{"id":25388,"date":"2026-08-29T02:34:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T02:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=25388"},"modified":"2026-08-29T02:34:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T02:34:39","slug":"michelle-obama-faces-backlash-over-empty-nest-comments-to-stewart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=25388","title":{"rendered":"Michelle Obama faces backlash over empty nest comments to Stewart"},"content":{"rendered":"


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NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Former first lady Michelle Obama faced criticism Friday after telling Jon Stewart on Wednesday’s “IMO” podcast that she did not miss having her adult daughters at home.<\/p>\n

California Republican Party Delegate and mother Elizabeth Barcohana told Fox News Digital the remarks conveyed resentment amid a national debate over motherhood.<\/p>\n

Obama offered a terse response after Stewart explained that the daily job of parenting had given meaning and structure to his life and asked whether she missed it.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m good,” Obama said.<\/p>\n

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Michelle Obama told Jon Stewart she does not miss having her adult daughters at home and enjoys controlling her own schedule.<\/span> (Michelle Obama YouTube channel)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

MICHELLE OBAMA\u2019S \u2018ME\u2019 ANSWER ABOUT NEXT CHAPTER DRAWS SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Barcohana said Obama appeared relieved that the active years of raising daughters Malia and Sasha had ended.<\/p>\n

“There is a difference between a mother expressing exhaustion from the demands of motherhood \u2014 which is real and relatable \u2014 and expressing resentment,” Barcohana said. “Resentment is what appears to come through in Michelle Obama\u2019s remarks, and it is especially painful to hear amid the national conversation surrounding the Lindsay Clancy trial.<\/p>\n

“She seems happy that her daughters\u2019 childhoods are over. That is not a relatable feeling for most mothers at all.”<\/p>\n

Obama said she did not miss having her daughters at home but immediately stressed that she loved them and planned to see them for dinner that night.<\/p>\n

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Obama contrasted her reaction with Barack Obama\u2019s, revealing that he cried when Malia and Sasha left for college.<\/span> (Win McNamee\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

OBAMA ADMITS ‘GENUINE TENSION’ IN MARRIAGE OVER PRESSURE TO STAY IN POLITICS<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I don\u2019t miss them. I don’t. I love them. I\u2019m going to see them tonight for dinner. I love them,” she said. “But Barack cried when they went to college. I was like, \u2018Bye, little \u2014 goodbye.\u2019 Now I \u2026 now Friday nights aren\u2019t wrecked with terror and fear about, \u2018Where are you? Where are you?\u2019”<\/p>\n

Conservative commentator Matt Walsh accused Obama of appearing eager for her children to leave despite the assistance he claimed the family’s wealth afforded her.<\/p>\n

“And yet she still couldn\u2019t wait for the kids to leave because the minor demands they made on her time and energy were still too much for her. Just a total raging narcissist,” Walsh said.<\/p>\n

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Critics accused Obama of showing resentment toward motherhood, while she emphasized that she loves her daughters and spent extensive time raising them.<\/span> (Andy Wenstrand\/SXSW Conference & Festivals)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA’S FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY REPORTEDLY LEAVING NETFLIX TO GO INDEPENDENT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Political commentator Link Lauren criticized Obama for what he characterized as repeated complaints about her family and lifestyle.<\/p>\n

“This podcast is just her sitting around her mansion in Martha\u2019s Vineyard complaining about how hard her life of luxury is and how much she despises her husband and children,” Lauren said.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Obama further explained her empty nest reaction by saying she welcomed her daughters’ independence and had already spent substantial time actively raising them.<\/p>\n

“I love my schedule. I have a great schedule, and it\u2019s all mine,” Obama said. “I mean, I\u2019ve had so much quality time with my children. So much. Yeah, yeah. I know them inside and out.”<\/p>\n

Obama also praised Barack Obama\u2019s parenting last year, explaining that both parents deliberately prioritized their daughters throughout his presidency.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/p>\n

“It was important for both of us, for me and Barack, to carve out that time in those eight years when our girls were in their formative years, you know,” Obama said.<\/p>\n

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CJ Womack is an associate editor at Fox News.<\/p>\n

CJ joined Fox News Digital’s team in 2026, which highlights the vital role journalism plays in shaping politics and culture. He has years of experience analyzing and reporting on the news media.<\/p>\n

CJ graduated from Long Beach State University in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Journalism.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can send news tips to cj.womack@fox.com and follow CJ on Twitter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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