Former first lady Michelle Obama made her first high-profile public appearance on Friday since leaving the White House in January.

Mrs Obama, who championed healthy eating and physical activity among children as first lady, was the keynote speaker at the Partnership for a Healthier America summit in Washington.

&quot;We got to make sure we don&#39;t let anybody take us back. Because the question is &#39;where are we going back to?&#39; What is it that people, and this is where you really have to look at motives,&quot; Obama said.

&quot;You have to stop and think &#39;why don&#39;t you want our kids to have good food at school?&#39; What is wrong with you? And why is that a partisan issue? Why would that be political? What is going on?&quot; she said to applause.

Mrs&nbsp;Obama&#39;s appearance comes as a much-delayed U.S. rule requiring restaurants and retailers to clearly display food calorie counts is pushed back again, and could be rewritten or scrapped as the Trump administration rebuffs Obama-era regulations.

Notice came shortly after the U.S. Department of Agriculture relaxed some school lunch rules that were part of the former first lady&#39;s signature effort to fight childhood obesity.

It was not clear if Mrs Obama was speaking specifically about the new rules or more generally about the direction of healthcare in America.

The former first lady also said that life outside of the White House has been good.

&quot;Being &#39;former&#39; is all right. I&#39;m good with it,&quot; she told the moderator who had asked how things have been for her and since the end of Barack Obama&#39;s 8-year-long presidency.

&quot;President&#39;s good. You know, running around out there in the world with his shirt unbuttoned,&quot; Mrs Obama joked, in reference a speech given by the former president earlier in the week in Italy during which he was tie-less and kept his shirt unbuttoned at the top.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

The former first lady was the keynote speaker at the Partnership for a Healthier America summit in Washington

Former first lady Michelle Obama made her first high-profile public appearance on Friday since leaving the White House in January. Mrs Obama, who championed healthy eating and physical activity among children as first lady, was the keynote speaker at the Partnership for a Healthier America summit in Washington. "We got to make sure we don't let anybody take us back. Because the question is 'where are we going back to?' What is it that people, and this is where you really have to look at motives," Obama said. "You have to stop and think 'why don't you want our kids to have good food at school?' What is wrong with you? And why is that a partisan issue? Why would that be political? What is going on?" she said to applause. Mrs Obama's appearance comes as a much-delayed U.S. rule requiring restaurants and retailers to clearly display food calorie counts is pushed back again, and could be rewritten or scrapped as the Trump administration rebuffs Obama-era regulations. Notice came shortly after the U.S. Department of Agriculture relaxed some school lunch rules that were part of the former first lady's signature effort to fight childhood obesity. It was not clear if Mrs Obama was speaking specifically about the new rules or more generally about the direction of healthcare in America. The former first lady also said that life outside of the White House has been good. "Being 'former' is all right. I'm good with it," she told the moderator who had asked how things have been for her and since the end of Barack Obama's 8-year-long presidency. "President's good. You know, running around out there in the world with his shirt unbuttoned," Mrs Obama joked, in reference a speech given by the former president earlier in the week in Italy during which he was tie-less and kept his shirt unbuttoned at the top. (Reuters)

'What is wrong with you?' Michelle Obama asks as Trump govt relaxes her school lunch rules

Barack Obama and Donald Trump arrived at the US Capitol on Friday where the president-elect will be sworn in as the United States&#39; 45th head of state.

Obama and his wife Michelle left the White House for the last time after hosting Trump and the incoming first lady Melania for a traditional tea and coffee.

The two couples travelled in a joint motorcade for the 2.5 miles (four kilometers) down Pennsylvania Avenue to the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol. 
 
&quot;The movement continues, the work begins,&quot; tweeted the Republican billionaire tweeted before tracing his predecessors&#39; steps to St. John&#39;s Church and the White House.

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It all begins today! I will see you at 11:00 A.M. for the swearing-in. THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES - THE WORK BEGINS!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/822421390125043713">January 20, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

There he was greeted warmly by Obama, capping a transfer of power that has been peaceful yet rancorous.

&quot;Mr President-elect, how are you?&quot; Obama asked, after having deposited a letter in the Resolute desk and departed the Oval Office for the last time.

Hundreds of thousands of people will gather on the National Mall in the center of the nation&#39;s capital to celebrate a man whose short 19-month political career has defied all predictions, and many norms.

In the cool Washington dawn, his most ardent supporters ignored intermittent light rain and began to make their way by metro, car and on foot to take part in history.

&quot;I&#39;ve been waiting for this for a long time,&quot; said Thomas Mendenhall, 68, a retired banker from Missouri. &quot;We just want change.&quot;

When Trump descended the escalators of his glitzy New York tower in June 2015, his run for office and his supporters were dismissed and even mocked.

But shortly before midday Friday, Trump will place his hand on Abraham Lincoln&#39;s bible, recite the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol and become the most powerful man on earth.

His staff, many shunned by friends for supporting a man who has been labeled a racist and bigot by his critics, will become power players in the White House.

In the primaries, Trump dominated a crowded Republican presidential field with smash-mouth rhetoric and star power. He rode that same wave of anti-elite sentiment to victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election.

At 70 years of age, he is the oldest man ever to begin work in the Oval Office.

