First lady denies she called job 'hell'
Sep-17-2010

First lady Michelle Obama never said her life was "hell" in the White House, the French Embassy here and her own office said in statements Thursday, denying a claim attributed by French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in a new book.

"Mrs. Bruni-Sarkozy distances herself completely from the content of the book Carla and the Ambitious, which was not authorized and the authors alone are responsible for its contents. The words attributed to the first lady of the United States were never said," said Emmanuel Lenain, a spokesman for the French Embassy here.

Catherine McCormick-Lelyveld, a spokeswoman for Michelle Obama, said in a statement: "The first lady never said that."

Bruni-Sarkozy supposedly made the comment last March, when President Nicholas Sarkozy and his wife visited the Obamas at the White House. She allegedly asked Michelle Obama what life was like since Obama won the presidency; London's Daily Mail quotes Michelle Obama's response in the book: "Don't ask. It's hell. I can't stand it."

The authors, Michael Darmon and Yves Derai, claimed their book was written "in collaboration" with Bruni-Sarkozy, the Daily Mail reported.

Later on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs underscored the French government denial in a tweet:

"French spokesman says 'The words attributed to the first lady of the United States were never said.' "

Posted by Clay Kohut at 12:43 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print