People Magazine interviewed the Barack Obama family for their August 4, 2008 issue, which features the entire Obama family on the cover, publishing some of the interview and photographs online.
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Squeezing some family fun between campaign stops, Sen. Barack Obama kicks a soccer ball to his 10-year-old daughter Malia and, with a wink to a reporter on the sidelines, confides one of his wife Michelle’s secret talents: “She is the best Hula-Hooper I know. Once she gets the rhythm going, she can drop to her knees!”
And what about the Democratic presidential nominee? “That is one thing you will never see – me Hula-Hooping. I think that’s clear.”
Also clear: That even on the campaign trail, this is a brood almost like any other, with set routines (chores!), boundaries ($1 allowance!) and playtimes (movie nights!). The Obamas opened up to PEOPLE – first, at the family’s three-story home in Chicago in June, and again on July 4, at a park in Butte, Mont., where the family campaigned and celebrated Malia’s birthday – about the task of raising two girls, including 7-year-old Sasha, under the public eye.
Sasha and Malia Obama, July 4, 2008
PEOPLE: Someone told me today that you don’t do birthday presents.
Michelle: No, because we spend hundreds of dollars on a birthday party and movie tickets and pizza and popcorn …
Barack: That sleepover is enough. We want to teach some limits to them. And their friends bring over presents.
Michelle: They get so much stuff that it just becomes numbing. Malia believes there is still a Santa Claus even though she’s a little wary because some of her friends are non-believers. But Malia says, “Ma, I know there is a Santa because there’s no way you’d buy me all that stuff.” [Laughing]
Barack Obama family, July 4, 2008
So what does a slumber party at the Obama house look like?
Barack: They’re pretty noisy.
Michelle: The older they get, they just talk a lot. But they’re at the age where they’re pretty self-sufficient. [For Malia's birthday] we’re going to go swimming, see Wall-E, make pizzas, have sundaes.
Barack: I usually go for the swim but this time I want to go to the movie just because Wall-E has gotten great reviews. I find actually that children’s movies are the best movies these days. But I’ll probably, after that, peel off until the cake.
Michelle: [Laughs] “Peel off.”
Source: Barack Obama Gives Daughter $1 Allowance a Week (The interview continues.)
Photo credit: Top photo: Martin Schoeller; Photos 2-3 David Burnett / Contact Press Images. Remaining photos courtesy of the Obama family.
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Obama family in 2002
Barack Obama and Michelle Obama wedding photo, 1992
Barack Obama Family People Magazine Cover and Photos August 4, 2008
such a beautiful family.
hey barack obama wen i get old enough i hope u r are still president or a least running 4 president so i can vote 4 u so in 5 more years run again
it is so amazing that after 16 years they love each other as much as when they first met.
me and my partner have been together for 8 years, and it surely difficult to get to that milestone year.
but it is true, what Madame’ First Lady Michelle Obama said on Ellen, a while back, that Laughter is very important.
maybe that is why me and my partner have lasted so long, ( and in Gay years that equals to Oooh! double ).
GOD BLESS THE OBAMAS
nice family i love how they are always spending time together ! Kewel
u have a nice family keep up being a good father……:)
the most adorable family i have ever known
i really admire the love,care and support he gives to his wife.keep it up from Ghana.
Obama is the best role model for all of us and im really glad that he’s our new president because he have so much power with his words and his family is a family to die for …….GREAT JOB OBAMA WE ALL LOVE U AS A FATHER,HUSBAND,AND MOST IMPORTANT OUR PRESIDENT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hi Obama this is Mia burnside how is you doing tell your kids i sand hello ok
j adore barack obama dans coeur c le meilleure de tous les presidents sa famille a lair aussi sympatiques qu un ange je ladoooooooooooooooooooooooorrrrrree presque tous mes habits ont le dessin de barack obama la je le jre cest le meilleure des meilleur (I love you barack obama to much <3 sorry for my english because I speak french bye
He great man Angola is watching yu and i see yu i realy feal like killing José Eduardo dos Santos that guy is the useless president i have ever seen in my all life may God take away is life and give To my Boy OBAMA ANGOLA LOVES YU (se fosse possivel, você governava America e Angola We are fellas in the Innicial A…………….
Hey great Man Angola loves yu too
and when I see i feel like killing José Eduardo dos Santos that man is Useless if it was possible yu could have been the presidente of both country couse people like José they dont deserve to live. ANGOLA TE AMA E QUE DEUS TE ABENCOE VOCE E A SUA FELIZ FAMILIA você é um génio que vale oxigenio.
president you have great family i like it
hey i love you all. it s a very nice family. keep it up Mr Obama
I like sasha and Malia very well.Likes to be a friend. can I ?
please visit KRG
hellooooooooooooo
I love you