But the real estate mogul and one-time television reality star is also a political neophyte -- he will be the first president never to have held elected office, served in the government or the armed forces.

For Trump&#39;s supporters, that is a central part of his appeal.

&quot;He&#39;s somebody that&#39;s not a politician&quot; said 59-year-old Sandra Jackson-Carter, a salon owner from Bakersville, California.

&quot;He&#39;s going to unite the country and make America great again,&quot; she said. &quot;This is history. There&#39;s nothing better.&quot;

Big changes

For his critics, Trump&#39;s arrival in Washington on Thursday onboard an Air Force jet was more like a hostile takeover than a traditional changing of the guard.

Small demonstrations popped up across the city center on Friday, with shouts of &nbsp;&quot;not my president&quot; and &quot;No Trump, No KKK, no fascist USA.&quot; Some tried to prevent Trump supporters from passing, but police intervened.

A much larger rally is planned for Saturday.

On Thursday evening, hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside a pro-Trump event, heckling and shouting at departing guests and lighting protest signs on fire before police used chemical spray on the crowd.

Trump enters office with a 37 percent approval rating, the lowest on record, according to a CBS News poll.

Most of Obama&#39;s White House staff have cleaned out their desks and the normally busy corridors of the West Wing were unusually quiet Friday. Staffers expressed relief at the prospect of rest, but foreboding about the road ahead.

That sentiment is echoed across many of the world&#39;s capitals. Trump has vowed to tear up Obama&#39;s policies and re-examine decades-old alliances with Europe and in Asia.

One of Obama&#39;s last acts in office was to speak to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and declare trans-Atlantic ties vital for the world order -- a statement that would have been a banal platitude before this rocky transition.

After the Obamas and Trumps had morning tea at the White House, they will travel the 2.5 miles (four kilometers) down Pennsylvania Avenue to the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol.

Addressing the nation&nbsp;

After promising to &quot;faithfully execute the office of president of the United States&quot; and &quot;preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,&quot; Trump will deliver the most important speech of his life.

Inaugural addresses -- from Lincoln to John F. Kennedy -- echo across American history. Phrases like &quot;malice towards none&quot; and &quot;ask not what your country can do for you&quot; have been carved into the vernacular.

The most noted inaugural addresses had sought to lift Americans&#39; gaze up from the rancor and troubles of the day toward the horizon and a better tomorrow.

Trump aides are promising an address that is at once short -- at around 20 minutes -- and philosophical.

&quot;It&#39;s going to be a very personal and sincere statement about his vision for the country,&quot; said incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

&quot;He will discuss what it means to be an American, the challenges that we face, as members of the middle class, that they face,&quot; he said.

&quot;I think it&#39;s going to be less of an agenda and more of a philosophical document, a vision of where he sees the country, the proper role of government, the role of citizens.&quot;

After his speech, Trump will attend a luncheon inside the Capitol, before heading back to the White House to begin the business of governing.

(AFP)

'Mr President-elect, how are you?' Obama asked as he and First Lady Michelle greeted the Republican leader-in-waiting and his wife Melania

