Being your First Lady has been the honor of a lifetime. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. -mo pic.twitter.com/pahEydkZ5Z
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) January 19, 2017
YOU ARE KILLING ME, MOBAMA. I just feel like weeping today. As everyone keeps saying, it was always going to be difficult to say goodbye to the Obamas. But it’s even worse because decency, authenticity, intelligence, grace and sanity are leaving the White House just to be replaced with a lunatic and his enablers. For eight years, we had the most amazing First Lady ever in Michelle Obama. We loved her. We still love her.
Michelle’s still one of the most popular FLOTUSes of all time, and she’s leaving the White House with a 68% approval rating, crushing both her husband (who leaves office with a 58% approval rating) and Ol’ Handsome Joe Biden, who leaves office with a 61% approval rating. The only recent FLOTUS who comes close is Laura Bush, who was so inoffensive and graceful that people still have general feelings of ambivalent warmth towards her.
Michelle’s FLOTUS account has been posting some goodbye-stuff, so let’s all have a good cry. First of all, I absolutely love the photo I used as the header image. But I also love that Michelle just loves her dogs so much. Sunny and Bo were never President Obama’s dogs. They were never Malia and Sasha’s dogs. They were always Michelle’s dogs. You can just tell. Here’s Michelle, Sunny and Bo walking around the White House for the last time.
Taking it in on one last walk through the People's House. pic.twitter.com/uaAn6j8Ygy
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) January 18, 2017
And this too. GAH.
Thank you for the birthday wishes and for the greatest gift of all: the opportunity to serve as your First Lady. –mo pic.twitter.com/erjZA6WUXz
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) January 18, 2017
Photos courtesy of Twitter, WENN.
WHYYYY are you doing this to me, Queen?!
I am openly sobbing. Please don’t go.
I want to lay on the floor like a child and wail.
It’s like she’s trying to sprinkle her essence around the white house to protect it from Velveeta taint that’s about to invade it.
lmfao velveeta taint im dying *applause*
Ugly, snot crying over the loss of such an elegant, generous, classy First Lady. (Buys ticket to Palm Springs — I’m leaving town, too.)
I have such affection for her, like a family member. She is so inspiring and has such heart. Sigh.
OMFG I am going to miss this classy family sooo much!
Agreed 1000%. This is what integrity, authenticity, and gratitude looks like. Such an inspiring example.
I’m trying to keep it together here, but seeing their goodbyes it making it too real.
+1 billion. The Obamas are everything.
I went to visit a friend in Northern Ireland over the New Year’s holiday. I brought the recent People magazine with their final annual interview on the cover. After I read it (and wept), I left the magazine with my friend who is a huge Obama fan. She asked me why I was not keeping it as a souvenir of the past eight years. I simply replied, “It will make me too sad. Look at everything the U.S. will lose when the Obamas leave the White House and Cheeto Mussolini takes over.”
My heart is well and truly broken now…
I am completely broken hearted. It feels like something is missing.
I love her, even more than I like her husband. They shut her up in 2008 – i hope we hear that Michelle again. She has fire in her beliy. Maybe she can work with us to light our way out of this darkness I feel ascending on us.
This is so painful. Thank you obama family for being the embodiment of grace and class. WE’RE GOING TO MISS YOU. God help us
I will think she’s amazing after tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does in the future. I hope she stays in the public eye at least a little bit. I am looking forward to hearing her actual opinions rather than what she had to say for general consumption.
She’s been the best first lady in my lifetime.
man, what a crazy thing to think about. How their entire families lives changed 8 years ago so drastically…and now it’s happening again, but it’s a closing of that chapter. must feel weird to walk around that big white house you called home through so much and just … have to leave it all behind … and to trump no less … (but not his family, because you know, they’re not DC people, they’re NYC people)…
<3
I have no idea how Michelle will not go up to Trump, who tried to delegitimize her husband for 8 years, and spit in his disgusting, vile face.
Ugh. Im so angry it is ugly.
Agree on every point. No scandal; these two are so great the desperate Right couldn’t even manufacture one. Both of these wonderful people exude dignity, grace, class and intelligence. Plus, they truly seem to still love each other, despite the immense stress this job would put on ANY marriage.
Proving, sadly once again, that the most qualified person of color has to be 1000x better than the least qualified white person to even have a chance at getting the same job.
Will note, according to CBS poll released yesterday, Obama’s approval rating has climbed to 60% and Trump’s has dropped to 32%. They are, officially now, the most and least popular Presidents in the past 50 years.
