First Lady Michelle Obama weighed in on recent revelations about her husband’s past drug use on Tuesday, acknowledging that President Obama realized at a young age that he “could do more with his life.”
During an appearance on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” to promote her new cookbook, the First Lady was asked by host Jon Stewart about the president’s high school and college years. An excerpt released last week from David Maraniss’s forthcoming biography of the president contained details about Obama’s marijuana use as a teenager. Stewart joked that the stories about the president as a young man resembled the “script of a Cheech and Chong movie.”
While the First Lady didn’t directly address the claims in Maraniss’ book, she did say that her husband underwent a change during his college years.
“By the time he was in college, like so many young people, he realized that he could do more with his life,” Obama told Stewart. “He had a mother that was always saying you’re so gifted, you’re so talented, slap him on the head, ‘get yourself together.'”
She continued: “When he lost his father, that was one of those click-in moments. And he really buckled down, he transferred schools, went to Columbia, and thought about how to use his life to the fullest.”
Obama also commented on her relationship with Vice President Joe Biden, who Stewart joked was like an uncle who brings guns to family events.
“I love Joe,” Obama said. “He’s a great vice president and he’s a great friend. My kids hang around him and I’m good with it.”
Tuesday marked Obama’s first appearance on “The Daily Show” since becoming First Lady. Her last stop was in 2008, when she spoke with Stewart in the final month of her husband’s presidential campaign.
