Michelle Obama opens up about the first time she saw Barack and what their first kiss was like

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Michelle Obama opens up about the first time she saw Barack and what their first kiss was like

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barack and michelle obama

Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Barack and Michelle Obama dance at the Western Inaugural Ball in 2009.

  • Michelle Obama spoke about meeting her future-husband Barack during an interview on "20/20" Sunday night.
  • The former first lady says she had a bad first impression of Barack because he showed up late to their first meeting, when she was mentoring him during a summer associateship at a Chicago law firm.
  • But she warmed up to him and the two eventually started dating.
  • Speaking of their first kiss, she said: "From that kiss on ... it was love and he was my man."

Michelle Obama says she was certain she wouldn't like Barack Obama when she was assigned to be his mentor when he worked at her law firm in the summer of 1989.

During an interview with ABC News' Robin Roberts on "20/20" Sunday night, the former first lady said she "wasn't impressed" with all of the attention paid to the 27-year-old first-year Harvard Law student.

Her law firm, Sidley & Austin, didn't typically take first-year law students on as summer associates, but made an exception for the law prodigy.

"I have my suspicions when a bunch of white folks fawn all over a black man because I sorta think, 'Ok, he can talk straight so they think he's wonderful.' So that was my theory," Obama recalled.

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"And his name was Barack Obama and he was from Hawaii. I thought, 'What?' You know, so I didn't really know what to expect," Obama said.

Then he showed up late for their first meeting.

"I was like, is he trifling? The black man's going to be late on the first day? I was like, 'Um,'" she recalled.

When he finally turned up though, she was attracted to him at first sight.

Read more: Everything you need to know about Barack and Michelle Obama's love story - from the law office to the Oval Office

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"And then in walks Barack Obama. And Barack Obama has always walked like Barack Obama," she said. "Like he's got all the time in the world. He had that stride, I was like 'Dude, you're cute.' But in my mind, I was like -"

"Not interested?" Roberts suggested.

"Off limits. Not even not interested," Obama said. "I'm not going to date one of the few black summer associates, Robin, how tacky."

michelle obama first impressions II

ABC News

Michelle Obama wasn't impressed when Barack showed up late to their first meeting in 1989.

Read more: 33 photos that show why everyone misses Barack Obama

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But by July, Obama broke down Michelle Robinson's resolve, and she agreed to go on a date with him.

"We had been hanging out, getting closer. Barack had suggested that we date," she said. "But I was like 'No, no be my friend. Do this, do that. It wouldn't be right, no.' And he was like, 'You're crazy, we should date. I like you, you like me,' and I liked that about him. He was straightforward; he wasn't playing games."

At the end of their first date, they stopped to get ice cream and it was then that they had their first kiss.

"He played it real smooth," she recalled. "He just leaned in for a kiss and that really was it. From that kiss on we were - it was love, and he was my man."

The couple married three years later and went on to have two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

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We had been hanging out getting closer Barack had suggested that we date. But I was like no no be my friend do this do that it wouldn't be right no. and he was like you're crazy we should date I like you you like me and I liked that about him he was straightforward he wasn't playing games is ay that to the ladies out there, not a game player very clear about what he wanted. When we stopped for ice cream and he got the sense that I was starting to open up and you know he played it real smooth he just leaned in for a kiss and that really was it. From that kiss on we were, it was love and he was my man.
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