NYTimes: Michelle Obama and the Evolution of the First Lady
Great article about FLOTUS. She apparently did not like Rahm and often got pissed with Pres Obama's advisors, whom she saw as too insular and often rudderless. A snippet:
<...> Michelle Obama never wanted to be the kind of first lady who interfered with West Wing business, she told her aides. It was her husband’s administration, not hers, she sometimes said. She had little appetite or expertise for policy detail, and she knew the history of first ladies —like Nancy Reagan and Mrs. Clinton — who had been deemed meddlers, unelected figures who wielded unearned power. And yet as the administration hit obstacle after obstacle in 2010 —Scott Brown’s victory in Massachusetts, a health care law that squeaked through Congress yet remained unpopular, the Gulf oil spill and the approach of the midterm elections — Mrs. Obama became increasingly concerned.
Later Mr. Emanuel would glide into the Chicago mayor’s office, partly on the basis of his strong ties to Mr. Obama, but by a year into the administration, his relationship with the president had grown strained. While he relied heavily on Mr. Emanuel, especially in dealing with Congress, Mr. Obama told advisers that he had concerns about his chief of staff’s overall management and planning skills, along with his outbursts toward staff members. Mr. Emanuel openly said that he thought the health care overhaul had been a bad idea, and after accounts of his views began to surface in the news media in early 2010, he went into the Oval Office and offered his resignation to Mr. Obama, according to several colleagues.
The chief of staff “understood that the stories were an embarrassment and felt like he owed it to him to offer his resignation,” Mr. Axelrod said. The president declined to accept it, telling Mr. Emanuel that his punishment was to stay and push through the health care measure, according to Mr. Axelrod and others. Mr. Emanuel declined to comment on the matter.
But that spring, Mrs. Obama made it clear that she thought her husband needed a new team, according to her aides. When the president decided to deliver a lofty speech about overhauling immigration laws in June 2010, even though there was no legislation on the table and the effort could hurt vulnerable Democrats, Mr. Emanuel objected. Aides did not produce the speech he wanted and the president stayed up much of the night rewriting — but the address drew a flat reception. Mr. Obama was irritated, two advisers said, and told Ms. Jarrett to keep an eye on other top staff members to make sure that they delivered what he wanted. <...> NY Times
= new reply since forum marked as read
This is most likely done to distance Obama from Rahmbo and what he's about to unleash this spring during the NATO/G-8 summit. I firmly believe that it's no accident that Chicago is getting these summits and the fact that there's an Obama-Rahmbo connection is the reason.
I wonder if people on here know what Rahmbo did last week to try and discourage any dissent next spring. The ridiculous rules he has put in place to ban parades downtown, etc. I wasn't involved in the discussions but maybe someone reading this was and can elaborate. OWS is also fighting this. There will be a lawsuit soon!
Michelle is an awesome woman, regardless. I just detest these puff pieces right before elections. Michelle and the kidlets are even being used for Obama's re-election! 
Some people hear the news and believe every word. Some people hear a blurb from a book and think it's genuine. I am totally suspicious of everything I hear these days. Obviously I am not there and don't know for sure but I reserve the right to doubt these things, which seemed designed to distance people from one another (so they are not linked).
Richard Clarke. 
That was who I was referring to... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_A._Clarke