Barack Obama and Donald Trump arrived at the US Capitol on Friday where the president-elect will be sworn in as the United States' 45th head of state. Obama and his wife Michelle left the White House for the last time after hosting Trump and the incoming first lady Melania for a traditional tea and coffee. The two couples travelled in a joint motorcade for the 2.5 miles (four kilometers) down Pennsylvania Avenue to the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol. "The movement continues, the work begins," tweeted the Republican billionaire tweeted before tracing his predecessors' steps to St. John's Church and the White House. It all begins today! I will see you at 11:00 A.M. for the swearing-in. THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES - THE WORK BEGINS! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2017 × There he was greeted warmly by Obama, capping a transfer of power that has been peaceful yet rancorous. "Mr President-elect, how are you?" Obama asked, after having deposited a letter in the Resolute desk and departed the Oval Office for the last time. Hundreds of thousands of people will gather on the National Mall in the center of the nation's capital to celebrate a man whose short 19-month political career has defied all predictions, and many norms. In the cool Washington dawn, his most ardent supporters ignored intermittent light rain and began to make their way by metro, car and on foot to take part in history. "I've been waiting for this for a long time," said Thomas Mendenhall, 68, a retired banker from Missouri. "We just want change." When Trump descended the escalators of his glitzy New York tower in June 2015, his run for office and his supporters were dismissed and even mocked. But shortly before midday Friday, Trump will place his hand on Abraham Lincoln's bible, recite the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol and become the most powerful man on earth. His staff, many shunned by friends for supporting a man who has been labeled a racist and bigot by his critics, will become power players in the White House. In the primaries, Trump dominated a crowded Republican presidential field with smash-mouth rhetoric and star power. He rode that same wave of anti-elite sentiment to victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election. At 70 years of age, he is the oldest man ever to begin work in the Oval Office. But the real estate mogul and one-time television reality star is also a political neophyte -- he will be the first president never to have held elected office, served in the government or the armed forces. For Trump's supporters, that is a central part of his appeal. "He's somebody that's not a politician" said 59-year-old Sandra Jackson-Carter, a salon owner from Bakersville, California. "He's going to unite the country and make America great again," she said. "This is history. There's nothing better." Big changes For his critics, Trump's arrival in Washington on Thursday onboard an Air Force jet was more like a hostile takeover than a traditional changing of the guard. Small demonstrations popped up across the city center on Friday, with shouts of "not my president" and "No Trump, No KKK, no fascist USA." Some tried to prevent Trump supporters from passing, but police intervened. A much larger rally is planned for Saturday. On Thursday evening, hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside a pro-Trump event, heckling and shouting at departing guests and lighting protest signs on fire before police used chemical spray on the crowd. Trump enters office with a 37 percent approval rating, the lowest on record, according to a CBS News poll. Most of Obama's White House staff have cleaned out their desks and the normally busy corridors of the West Wing were unusually quiet Friday. Staffers expressed relief at the prospect of rest, but foreboding about the road ahead. That sentiment is echoed across many of the world's capitals. Trump has vowed to tear up Obama's policies and re-examine decades-old alliances with Europe and in Asia. One of Obama's last acts in office was to speak to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and declare trans-Atlantic ties vital for the world order -- a statement that would have been a banal platitude before this rocky transition. After the Obamas and Trumps had morning tea at the White House, they will travel the 2.5 miles (four kilometers) down Pennsylvania Avenue to the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol. Addressing the nation After promising to "faithfully execute the office of president of the United States" and "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," Trump will deliver the most important speech of his life. Inaugural addresses -- from Lincoln to John F. Kennedy -- echo across American history. Phrases like "malice towards none" and "ask not what your country can do for you" have been carved into the vernacular. The most noted inaugural addresses had sought to lift Americans' gaze up from the rancor and troubles of the day toward the horizon and a better tomorrow. Trump aides are promising an address that is at once short -- at around 20 minutes -- and philosophical. "It's going to be a very personal and sincere statement about his vision for the country," said incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer. "He will discuss what it means to be an American, the challenges that we face, as members of the middle class, that they face," he said. "I think it's going to be less of an agenda and more of a philosophical document, a vision of where he sees the country, the proper role of government, the role of citizens." After his speech, Trump will attend a luncheon inside the Capitol, before heading back to the White House to begin the business of governing. (AFP)

Obama, Trump arrive at Capitol for swearing-in ceremony

As the Obamas ready to leave the White House, America&#39;s first family has given away Sasha and Malia&#39;s swing and playset that sat outside the window of the Oval Office.

&quot;The playset was donated to a local organization serving those in need,&quot; an administration official said.

Like images of John F Kennedy&#39;s kids running around the Oval Office, images of the two youngest Obamas, aged 10 and seven when he took office, playing on the set became emblematic of a more youthful White House.

(AFP)

The swing-set sat outside the window of Oval Office

As the Obamas ready to leave the White House, America's first family has given away Sasha and Malia's swing and playset that sat outside the window of the Oval Office. "The playset was donated to a local organization serving those in need," an administration official said. Like images of John F Kennedy's kids running around the Oval Office, images of the two youngest Obamas, aged 10 and seven when he took office, playing on the set became emblematic of a more youthful White House. (AFP)

Obamas donate daughters' swing-set

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama sent their final Christmas salutations from the White House on Saturday, highlighting common values uniting Americans of all faiths.

&quot;The idea that we are our brother&#39;s keeper and our sister&#39;s keeper. That we should treat others as we would want to be treated,&quot; Michelle Obama said.&nbsp;

&quot;Those are values that help guide not just my family&#39;s Christian faith, but that of Jewish Americans, and Muslim Americans; nonbelievers and Americans of all backgrounds,&quot; the president added.

The Obamas&#39; seasonal greeting comes at a time when America is deeply divided after a brutal presidential campaign that pitched populist Donald Trump and his frequently incendiary rhetoric against Hillary Clinton.

The Obamas appeared jovial in their greeting, showing a flashback to the filming of their first Christmas message in 2009, when the president couldn&#39;t stop giggling.

Barack Obama also used the address to re-cap his time in office, saying the country was much stronger than it had been than when he succeeded George W Bush.

&quot;Together, we fought our way back from the worst recession in 80 years, and got unemployment to a nine-year low,&quot; he said.

&quot;We made America more respected around the world, took on the mantle of leadership in the fight to protect this planet for our kids, and much, much more.&quot;

As is custom, the couple also thanked US troops and their families. 
 
(AFP)

Barack and Michelle Obama appeared jovial in their greeting, showing a flashback to the filming of their first Christmas message in 2009

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama sent their final Christmas salutations from the White House on Saturday, highlighting common values uniting Americans of all faiths. "The idea that we are our brother's keeper and our sister's keeper. That we should treat others as we would want to be treated," Michelle Obama said. "Those are values that help guide not just my family's Christian faith, but that of Jewish Americans, and Muslim Americans; nonbelievers and Americans of all backgrounds," the president added. The Obamas' seasonal greeting comes at a time when America is deeply divided after a brutal presidential campaign that pitched populist Donald Trump and his frequently incendiary rhetoric against Hillary Clinton. The Obamas appeared jovial in their greeting, showing a flashback to the filming of their first Christmas message in 2009, when the president couldn't stop giggling. Barack Obama also used the address to re-cap his time in office, saying the country was much stronger than it had been than when he succeeded George W Bush. "Together, we fought our way back from the worst recession in 80 years, and got unemployment to a nine-year low," he said. "We made America more respected around the world, took on the mantle of leadership in the fight to protect this planet for our kids, and much, much more." As is custom, the couple also thanked US troops and their families. (AFP)

Obama sends final Christmas greetings as president

A Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;ally has ignited widespread outrage after wishing for US President Barack Obama&#39;s death and making racially charged comments about the first lady.&nbsp;

Carl Paladino -- a businessman who served as a co-chairman of the president-elect&#39;s New York State election campaign -- made the incendiary jabs in a year-end feature published on Friday in Artvoice, a weekly newspaper in upstate New York.

