just assume that anybody who objects to continuing these very strict regiments is somehow crazy. We didn't have those conversations either.' Mr Obama's latest comments on his wife follow other comments about his marital status earlier this month amid unverified rumors that the former first couple's relationship had been on the rocks.

He previously joked that he had spent much of his time since leaving office trying to appease his wife, which he described as 'challenging'. 'I have spent over eight years now trying to dig myself out of a hole with Michelle,' he said d uring another appearance in Pennsylvania . And that's been challenging, but I feel like I'm making progress. I'm almost breaking even at the moment.' Mr and Mrs Obama were seen together for the first time in two months in Portofino, Italy , aboard their friend Steven Spielberg 's $250million superyacht over the weekend. They arrived separately from one another, with photographers catching a solo Mrs Obama, 61, getting onto the luxurious, 357ft boat via a tender ahead of her husband.

He previously joked that he had spent much of his time since leaving office trying to appease his wife, which he described as 'challenging'. 'I have spent over eight years now trying to dig myself out of a hole with Michelle,' he said d uring another appearance in Pennsylvania . And that's been challenging, but I feel like I'm making progress. I'm almost breaking even at the moment.' Mr and Mrs Obama were seen together for the first time in two months in Portofino, Italy , aboard their friend Steven Spielberg 's $250million superyacht over the weekend. They arrived separately from one another, with photographers catching a solo Mrs Obama, 61, getting onto the luxurious, 357ft boat via a tender ahead of her husband.

This marked the first time the couple had been seen together since they sat down for an astonishing joint interview on Mrs Obama's podcast in July, during which they finally addressed the state of their marriage. 'What, you guys like each other?' Mrs Obama's brother and co-host Craig Robinson joked, before she replied: 'Oh yeah, the rumor mill.' 'She took me back!' Mr Obama light-heartedly chimed in, adding: 'It was touch and go for a while.' The former first lady said it was nice to be in the same room as her husband, telling her brother: 'When we aren't, folks think we're divorced.' Mrs Obama then added: 'There hasn't been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man. And we've had some really hard times. So we had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures, and I have become a better person because of the man I'm married to.'

This marked the first time the couple had been seen together since they sat down for an astonishing joint interview on Mrs Obama's podcast in July, during which they finally addressed the state of their marriage. 'What, you guys like each other?' Mrs Obama's brother and co-host Craig Robinson joked, before she replied: 'Oh yeah, the rumor mill.' 'She took me back!' Mr Obama light-heartedly chimed in, adding: 'It was touch and go for a while.' The former first lady said it was nice to be in the same room as her husband, telling her brother: 'When we aren't, folks think we're divorced.' Mrs Obama then added: 'There hasn't been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man. And we've had some really hard times. So we had a lot of fun times, a lot of adventures, and I have become a better person because of the man I'm married to.'

Mr Obama admitted he missed a lot of the speculation, and he was largely unaware of what people were saying. 'These are the kinds of things that I just miss, right? So I don't even know this stuff's going on,' he said. 'And then somebody will mention it to me and I'm all like, 'what are you talking about?'' The Obamas have been married for almost 33 years and share daughters, Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24. Rumors surrounding their relationship began when Mrs Obama skipped several high-profile events, including Donald Trump's inauguration and former president Jimmy Carter's funeral. The former first lady had also said she felt 'free' for the first time in her life. Mrs Obama shared the insight about being an empty nester with a husband who is no longer serving as the President the episode of her podcast, IMO, which she hosts with Mr Robinson. 'I mean at this stage in life for me, personally, is the first time I've been completely free,' the mother-of-two told guest Julia Louis-Dreyfus . 'There's been a release where every choice I make is not about my husband, not about his career, not about my family, not about what my kids need or where they're going, it's totally about me,' she admitted, quipping: 'This is when we start living ladies.'

Mr Obama admitted he missed a lot of the speculation, and he was largely unaware of what people were saying. 'These are the kinds of things that I just miss, right? So I don't even know this stuff's going on,' he said. 'And then somebody will mention it to me and I'm all like, 'what are you talking about?'' The Obamas have been married for almost 33 years and share daughters, Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24. Rumors surrounding their relationship began when Mrs Obama skipped several high-profile events, including Donald Trump's inauguration and former president Jimmy Carter's funeral. The former first lady had also said she felt 'free' for the first time in her life. Mrs Obama shared the insight about being an empty nester with a husband who is no longer serving as the President the episode of her podcast, IMO, which she hosts with Mr Robinson. 'I mean at this stage in life for me, personally, is the first time I've been completely free,' the mother-of-two told guest Julia Louis-Dreyfus . 'There's been a release where every choice I make is not about my husband, not about his career, not about my family, not about what my kids need or where they're going, it's totally about me,' she admitted, quipping: 'This is when we start living ladies.'