Also worth noting that, historically, a President is most popular in this time … From election to inauguration. That Trump’s numbers are already lower than W at his nadir are telling. Bigly.
POTUS and FLOTUS Obama are pretty much my couple goals, and I’m not even American.
I can’t bear it. To think she is going to be replaced by a woman who cares so little about the honor of the position that she isn’t even going to move to the White House…
Isn’t it disgusting? The idea that Melania can’t be bothered to move to DC and has NO clue or care what to do with that role-ugh. I know in the scheme of all the gross Trump stuff this is minor, but it really bothers me.
Melania is staying in NY because son Baron has learning & developmental deficiencies that are addressed at his current school. I get that “special needs” kids truly aren’t as easily transferable as others. (On the plus side, it keeps her away form DT.)
@Taxi
If the primary concern is the child’s learning and developmental deficiencies then Mr. Trump and his current wife should have hashed that one out earlier and, upon deciding that the boy’s education came first, he–as a loving father who puts his child’s needs front and center, right?–should not have run for office.
It’s not the American public’s responsibility. They’ve turned it into our responsibility, but really, it is not. And I’m sure all the businesses that are being affected, the money that will come from somewhere that is being spent, and the general public who is offended by the way this grifter bunch is intending to use (or not) the people’s White House would agree.
I’m sorry that the youngest Mr. Trump has problems. I’m even sorrier that we, the people, are being forced to carry the burden incurred.
@Taxi: there hasn’t been any confirmation that Barron is is a special school. And you know what-even if he is-I DON’T CARE. His father should have thought about that before he ran for POTUS.
It would have been sad to say goodbye to these two under *ANY* circumstances. This is almost too much.
& that comes from a Brit. Much, much love for the Obamas here, especially Michelle I think. She made a few people clutch their pearls when she put an arm round Her Maj – WTF will happen when the orange toddler comes to Buck House ……..?
We’ll be thinking of you all in the States tomorrow – rest assured MILLIONS of people stand with you across the world.
Edit: Probably no exaggeration to say billions, not millions.
You are kind and so many of us are heartbroken. Apologies in advance for anything the short-fingered Vulgarian does on his visits to the U.K.
No judgment from this side of the pond, Giddy: we’ve created our very own shitstorm with the ignorance, bigotry & sheer STUPIDITY that won the referendum last year.
I’m really hoping that his “reign” is curtailed. I know Pence is equally evil but he’s not quite as unhinged & erratic is he?
Blimey everything’s in an unholy mess.
I’m so tempted to wear a black armband tomorrow.
RIP America
July 4, 1776 — January 20, 2017
We had a good run. /sobs/
I’m wearing black tomorrow. And no make up.
I am definitely wearing a black armband tomorrow. And will be at my local women’s march bright and early on Saturday.
On the 21st, the resistance begins!
I think I will wear black tomorrow…and then I will march on Saturday.
Wearing black tomorrow. Wearing white on Saturday except for my pink pussy hat. And a flag pin. Taking my country back and taking the flag too.
seconding all of this. I’m not American either, but the world will be a poorer place without the Obamas in public life, especially considering what’s coming to the White House after them.
I Adore this Excellent Woman, Adore her, she is a walking light, a Real Patriot cause the way you can tell this woman loves this country considering what the last eight years have dished to her from some quarters??? That takes an amount of grace PATRIOTISM and sense of duty that I for one assure you, Do not posses
I agree. The video of her on the verge of tears saying that being our First Lady has been the biggest honor of her life-SOB.
“she is a walking light”
YES!!!!
Yes to your whole post. What she has been through, and the dignity, strength and warmth that she has shown the ENTIRE TIME!!! She is amazing. Amazing seems too weak of a word to describe her, but words are failing me.
This is truth, right here.
This is so right, a beacon of light that I will truly miss.
PREACH, QQ, PREACH! I do not possess even the tiniest fraction of the grace, class, duty, and patriotism that the Obamas have.
so true – i’m not sure many could claim to have the grace, warmth, and patriotism that she’s shown. it’s like being plunged into a nightmare after a really lovely dream.
Maaaan, those pooches are going to miss having run of that enormous house!
They probably will – and I’ll miss the prospect of Bo videobombing, remember this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S8qXLj0oag
Fluffy Farewell to Bo Obama and the Obama family https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZLBDujTdWo
I will miss Sunny and Bo too!