Asked what he would &quot;most like to see happen&quot; in 2017, the former Republican candidate for governor of New York state said he hoped Obama &quot;catches mad cow disease after being caught having relations&quot; with a type of beef cattle and &quot;dies before his trial.&quot;

When questioned what he would &quot;most like to see go&quot; next year, Paladino replied &quot;Michelle Obama.&quot;

&quot;I&#39;d like her to return to being a male and let loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortably in a cave with Maxie, the gorilla.&quot;

Paladino&#39;s remarks quickly spurred angry reaction on social media and drew the ire of elected officials.&nbsp;

Andrew Cuomo -- current New York governor who beat Paladino in 2010 -- slammed his ex-rival&#39;s comments as &quot;racist, ugly and reprehensible.&quot;

&quot;Paladino has a long history of racist and incendiary comments,&quot; Cuomo said in a statement. &quot;His remarks do not reflect the sentiments or opinions of any real New Yorker.

&quot;He has embarrassed the good people of the state with his latest hate-filled rage.&quot;

Trump&nbsp;did not personally defend or call out his political ally, though a spokeswoman for the president-elect said the comments &quot;are absolutely reprehensible, and they serve no place in our public discourse,&quot; according to the New York Times.

Facing broad condemnation, Paladino published an open letter that his remarks had &quot;nothing to do with race.&quot; In the statement he went on to call Obama &quot;a yellow-bellied coward&quot; and said the first lady should &quot;leave and go someplace she will be happy.&quot;

Paladino -- a developer in the city of Buffalo, New York -- visited&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;Tower earlier this month, a meeting he described to The Buffalo News as &quot;very warm.&quot;

(AFP)

Carl Paladino said he wished to see Barack Obama die and wanted Michelle to 'live with Maxie, the gorilla'

A Donald Trump ally has ignited widespread outrage after wishing for US President Barack Obama's death and making racially charged comments about the first lady. Carl Paladino -- a businessman who served as a co-chairman of the president-elect's New York State election campaign -- made the incendiary jabs in a year-end feature published on Friday in Artvoice, a weekly newspaper in upstate New York. Asked what he would "most like to see happen" in 2017, the former Republican candidate for governor of New York state said he hoped Obama "catches mad cow disease after being caught having relations" with a type of beef cattle and "dies before his trial." When questioned what he would "most like to see go" next year, Paladino replied "Michelle Obama." "I'd like her to return to being a male and let loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortably in a cave with Maxie, the gorilla." Paladino's remarks quickly spurred angry reaction on social media and drew the ire of elected officials. Andrew Cuomo -- current New York governor who beat Paladino in 2010 -- slammed his ex-rival's comments as "racist, ugly and reprehensible." "Paladino has a long history of racist and incendiary comments," Cuomo said in a statement. "His remarks do not reflect the sentiments or opinions of any real New Yorker. "He has embarrassed the good people of the state with his latest hate-filled rage." Trump did not personally defend or call out his political ally, though a spokeswoman for the president-elect said the comments "are absolutely reprehensible, and they serve no place in our public discourse," according to the New York Times. Facing broad condemnation, Paladino published an open letter that his remarks had "nothing to do with race." In the statement he went on to call Obama "a yellow-bellied coward" and said the first lady should "leave and go someplace she will be happy." Paladino -- a developer in the city of Buffalo, New York -- visited Trump Tower earlier this month, a meeting he described to The Buffalo News as "very warm." (AFP)

Trump's ally ignites outrage for making disparaging Obama, Michelle comments

A mayor from West Virginia has resigned amid a furore&nbsp;over a racist Facebook post that described First Lady Michelle Obama as an &quot;ape in heels&quot;, CNN&nbsp;said.

Beverly Whaling, the mayor of the tiny town of Clay, had appeared to applaud the incendiary comment and stepped down Tuesday amid the ensuing firestorm. Local television news channel WSAZ confirmed that Whaling had resigned.

According to WSAZ, Clay County Development Corp&nbsp;director Pamela Ramsey Taylor had posted after Donald Trump&#39;s election: &quot;It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I&#39;m tired of seeing a Ape&nbsp;(sic) in heels.&quot;

Whaling responded: &quot;Just made my day Pam.&quot;

The comments were later deleted and both women&#39;s Facebook pages were eventually taken offline, The Washington Post reported citing local media. Staffers at the Clay County Development Corp&nbsp;told WSAZ that Taylor had been removed from her position.

