The Obamas weren't ready for the level of scrutiny the First Family endures, according to New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor, author of the controversial book "The Obamas." Originally they planned to return home to Chicago every four to six weeks after moving into the White House.
"It turned out to be impossible," she said in the video above. "Their first trip home became like the invasion of Normandy. The secret service dropped black curtains down the sides of their house, they stopped traffic in Chicago."
Kantor also talked about the headline-making shorts Michelle Obama wore on a trip to the Grand Canyon in 2009.
"She wore a pair of shorts, not fancy shorts, just regular mom shorts," she said. "Lo and behold there were days of headlines and video and a full kerfuffle. I don't think the 2012 campaign will be easy for them, but at least now they're veterans."
Michelle was not pleased with how she was portrayed in the book, and said that Kantor's characterization of her treatment of White House aides paints her as "some kind of angry black woman."
Kantor hit back against that charge in a heated exchange with CNN's Soledad O'Brien in January.
"The book never describes her as an angry black woman," she said. "It describes her as a strong woman ... so what I assume is that she's reacting to some of the more sensational coverage around the book, which is really distorted in the reporting of what this book is."
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Posted: 02/22/12 04:28 PM ET