The former president, known for picking his political battles carefully since leaving office, recently jumped into the fray slamming the Trump administration for allegedly strong-arming media companies into silencing dissenting voices. 'After years of complaining about cancel culture,' Mr Obama wrote on BlueSky, 'the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like.' This followed Jimmy Kimmel's suspension by ABC after alleged strong-arming from the Federal Communications Commission. 'This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent,' he continued. 'And media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it.' Mr Obama linked to a New York Times piece by columnist David French defending the First Amendment. He said: 'This commentary offers a clear, powerful statement of why freedom of speech is at the heart of democracy and must be defended - whether the speaker is Charlie Kirk or Jimmy Kimmel, MAGA supporters or MAGA opponents.'

The former president, known for picking his political battles carefully since leaving office, recently jumped into the fray slamming the Trump administration for allegedly strong-arming media companies into silencing dissenting voices. 'After years of complaining about cancel culture,' Mr Obama wrote on BlueSky, 'the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like.' This followed Jimmy Kimmel's suspension by ABC after alleged strong-arming from the Federal Communications Commission. 'This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent,' he continued. 'And media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it.' Mr Obama linked to a New York Times piece by columnist David French defending the First Amendment. He said: 'This commentary offers a clear, powerful statement of why freedom of speech is at the heart of democracy and must be defended - whether the speaker is Charlie Kirk or Jimmy Kimmel, MAGA supporters or MAGA opponents.'

Yet during his presidency, his administration was accused of surveilling journalists, weaponizing the Internal Revenue Service, and cheering the de-platforming of conservative commentators. Mr Obama broke his silence again in August to criticise his presidential successor while noting Mr Trump's rampant militarisation of police 'puts the liberties of all Americans at risk.' 'This interview, which is also available to listen to as a podcast, provides a useful overview of some of the dangerous trends we've been seeing in recent months regarding federalization and militarization of state and local police functions,' Mr Obama wrote on X. The former president attached a New York Times op-ed by Ezra Klein that details how cities and states have begun to militarize their police under Trump. 'The erosion of basic principles like due process and the expanding use of our military on domestic soil puts the liberties of all Americans at risk, and should concern democrats and republicans alike.'

Yet during his presidency, his administration was accused of surveilling journalists, weaponizing the Internal Revenue Service, and cheering the de-platforming of conservative commentators. Mr Obama broke his silence again in August to criticise his presidential successor while noting Mr Trump's rampant militarisation of police 'puts the liberties of all Americans at risk.' 'This interview, which is also available to listen to as a podcast, provides a useful overview of some of the dangerous trends we've been seeing in recent months regarding federalization and militarization of state and local police functions,' Mr Obama wrote on X. The former president attached a New York Times op-ed by Ezra Klein that details how cities and states have begun to militarize their police under Trump. 'The erosion of basic principles like due process and the expanding use of our military on domestic soil puts the liberties of all Americans at risk, and should concern democrats and republicans alike.'

He has also been dealing with skyrocketing budgets over his soon-to-be presidential library in Chicago. The center's staggering $850million cost has been fuelled by soaring operational budgets and huge salaries for executives, a financial report has revealed. Situated in the South Side of Chicago in Jackson Park, the towering grey monolith-like property will serve as the headquarters of the Obama Foundation and will house a museum, library and education center dedicated to his eight years as president. It was initially estimated to cost $300million, before the budget was revised to $500million in 2017, and then again to $700million in 2021.

He has also been dealing with skyrocketing budgets over his soon-to-be presidential library in Chicago. The center's staggering $850million cost has been fuelled by soaring operational budgets and huge salaries for executives, a financial report has revealed. Situated in the South Side of Chicago in Jackson Park, the towering grey monolith-like property will serve as the headquarters of the Obama Foundation and will house a museum, library and education center dedicated to his eight years as president. It was initially estimated to cost $300million, before the budget was revised to $500million in 2017, and then again to $700million in 2021.

In an annual financial disclosure form released last week, the foundation reported spending an extra $90million to prepare exhibits and $40million in operating costs for the first year alone. Executives at the centre raked in a total of $6.1million and are among the best paid of all cultural centers in the nation, with CEO Valerie Jarrett paid $740,000 last year. Despite the soaring costs of the site, fundraising to Mr Obama's foundation has stayed high and surpassed $1billion thanks to a $195million cash injection last year, the foundation said in its recent financial report.

In an annual financial disclosure form released last week, the foundation reported spending an extra $90million to prepare exhibits and $40million in operating costs for the first year alone. Executives at the centre raked in a total of $6.1million and are among the best paid of all cultural centers in the nation, with CEO Valerie Jarrett paid $740,000 last year. Despite the soaring costs of the site, fundraising to Mr Obama's foundation has stayed high and surpassed $1billion thanks to a $195million cash injection last year, the foundation said in its recent financial report.

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