&nbsp;

Barack Obama&#39;s eight years in office have been marred by racial slurs against the nation&#39;s first African-American president and his family. Clay has a population of less than 500, according to the 2010 census, and is the seat of Clay County in West Virginia.

The furore over the racist comment&nbsp;and the mayor&#39;s seemingly agreeable response&nbsp;prompted an online petition drive to have the two women ousted. The text on www.thepetitionsite.com gathered nearly 160,000 signatures from across the country.

Whaling had apologised in a statement on Monday to The Washington Post, writing: &quot;My comment was not intended to be racist at all.&quot;

Michelle Obama emerged as a hugely popular surrogate for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail. Trump, a billionaire businessman, won West Virginia&#39;s five electoral votes, helping him to his unexpected triumph over Clinton.

(AFP)

Beverly Whaling, a mayor from West Virginia, approved a Facebook post calling First Lady Michelle Obama an 'ape in heels'

A mayor from West Virginia has resigned amid a furore over a racist Facebook post that described First Lady Michelle Obama as an "ape in heels", CNN said. Beverly Whaling, the mayor of the tiny town of Clay, had appeared to applaud the incendiary comment and stepped down Tuesday amid the ensuing firestorm. Local television news channel WSAZ confirmed that Whaling had resigned. According to WSAZ, Clay County Development Corp director Pamela Ramsey Taylor had posted after Donald Trump's election: "It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I'm tired of seeing a Ape (sic) in heels." Whaling responded: "Just made my day Pam." The comments were later deleted and both women's Facebook pages were eventually taken offline, The Washington Post reported citing local media. Staffers at the Clay County Development Corp told WSAZ that Taylor had been removed from her position. Barack Obama's eight years in office have been marred by racial slurs against the nation's first African-American president and his family. Clay has a population of less than 500, according to the 2010 census, and is the seat of Clay County in West Virginia. The furore over the racist comment and the mayor's seemingly agreeable response prompted an online petition drive to have the two women ousted. The text on www.thepetitionsite.com gathered nearly 160,000 signatures from across the country. Whaling had apologised in a statement on Monday to The Washington Post, writing: "My comment was not intended to be racist at all." Michelle Obama emerged as a hugely popular surrogate for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail. Trump, a billionaire businessman, won West Virginia's five electoral votes, helping him to his unexpected triumph over Clinton. (AFP)

US mayor resigns after racist Michelle Obama post

Hillary Clinton is &quot;absolutely ready&quot; to be the commander-in-chief of the United States, First Lady Michelle Obama said as the Democratic presidential nominee and former secretary of state had &quot;more experience and exposure than any candidate in our lifetime&quot;.

At a North Carolina election rally yesterday, Michelle called Clinton&#39;s vision a &quot;powerful, vibrant and strong&quot; one while that of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump&#39;s as one of &quot;hopelessness and despair&quot;.

&quot;I admire and respect Hillary. She has been a lawyer, a law professor, First Lady of Arkansas, First Lady of the US, a US Senator, secretary of state. She has more experience and exposure to the presidency than any candidate in our lifetime. Yes, more than Barack (Obama). More than Bill (Clinton). So she is absolutely ready to be commander-in-chief on day one. And yes, she happens to be a woman,&quot; PTI reported Michelle as saying yesterday.

&quot;It takes a level of generosity of spirit to do what Hillary has done in her career, in her life, for our family, for this nation. If people wonder, yes, Hillary Clinton is my friend. She has been a friend to mine and Barack, Malia, Sasha and Bill and Chelsea have been embracing and supportive from the very day my husband took the oath of office,&quot; she added.

Michelle also said that this year&#39;s election was not about Republicans versus Democrats, but about something much bigger.

&quot;We know the influence our president has on our children, how they turn on the TV and they see the most powerful role model in the world, someone who shows them how to treat others, how to deal with disappointment, whether to tell the truth,&quot; Michelle added.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

Michelle Obama said this year's election is not about Republicans versus Democrats but about something much bigger

Hillary Clinton is "absolutely ready" to be the commander-in-chief of the United States, First Lady Michelle Obama said as the Democratic presidential nominee and former secretary of state had "more experience and exposure than any candidate in our lifetime". At a North Carolina election rally yesterday, Michelle called Clinton's vision a "powerful, vibrant and strong" one while that of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's as one of "hopelessness and despair". "I admire and respect Hillary. She has been a lawyer, a law professor, First Lady of Arkansas, First Lady of the US, a US Senator, secretary of state. She has more experience and exposure to the presidency than any candidate in our lifetime. Yes, more than Barack (Obama). More than Bill (Clinton). So she is absolutely ready to be commander-in-chief on day one. And yes, she happens to be a woman," PTI reported Michelle as saying yesterday. "It takes a level of generosity of spirit to do what Hillary has done in her career, in her life, for our family, for this nation. If people wonder, yes, Hillary Clinton is my friend. She has been a friend to mine and Barack, Malia, Sasha and Bill and Chelsea have been embracing and supportive from the very day my husband took the oath of office," she added. Michelle also said that this year's election was not about Republicans versus Democrats, but about something much bigger. "We know the influence our president has on our children, how they turn on the TV and they see the most powerful role model in the world, someone who shows them how to treat others, how to deal with disappointment, whether to tell the truth," Michelle added. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Clinton 'absolutely ready' to be commander-in-chief: Michelle

Donald Trump savaged US media on Thursday for reporting claims that he groped and forcibly kissed women, allegations he insisted were &quot;outright lies&quot;, as first lady Michelle Obama blasted the Republican nominee in a campaign trail tirade.

