Nightly News   |  September 16, 2010

Bruni book had it wrong; Michele Obama not in hell

A new book about French First Lady Carla Bruni claims her American counterpart, First Lady Michelle Obama, described White House life as "hell" while Bruni visited Washington, but both First Ladies deny the comment was ever said. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

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This content comes from a Full-Text Transcript of the program.

BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor: Even though there are denials on both sides of the Atlantic , there's a remark floating around that's being attributed to first lady Michelle Obama that she may have to live with, for a while. However fairly or unfairly, it'll probably make it's way to the talk shows. It's in a new book about French first lady Carla Bruni . It says that during a private moment, Mrs. Obama told her she hates the job as first lady and that it's hell. Again, both Bruni and the first lady's office are denying it, but you may be hearing it again. The fact is, as the president noted in a speech in Connecticut just today, it is a tough role. A number of first ladies have felt caged in, and as the old saying goes in politics, they weren't the ones elected.