Aren't most college football fans men? Why does it threaten anyone that the Obamas had a joking moment about their respective interest and non-interest in football, or about her mild annoyance with his obsession about it, or that the interviewer asked a question the answer to which would be of interest to many men and relatively few women. I'm not a football fan at all but I found the question and the answer interesting enough, and I find Obama's itnerest in football...well...sort of normal and certainly not threatening and also helpful for him to build a bond with a lot of white male viewers...and well, now I've spent too much time on this topic just like the rest of you. Let's all get a life.

What I like about Barack, BTW, is that I'm fairly sure he could have just as intelligently responded to a question about a playwright or an author as about football.

Not true. Michelle was a major contributor to the campaign - and built her own network of political connections - she worked closely with military familes. She's an obvious powerhouse - not a backseater - more like riding shotgun. Obama is obviously enthralled with her - I'm sure she's a close advisor - he's said so on numerous occasions - this is truly a political team.

let me guess - you wanted to hear more abour Reverand Wright? or Bill Ayers? What bullshit. The guy has yet to take the White House - he's in the limbo of transition - and yet, you wanted to hear...

what did you want to hear? This was a fine interview to introduce America to the first couple - for the first time since they won. Did Bush get softballs? name ONE interview that Bush gave? The man HID from the press...

and then when he did answer?

Decider in Chief...

It was another softball interview. Too cute and cozy. Hope Axelrod is grooming Obama for the job of president as well as he groomed Obama as a candidate.

Isn't it imaginable that Mrs. Obama really isn't crazy about football, and that her husband knows it? Is that too girly for you? disigny

It's as if we just crawled out of a cave! This family is so "normal" and refreshing -- and smart. I am already sleeping better knowing that they will be in charge. I hope we don't spend our time scrutinizing their every word and gesture and just relish the joy of having them do their best to lead our country forward. I, for one, am again proud to be an American and all that it stands for. Wahoo!

I'm not going to scrutinize every word and gesture of the Obamas' interview for hidden meanings, but my husband turned to me after watching it and said, "I just don't believe this." What a concept, having a president who seems more concerned with making sure Americans understand things clearly than with spinning them, and someone who--for all the talk about his arrogance from the blowhards--actually sounds humbled by the office. I don't know if we're ever going to get used to it.

But we laughed aloud to hear him mention Harold's Chicken Shack. Man, I miss Hyde Park, and I worry that it will never be the same now that it's suddenly being described as hip and trendy, rather than where hell freezes over.

but that the WOMAN(girls are 12 and under) sitting beside him doesn't particularly care for it.

How refreshing to hear a president with grammatical skills. He can finish a sentence! He uses correct verb tenses! He speaks actual words that can be located in any dictuionary!

Whew! January can't get here fast enough.

Bush... the endification is nigh.

How bout our President-Elect...he thought about his mother-in-law having her DAUGHTER in the White House...that's very powerful. He gets it - it's not all about HIM...

The highest-rated 60 Minutes episode in well over a decade, and viewer response has been overwhelmingly positive. That, coupled with his post-election 70% approval ratings and 2/3 of Americans surveyed thinking he'll make the country a better place after four years, and it's clear that the country, aside from the hardcore right wing, is rallying around him. Yes, that sets up high expectations, but I think it's a good thing. If he moves boldly and in a big way, the public will have his back. He's going to need it to deal with the Blue Dog Dems, the GOP jackals, and the fickle media.

Great article, except I agree with other posters--I didn't take it to be a "girls hate football" thing at all -- just that he was going to go on about something she doesn't care about and they have a joking relationship about it. And THAT is what's so great about them as a "first couple": there doesn't seem to be a moment of inauthenticity between them, no sense that they're mugging for the cameras. They seem honest, which makes me feel that there's a better than even chance that we can trust what he has to say as our president.

As for making Michelle do "the mommy thing," I don't get that at all. She has been working all along during the campaign, especially with military families. I think that would be a TREMENDOUS contribution for her to make. We have enough policy wonks; what we need is someone who sees an area of need and can galvanize support in that area. And what better cause than the cause of military families? I can see her leading volunteer initiatives; I can also see her testifying eloquently in front of Senate committees about getting these families more of the financial support they so deserve.

I could have watched them talk for hours. I hope he will do a lot of this kind of interview during his presidency. It's such a joy to listen to someone who's smart and articulate explain the intricacies of the problems facing us today--someone who actually leaves me thinking about something and wanting to learn more.