With just 26 days until Americans choose a successor to her husband on November 8, a visibly angry Obama delivered a fiery takedown of the real estate mogul and his &quot;disgraceful&quot; behaviour.

&quot;Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say, enough is enough,&quot; Obama told a rally for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. &quot;This has got to stop right now.&quot;

But the 70-year-old billionaire was not cowed, castigating his accusers as &quot;horrible liars&quot; and decrying his Democratic rival as complicit in a coordinated media attempt to sabotage his campaign.

Claims by at least six women have come to light in accounts reported by The New York Times, NBC, People Magazine and other outlets, most of them after Trump asserted in Sunday&#39;s debate with Clinton that he never sexually assaulted women.

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<h5>Jessica Leeds, a 74-year-old former businesswoman, told the Times that Trump groped her on a flight in the early 1980s, grabbing her breasts and reaching up her skirt. &#39;He was like an octopus,&#39; Leeds said. &#39;His hands were everywhere,&#39; she added. &#39;It was an assault&#39;</h5>
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&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s accusers countered that statement, saying he made unwanted physical advances against them.

With his campaign in free-fall, Trump lashed out in battleground Florida, denying the alleged incidents occurred.

&quot;These vicious claims about me of inappropriate conduct with women are totally and absolutely false. And the Clintons know it very well,&quot; Trump told a rally in West Palm Beach. &quot;They&#39;re pure fiction. And they&#39;re outright lies.&quot;

The attacks, he added, &quot;are orchestrated by the Clintons and their media allies.&quot;

Trump said his lawyers were preparing a lawsuit against The New York Times, which published the accounts of two women who accused him of groping and kissing them&nbsp;unless the paper retracts the article.

The Times refused to back down.

&quot;We published newsworthy information about a subject of deep public concern,&quot; and Americans are entitled to hear the women&#39;s claims, the paper&#39;s assistant general counsel David McCraw said in a letter to Trump&#39;s lawyers.

&quot;If Mr Trump disagrees... we welcome the opportunity to have a court set him straight.&quot;

&#39;Disgraceful, intolerable&#39;

The women&#39;s accusations surfaced days after a video emerged of Trump boasting in 2005 that his fame allowed him to grope women with impunity, sending the White House race into unprecedented levels of vulgarity.

He has apologised and, trying to reverse his deficit in national polls to the 68-year-old Clinton, sought to minimise the comments as &quot;locker room talk&quot;, a remark that went too far for the first lady.

&quot;This wasn&#39;t locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior. And actually bragging about kissing and groping women,&quot; said Obama, 52.

&quot;It doesn&#39;t matter what party you belong to... no woman deserves to be treated this way. No one deserves this kind of abuse,&quot; she said.

&quot;This is not normal. It is not politics as usual. This is disgraceful. It is intolerable.&quot;

Speaking in deeply personal terms, Obama said the Trump scandal &quot;has shaken me to my core.&quot;

The allegations against Trump suggest a decades-long pattern of sexually inappropriate behavior.

Jessica Leeds, a 74-year-old former businesswoman, told the Times that Trump groped her on a flight in the early 1980s, grabbing her breasts and reaching up her skirt.

&quot;He was like an octopus,&quot; Leeds said.

&quot;His hands were everywhere,&quot; she added. &quot;It was an assault.&quot;

Accuser Rachel Crooks said she was a 22-year-old receptionist at a real estate company in Trump Tower in 2005 when she encountered Trump outside an elevator.

After she introduced herself, he &quot;kissed me directly on the mouth,&quot; she told the Times.

&#39;Against the wall&#39;

A photographer&#39;s assistant alleged that Trump grabbed her rear end at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in 2003, while a former staff writer for People accused Trump of forcibly kissing her during an interview there in 2005.

&quot;Trump shut the door behind us,&quot; Natasha Stoynoff wrote. &quot;I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat.&quot;

Trump dismissed the Stoynoff account out of hand.

&quot;Look at her. Look at her words,&quot; he said. &quot;You tell me what you think. I don&#39;t think so.&quot;

Two beauty pageant contestants also accused Trump of either groping or forcibly kissing them.

Trump rejected the claims again at a speech to young voters in Columbus, Ohio.

&quot;I never met these people. I don&#39;t even know who they are. They&#39;re made-up stories filed right before the election,&quot; he said. &quot;I wonder if that had anything to do with this.&quot;

With the campaign mudslinging in full force, Trump had repeatedly threatened to damage Clinton by reviving allegations of sexual misconduct by her husband.

He made good on that promise by appearing with three of Bill Clinton&#39;s female accusers ahead of Sunday&#39;s debate, and alleging on stage that the former president was &quot;abusive&quot;.

He also turned deeply sinister on Thursday, charging that Clinton met &quot;in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of US sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers&quot;.

Clinton, visiting a campaign field office in San Francisco, briefly addressed the ugliness of the presidential race.

