Michelle Obama

And the more you pay attention to that, you see it not just happen to me, but even happen to other female candidates, other wives, other celebrities, other people in the public eye.

So I tried not to take it personally and understand that this was a game.

And I definitely didn't want to assume that this is what America thought.

like being able to separate out what is politics and media and where people's hearts are.

And I think sometimes we struggle because the game is still happening.

We're still dividing each other up when my truth was that no one ever in my face in any community was unwelcoming.

or rigid or close-minded, right?

Not in person, right?

It was all about what was being fed.

So I didn't want that to, I didn't want that to color my heart towards this country.

That's a good question.

I think, again, on the campaign trail and as in those first months of being in office, you see what's written and you look up and there was a whole website, Ms.

O, that focused on... And this is all...

This was complimentary.

It was exciting.

I could see the fun of it.

I get it.

But I understood that fashion and appearance for women is so powerful that if I spent too much time talking about it, maybe nobody would hear anything else I'd have to say.

And I came in wanting to say so much and do so much substantively.

I knew what I wanted to do going in.