Obama Did Not Buy Michelle Rare Gold Ring, Says Spokesperson

UPDATE: The Obama camp flatly denies that Obama bought his wife Michelle a $33,000 rhodium ring as a thank you gift, according to The Chicago Sun Times. "'No ring was purchased,' said [Obama spokesperson Ben] LaBolt." The statement was made in response to a Daily Mail article claiming that he would.

Here is an excerpt from the original Daily Mail story:

Michelle Obama is to receive this £20,000 thank you from her husband for her support during the election.

The Harmony ring is made of rhodium - the world's most expensive metal --and encrusted with diamonds. It is being hastily made by Italian designer Giovanni Bosco in time for January's inauguration ceremony.

Only about 25 tons of rhodium are mined each year, mostly in South Africa, and as a result its price is typically around £5,000 an ounce.

Comments

[saron123]

How much famous are you?

Well you can quantify it by how many pages Google gives you when you search for yourself????

So,

If you Google for "Italian designer Giovanni Bosco" (with the quotations) you get 4 pages search results -- for a total of 35 websites.

MOST IMPORTANTLY,
......all the search results are related to Barack's "ring-story". NO OTHER reference is available other than this story for the "Italian designer Giovanni Bosco".

If Giovanni was such a "top Italian designer", where has he been living .... under a rock?

THIS IS SO FAKE STORY. Doesn't even pass the smell taste.

But then again.....­.Let's just hope for Brokaw to ask Barack on Meet the Press this week.

What happened to the "Research Department" in the news media ????

[BLinCincinnati]

You are an idiot. You are searching for that exact 4 word combination. Just because there are only 35 websites for that specific description of that person doesn't make them not famous.

You can search for "Runway Model Giselle Bundchen" and you only get TWO websites. Guess she isn't famous either huh?

[gvc]

Giovanni Bosco (no quotes) gets the same non-result.

[KarenT]

I googled Giovanni Bosco and only come up with a saint or scientist unless it refers to the Obama article.

[DanniD]

1. I don't believe this story one bit!

2. So what...if it's true? It's their money and if that's how he wants to say "thank you" to his wife for putting up with everything that was thrown at them over the last two years with such poise, grace, elegance, strength, dedication and love...mor­e power to him!!!

3. If it is true and it was meant to be a surprise..­.I hope Barack fires the designer and goes with somebody else because that designer is so unprofessional.

4. What is happening to the Huffington Post? if I wanted to read tabloid news...I wouldn't come here!

[tlgeiger62]

Oh come on!!! Like Obama would let THAT leak out. HuffPost seems to be reaching a bit?

[clsmithj]

Again, HuffPo reports fakes stories from the UK. What gives?

[meede]

Any designer with a VIP/celebrity list doesn't leak info. This is BS. I laugh at people who say he will be spending campaign funds for it. Give it a rest. The Obamas should they ever buy jewellery or anything like this -- it will be from their personal account. Barack is an intelligent man and knows what the campaign funds were donated for.

[poco767c]

I cannot find a single site or page for 'giovanni bosco' ring designer to the stars. The man seems to be a myth only existing on sean hannity's blog and in drudges addled mind.

[Kevanlove]

There is something fishy about this. It doesn't look like a ring to me, it looks like a bracelet. If you notice, the ring has space in the middle of the back. There are two ends and they are not meeting together like a ring would. It looks like a cuff bracelet that opens and closes.

Not that Michelle doesn't deserve a nice present.

[Two Three Four]

The auto industry has survived on minor revisions for the better part of a decade, but America doesn't need a recolored cozy-coupe, we need a green cozy-coupe:

http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=166&ArticleName=Ready%2c+Set%2c+Bailout%3f

[Retrofuturistic]

I'm sure she deserves it, but... is such an expensive gift appropriate at this time?

[petrosbasileus]

If he has the money to buy it, there's no reason he shouldn't. Successful people oughtn't to be punished for their success. If you had the money, I'm sure you wouldn't brook any attempt to prevent you from buying anything, no matter the price tag... So why the thinly, if at all, veiled double standard?

[LAMAMA]

Hey HuffPo do a google search on Giovanni Bosco the designer. No website, no PR, no images of his work on "A-Listers". Just the same Daily Mail article on most of the webpages carrying the story with a similar spin and an "allegedly" added on Michelle Malkin's page!!!!!

On a side note - what a fugly ring!!!!!

[CalexenderJ]

Uh oh... he didn't cheat on her did he. This sounds like the world most expensive apology.

Calm down folks, I'm just kidding.

[Seattlelite]

Obama's not only a smart politician he's a smart husband. What a thoughtful thing to do.

[iswideopen]

Never believe everything you read. You know this is bunk.

[pir anha]

WTF?

are you actually trying to drive sensible people away from this site? you're going strong today, with two execrably misleading headlines and this tabloid rumour. it's not like there is a shortage of actual news! maybe you should send your reporters over to, oh, project censored and have them pick one or two of the 25 most underreported news stories of the year. you know, actual news, not totally fictitious claptrap like this.

[MRb1000]

This is his money since when did we get to tell people how to spend there own money! He made a lot of money on his books. This is a drop in the bucket. If I had the money I would buy one for my wife. You only live once you cannot take the money to your grave!

[Girl28]

Dang. There goes the element of suprise.