&quot;We cannot let this pessimism, this dark and divisive and dangerous vision of America, take hold in anybody&#39;s heart,&quot; she said, adding that he has attacked more than just women.

&quot;There&#39;s hardly any part of America that he&#39;s not targeted.&quot;

(AFP)

 
 
 
&nbsp;

At least six women have said Trump assaulted them

Donald Trump savaged US media on Thursday for reporting claims that he groped and forcibly kissed women, allegations he insisted were "outright lies", as first lady Michelle Obama blasted the Republican nominee in a campaign trail tirade. With just 26 days until Americans choose a successor to her husband on November 8, a visibly angry Obama delivered a fiery takedown of the real estate mogul and his "disgraceful" behaviour. "Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say, enough is enough," Obama told a rally for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. "This has got to stop right now." But the 70-year-old billionaire was not cowed, castigating his accusers as "horrible liars" and decrying his Democratic rival as complicit in a coordinated media attempt to sabotage his campaign. Claims by at least six women have come to light in accounts reported by The New York Times, NBC, People Magazine and other outlets, most of them after Trump asserted in Sunday's debate with Clinton that he never sexually assaulted women. Jessica Leeds, a 74-year-old former businesswoman, told the Times that Trump groped her on a flight in the early 1980s, grabbing her breasts and reaching up her skirt. 'He was like an octopus,' Leeds said. 'His hands were everywhere,' she added. 'It was an assault' × Trump's accusers countered that statement, saying he made unwanted physical advances against them. With his campaign in free-fall, Trump lashed out in battleground Florida, denying the alleged incidents occurred. "These vicious claims about me of inappropriate conduct with women are totally and absolutely false. And the Clintons know it very well," Trump told a rally in West Palm Beach. "They're pure fiction. And they're outright lies." The attacks, he added, "are orchestrated by the Clintons and their media allies." Trump said his lawyers were preparing a lawsuit against The New York Times, which published the accounts of two women who accused him of groping and kissing them unless the paper retracts the article. The Times refused to back down. "We published newsworthy information about a subject of deep public concern," and Americans are entitled to hear the women's claims, the paper's assistant general counsel David McCraw said in a letter to Trump's lawyers. "If Mr Trump disagrees... we welcome the opportunity to have a court set him straight." 'Disgraceful, intolerable' The women's accusations surfaced days after a video emerged of Trump boasting in 2005 that his fame allowed him to grope women with impunity, sending the White House race into unprecedented levels of vulgarity. He has apologised and, trying to reverse his deficit in national polls to the 68-year-old Clinton, sought to minimise the comments as "locker room talk", a remark that went too far for the first lady. "This wasn't locker room banter. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior. And actually bragging about kissing and groping women," said Obama, 52. "It doesn't matter what party you belong to... no woman deserves to be treated this way. No one deserves this kind of abuse," she said. "This is not normal. It is not politics as usual. This is disgraceful. It is intolerable." Speaking in deeply personal terms, Obama said the Trump scandal "has shaken me to my core." The allegations against Trump suggest a decades-long pattern of sexually inappropriate behavior. Jessica Leeds, a 74-year-old former businesswoman, told the Times that Trump groped her on a flight in the early 1980s, grabbing her breasts and reaching up her skirt. "He was like an octopus," Leeds said. "His hands were everywhere," she added. "It was an assault." Accuser Rachel Crooks said she was a 22-year-old receptionist at a real estate company in Trump Tower in 2005 when she encountered Trump outside an elevator. After she introduced herself, he "kissed me directly on the mouth," she told the Times. 'Against the wall' A photographer's assistant alleged that Trump grabbed her rear end at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in 2003, while a former staff writer for People accused Trump of forcibly kissing her during an interview there in 2005. "Trump shut the door behind us," Natasha Stoynoff wrote. "I turned around, and within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat." Trump dismissed the Stoynoff account out of hand. "Look at her. Look at her words," he said. "You tell me what you think. I don't think so." Two beauty pageant contestants also accused Trump of either groping or forcibly kissing them. Trump rejected the claims again at a speech to young voters in Columbus, Ohio. "I never met these people. I don't even know who they are. They're made-up stories filed right before the election," he said. "I wonder if that had anything to do with this." With the campaign mudslinging in full force, Trump had repeatedly threatened to damage Clinton by reviving allegations of sexual misconduct by her husband. He made good on that promise by appearing with three of Bill Clinton's female accusers ahead of Sunday's debate, and alleging on stage that the former president was "abusive". He also turned deeply sinister on Thursday, charging that Clinton met "in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of US sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers". Clinton, visiting a campaign field office in San Francisco, briefly addressed the ugliness of the presidential race. "We cannot let this pessimism, this dark and divisive and dangerous vision of America, take hold in anybody's heart," she said, adding that he has attacked more than just women. "There's hardly any part of America that he's not targeted." (AFP)

'Outright lies', says Trump of reports he groped, forcibly kissed women

President Barack Obama wrapped up his final summer getaway to Martha&#39;s Vineyard Sunday, gearing up for a busy final few months at the White House. 
 
The president spent the morning getting in a final round of vacation golf under a near cloudless sky before rolling out in his motorcade with first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia. 
 
