Obama official portraits: Barack jokes about tan suit and Michelle jabs Trump at painting unveiling
Wednesday marked the first return visit to the White House for Ms Obama since leaving in 2017
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Louise Thomas
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It has been more than five years since President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama departed 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
On Wednesday though, they returned, as President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, revived the beloved Washington tradition of the unveiling of official White House portraits that has for decades managed to transcend partisan politics — after an awkward and anomalous gap in the Trump years.
The day marks the first return visit to the White House for Ms Obama since leaving in 2017, but the second by Mr Obama, who earlier this year attended a ceremony to mark 12 years of Obamacare.
In remarks before the unveiling, Mr Biden offered high praise to the man who occupied the Oval Office when he was vice president. Mr Obama reciprocated and also lightened the mood with jokes and “spicy” comments (as described by Mrs Obama to more laughter).
The former first lady appeared to have a thinly-veiled dig at former President Donald Trump, noting the importance of tradition in a democracy and citing the importance of a peaceful transfer of power: “Once our time is up, we move on.”
In 2012 the Obamas hosted George W Bush and Laura Bush for the unveiling of their portraits.
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Biden highlights the personal nature of their relationship
“For eight years, we grew to be a family,” President Joe Biden says of his and the Obamas’ time in the White House together.
“I remember how you were with me when our son was passing,” President Biden says, noting former President Obama delivered his son Beau Biden’s eulogy. “You’ll never fully understand just how much it meant to Jill and me and to the entire family.”
Back on form, Obama brings the laughter
Ever the comedian, President Obama soon has everyone laughing but pivots to saying kind things about President Biden.
But the jokes are soon back.
Thanking the artist who painted the portrait of Michelle, President Obama says: “I want to thank Sharon Sprung for capturing everything I love about Michelle: Her grace, her intelligence, and the fact that she’s fine.”
Thanking Robert McGurdy who painted him, he says he wouldn’t minimise his grey hair nor paint him with smaller ears but he “talked me out of wearing a tan suit” — to much laughter from former staffers recalling one of his first term gaffes.
“Michelle was the best part about the White House,” President Obama says introducing his wife. “And the pastry chefs delivered pies upon request. So that’s saying something.”
Michelle Obama thanks her husband for his “spicy remarks”.
Barack Obama threw his hands up and said, “I’m not running again.”
“It is a special place because we raised our girls here … it means so much to come back,” Michelle Obama says on being back in the White House for the first time since she was first lady — more than five years have passed since then.
Thanking the artist, she says: “Sharon [Sprung] now joins a small but mighty group of women who’ve painted an official portrait here at the White House.”
“Traditions like this matter — not just for those of us who hold these positions, but for everyone taking part in democracy,” Michelle Obama says of the portraits, citing the importance of peaceful transfer of power. “Once our time is up, we move on.”
“A girl like me was never supposed to be up there next to Jacqueline Kennedy … she was never supposed to live in this house ... or serve as first lady,” Michelle Obama says. “What we are seeing is a reminder that there is a place for everyone in this country.”
“Our democracy is so much stronger than our differences,” she later adds.
Michelle Obama says their portraits on the White House walls are “a reminder of what this country is about — it’s not about blood or pedigree or wealth, it’s about everyone getting a fair shot”.
She adds that despite those who want to say of America “that story has lost some of its shine, that division and discrimination has dimmed some of its light,” that she and her husband still know “our democracy is so much stronger than our differences.”
After Michelle Obama introduces Jill Biden there is a particularly amusing moment when everyone in the room gives her a standing ovation apart from her own husband, which she delights in pointing out, chiding him to laughter from the room.
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