Why did Mrs. Obama decide to support her husband's run for the presidency? Would you have made the same choice? How do you balance your competing worlds?

In Chapter 15, Michelle Obama explains why she chose to support her husband's run for the presidency despite her misgivings about politics. What made her change her mind?

Would you have made the same choice? How do you balance the competing worlds of family life and work in your life?

I think that Michelle supported her husband's run for the presidency out of her love for the country and her strong belief that she felt that he would offer the country something very special.
She makes it clear that selfishly she did not enjoy him being involved in politics. She shared him as a gift.

In the end of Chapter 15 she says that she loved him and had faith in him but also that she really did not think he could win.

I think she realized early on what an amazing person her husband was. And while she may have thought that he couldn't win, she knew that he had to try. And yes, she loved her country and sensed what an amazing president he would be.

I think she supported him because she loved him and knew what an asset he was to the political world,

I agree with the other comments about Michelle Obama's love for her husband and believe that he would be a terrific political asset. But I think she also recognized how "swerving" had served her in the past when she was struggling with her own career choices. While she certainly recognized all-too-well the challenges of a political life, she recognized this as probably the most major SWERVE of her life.

I think when Mrs. Obama saw the effect her husband had on the people at the convention and know how much he loved being involved and his love for his constituents, she had no choice but to support him. Don’t know if I could have been that unselfish.

I think she felt like it was something he had to do. She probably did not want to hold him back from following his dreams. When you love someone you want them to be happy and fulfilled with their life. I think she wanted Barak to follow his dreams. I think I would have done the same thing. It can hurt your marriage if you hold your spouse back from following their dreams.

I don't think I could have made the same decision that Michelle made, I am not a risk taker at all, and this would have taken me out of my comfort zone. It shows just how unselfish she was and how much she believed that this was Barack's time. It also shows how she was able to put her "wants" aside because of her strong belief in her husband and the country's need for a leader like him.

She loved her husband and saw in him the opportunity to make a difference.

I think that when she saw the potential in Barack, what he could contribute to improving the country and to the world, she realized she wanted to support him in that. She was helping him to become all he could be. Their relationship faced some challenges as a result, but she grew into her role as First Lady and made a space where she could be herself and make her own contribution.