This Photo of Barack and Michelle Obama Will Make You Believe in Love
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Barack and Michelle Obama's time as president and first lady of the United States might be coming to a close, but neither of them are losing any sleep over it. Instead, the adorable couple is using this time to reflect on the incredible and lasting impact the Obama administration will leave behind. Michelle and Barack opened up all about their time in the White House, being parents to Sasha and Malia, and how they've shaped America in Essence's October issue, where they also posed for one of the most gorgeous photos of the pair that we've laid eyes on over the last eight years.
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Barack on the current state of the country: ". . . I can unequivocally say that America is better off now than we were when we came into office. By almost every economic measure, we’re better off. But having said that, we still have a lot of work to do."
Michelle on their legacy: "I think when it comes to Black kids, it means something for them to have spent most of their life seeing the family in the White House look like them. It matters. All the future work that Barack talked about, I think over these last few years, we’ve kind of knocked the ceiling of limitation off the roofs of many young kids; imaginations of what’s possible for them. And as a mother, I wouldn’t underestimate how important that is, having that vision that you can really do anything — not because somebody told you, but because you’ve seen and experienced it. I think that will be a lasting impact on our kids."
Barack on what he'll miss most about the White House: "Some of my fondest memories of the White House are just being with the girls on a Summer night and walking the dogs around the South Lawn, talking and listening to them, trying to get Bo to move because sometimes it's hot."