If Barack and Michelle Obama were looking to quiet the rumors about their marriage, having the former president out and about on his own in Los Angeles was probably not the way.
Obama sat courtside at an NBA game earlier this week after reportedly dining alone with his two daughters the night before. All of this has led to more questions about whether the former first couple is still together.
On Friday’s show, Megyn was joined by The Daily Mail’s Maureen Callahan to discuss the Obamas’ recent activity and why they may be “soft launching” a separation.
Barack’s Solo Outings
The forty-fourth president spent some time in the Golden State this week seemingly without his wife of three decades. And while that alone is not usual, many believe the circumstances, in their entirety, were.
According to TMZ, Barack was spotted at Anajak Thai restaurant in Sherman Oaks with his daughters, Malia and Sasha, but without Michelle on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, the ex-commander in chief was prominently seated at the Los Angeles Clippers game alongside owner Steve Ballmer and his wife, Connie Snyder.
His attendance was reportedly announced on the Jumbotron at the Intuit Dome and he received cheers from the crowd as he rose to his feet and waved. That marked the latest solo public appearance for Barack, who was also by himself at the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.
While the Obama team claimed a scheduling conflict kept Michelle from Carter’s funeral, no official reason was given for her absence from Trump’s swearing in. “I’m trying to think how a publicist or a crisis manager would spin it,” Callahan said. “Let’s say she had had some plastic surgery and Jimmy Carter happened to die during her recovery. Could you not say ‘health reasons’ and leave it at that? Most people will respect that and not go near it. But she didn’t even say that, which made it seem like a very petty, vengeful move on her part.”
Soft Launch?
While Megyn said she was prepared to write-off the basketball game, she was surprised Michelle would miss a chance to see her kids. “When I first saw that he was seen at a basketball game without her, I’m like, well, that’s no big deal. Doug would go to a basketball game without me,” she explained. “But then I heard he went on to meet with their daughters… Every parent who has girls who are in college is dying to spend time with their daughters. This is an opportunity to see both of them, and she is not there.”
And then there were the social media posts. Amid the speculation about their marital status, the couple coordinated Valentine’s Day messages last month, posting the same picture with different captions.
Barack wrote, “Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away. Happy Valentine’s Day, @MichelleObama!” Michelle, meanwhile, went with, “If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, @BarackObama. You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be. Happy Valentine’s Day, honey! ❤️”
Megyn wasn’t buying it. “That Valentine’s Day message was so ridiculously choreographed,” she said. “It just doesn’t feel organic at all.”
Callahan wondered if all of this is the couple’s way of testing the waters. “I think they seem to be soft launching their divorce,” she concluded. “If it were the opposite and all of these rumors are flying, wouldn’t they make a concerted effort to be seen together or just absolutely issue a statement saying there is no truth to these rumors?”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Callahan by tuning in to episode 1,021 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.