US former President Barack Obama said that his wife, Michelle, would divorce him during a wide-ranging interview. “First of all, I’m not a politician anymore and I can’t be, right?” Obama began. “I mean, I guess technically I could run for, you know, city council or something, but I’m not in elected office. I don’t have levers of power. I’m term limited out. And by the way, I believe in the Constitution and also I believe in my marriage and Michelle would divorce me if I even if I could run again,” Daily Mail reported.The remark, delivered with Obama’s trademark humor, offered a rare public window into the influence Michelle Obama holds over her husband’s decisions.It also highlighted the toll years at the center of American political life took on their family.Obama has long acknowledged the sacrifices Michelle made during his ascent from Illinois state senator to back-to-back terms in the Oval Office.Michelle has repeatedly spoken about the strain political life placed on their family, and has remained both his closest confidante throughout. Obama said that she is also a powerful force guiding over what comes next. During the interview he emphasized that the couple’s post-presidential mission is a shared one focused less on reclaiming power and more on cultivating the next generation.’Michelle and I still have the capacity, not just here in the United States, but globally, to inspire and motivate young people and invite them in to this process,’ Obama explained, describing their work through the Obama Foundation.He framed the mission as essential at a moment when younger Americans face mounting challenges, from economic uncertainty to social isolation. He argued that the role of him and his wife is to help empower others rather than lead from the front.”That’s going to come from the 20, 30-year-old’s who know firsthand what it means to not be able to buy a house,” he said. “They’re the ones who are going to remake our institutions so that they are consistent with the values that are, I think, timeless.”The Obamas’ new presidential center in Chicago set to open in June will serve as the physical embodiment of that vision: part museum, part civic hub, and part training ground for emerging leaders.