I was wondering whaf kind of sorcery she was employing to keep the dogs by her side as she walked around. My dog never did this with any member of my family. He would follow you from room to room to make sure he had a constant visual on whoever was in the house with him so he could reassure himself he wasn’t alone in the house. But he didn’t follow me or anyone in such a close fashion like Sunny and Bo. It was more like a delayed follow. If you didn’t come back within 30 seconds then he’d come looking. Was not very touchy feely to begin with. Ugh I miss my puppy!
The dogs were professionally trained before coming into the household, and then the Obamas worked with a trainer on how to imprint and work with the training they already knew. That’s a standard heel. None of my dogs have been that highly trained — didn’t really think they needed that degree of obedience — but we have had dogs that would walk without a leash, firmly by our side, and I had more confidence in their staying there than I do with the two we have now when on-leash. LOL.
In a complete Presidential doggie aside, my college roommate interned in the W White House at the same time I interned at a DC charity organization. I was able to go to the White House several times for events, and see a bit of the behind-the-scenes stuff because of my friend. I was not a fan of W as a President BUT I will note that their little Scottie, Barney, was ADORED by the Bush family. He had the run of the White House, and I mean that literally. He came and went wherever he pleased; through events, under desks, etc. Think I saw him every single time I was on property and everyone that worked there had a cute Barney story, and more than one told me he was prone to running into the Oval Office (which, no, I’ve never seen) and jumping into W’s lap. Definitely made me think more highly of the family on a personal, if not political, level.
My daughter is going to school in DC and her dream has always been to intern at the WH. But now-sob-not so much. A “regular” Republican would have been no problem-but Trump? Ugh.
If it makes her feel any better … I went to what most would consider a very prestigious university (unless you’re the kind who scorns it as, “the safety ivy”), made the Dean’s List several times, had a family with high-ranking military background … And I, honestly, would never would have been considered. My roommate’s dad worked for Bush, and most of the other interns I knew through her also had high level connections that got them in the door. Like many things in life, it’s all about who you know.
The good news is that D.C. is AWASH with internships and they recruit at lots of colleges, all across the country. That’s how I got mine; and it was good in that it taught me what I didn’t want to do (PR).
Caveat: This was all a long time ago, in a land far away, called the early 2000s before social media and in the time of flip phones. (I didn’t even have my own — gasp! — and was super excited to get one for my use that summer.)
I think it might depend on the type of dog and how they’re trained. Bo was a gift from Ted Kennedy, whose own dogs went everywhere with him.
It reminds me of the scene in Gone With The Wind in which Scarlett takes one last look at her home before running to safety, knowing that the Yankees were on their way to burn it. (Of course, she ends up meeting them at the front door instead and giving them what-for. Too bad FLOTUS doesn’t have that option!)
I can’t stand it. Losing her and President Obama would be bad enough if they were being replaced by someone with a shred of class or dignity or decency, but …
I think I’m going to forgo my morning coffee tomorrow and just start hitting the wine as soon as I get up. This is beyond depressing.
I think there will be millions of people globally who will be adding a good dash of Bailey’s to their morning coffee and dunking their toast in chardonnay….
I can’t deal with this! 😩😪
I love her, their family, and their dogs. Did you see the video of her reading to kids, and Bo interrupting and climbing into her lap? So cute.
Michelle is pure class, and we were all so lucky to have her be FLOTUS. She will forever be an amazing role model for all.
Aww…off to look for video!
that is one of my favorite videos of her.
I’m Canadian but I am soooo sad to see this happen. I almost feel like I KNOW them, that I want to live with them and have her mother me. *SIGH*….better fasten your seat-belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride I fear.
same here.
/sigh
It really is almost unbearably painful to see them go.
My first thought when I woke up this morning was “this is it. This is the last day.”
The past couple of weeks I have been on here looking back at posts about Tiddlesbanging and Duchess Kate’s goddam wedges, anything to make myself laugh.
I hate this.
I know, it’s like a countdown to impending doom – like we were safe up to now because President Obama was still POTUS, but tomorrow is when the crazy starts :/
Take us with you Michelle!
/I second this request
OMG — can anyone id her blouse? I’m in love!!
My 21 year old daughter said to me last night that she has essentially grown up with the Obamas in the WH and they have set the standard for what she thinks a good first family should be. She praised POTUS for his thoughtfulness, intelligence, calming approach and for just being so damn cool and elegant and the same of FLOTUS who is truly amazing. So my daughter said she intends to work towards finding another candidate of BO’s caliber to reclaim the WH. I could not be more proud of her. I’m right there with her!
Well I t’s just after midnight Inauguration Day. We are about to be officially mired in a bad reality show. Be sure you’re strapped in tight cuz the ride is going to get bumpy.