The Obamas traveled by the president&#39;s plane Air Force One back to Washington late Sunday, landing at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at around 8 pm (0000 GMT) for the short helicopter flight via Marine One that would whisk him back to the White House in a matter of minutes. 
 
The first family spent just over two weeks at their summer vacation house at the popular Massachusetts retreat, an island located south of Cape Cod. 
 
The family dogs, Sunny and Bo, also indulged in the time off. 
 
This summer will likely be the last that the Obamas vacation with a huge entourage of press, secret service protection, aides, gawkers and hangers-on. 
 
This time next year, barring unforeseen circumstances, either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be in the White House, and the traveling sideshow that currently accompanies Obama will follow him or her around instead. 
 
After a relaxing holiday spent golfing, going to the beach and tucking into a stack of page-turning books, the president is returning to a to-do list that includes overseeing flood recovery, tackling Zika virus and boosting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. 
 
Obama is scheduled to travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana Tuesday to survey the damage from devastating floods in the region. 
 
Some in the state had lamented that the president did not leave his vacation to meet with officials and flood victims earlier. 
 
Obama did speak with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson - who visited Louisiana last week - from his vacation home to get an update on the situation. 
 
The president will likely also continue urging Congress to release funds for the fight against Zika. 
 
He asked Congress in February to allocate $1.9 billion to combat the spreading virus, but was met with resistance by Republican lawmakers who said the funds should instead be moved from coffers previously reserved for fighting the Ebola outbreak. 
 
Next month, Obama will visit Laos, a first for a US president, in a trip that begins with a G20 summit in China. 
 
The tour that will last from September 2-9 will be the president&#39;s 11th visit to Asia since he took office in 2009. 
 
Obama is also expected to hit the campaign trail for his potential successor Clinton. 
 
The president is at his highest approval rating in years and can still rally his party&#39;s base, which could prove crucial for the Democratic candidate.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Obama is now expected to hit the campaign trail for his potential successor Clinton and will also oversee flood recovery in Louisiana

President Barack Obama wrapped up his final summer getaway to Martha's Vineyard Sunday, gearing up for a busy final few months at the White House. The president spent the morning getting in a final round of vacation golf under a near cloudless sky before rolling out in his motorcade with first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia. The Obamas traveled by the president's plane Air Force One back to Washington late Sunday, landing at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at around 8 pm (0000 GMT) for the short helicopter flight via Marine One that would whisk him back to the White House in a matter of minutes. The first family spent just over two weeks at their summer vacation house at the popular Massachusetts retreat, an island located south of Cape Cod. The family dogs, Sunny and Bo, also indulged in the time off. This summer will likely be the last that the Obamas vacation with a huge entourage of press, secret service protection, aides, gawkers and hangers-on. This time next year, barring unforeseen circumstances, either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be in the White House, and the traveling sideshow that currently accompanies Obama will follow him or her around instead. After a relaxing holiday spent golfing, going to the beach and tucking into a stack of page-turning books, the president is returning to a to-do list that includes overseeing flood recovery, tackling Zika virus and boosting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Obama is scheduled to travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana Tuesday to survey the damage from devastating floods in the region. Some in the state had lamented that the president did not leave his vacation to meet with officials and flood victims earlier. Obama did speak with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson - who visited Louisiana last week - from his vacation home to get an update on the situation. The president will likely also continue urging Congress to release funds for the fight against Zika. He asked Congress in February to allocate $1.9 billion to combat the spreading virus, but was met with resistance by Republican lawmakers who said the funds should instead be moved from coffers previously reserved for fighting the Ebola outbreak. Next month, Obama will visit Laos, a first for a US president, in a trip that begins with a G20 summit in China. The tour that will last from September 2-9 will be the president's 11th visit to Asia since he took office in 2009. Obama is also expected to hit the campaign trail for his potential successor Clinton. The president is at his highest approval rating in years and can still rally his party's base, which could prove crucial for the Democratic candidate. (AFP)

Fun trip for Obamas in final summer holiday as first family

We&#39;ve heard their playlists, watched them dance together, and now Americans can see Barack and Michelle Obama on their first date in a film that follows the future president wooing his future wife over the course of a day. 
 
&quot;Southside With You&quot; takes details that the Obamas have shared about their first date in various interviews, and imagines the conversations they may have had.&nbsp;The film dramatises the Obamas&#39; first date in the summer of 1989 and features Michelle Robinson, a 25-year-old lawyer from Chicago, going out with Barack Obama, a summer associate at her law firm. 
 
Over the hours they spend together, which Michelle initially insists is not a date, the two attend an Ernie Barnes art exhibition, a community meeting, a screening of Spike Lee&#39;s movie &quot;Do The Right Thing&quot;, have drinks and eat ice cream as they discuss their lives, ambitions and fears. 
 
&quot;You see in this film that they challenged each other, you know, and they walked in each other&#39;s shoes and that they spoke about their family, and I just think all that stuff is very real and accessible to people,&quot; said actress Tika Sumpter, who plays Michelle.&nbsp;Parker Sawyers, the actor who plays Barack Obama in the film, said he started off with a &quot;strong impersonation&quot; of the president, but then let the mannerisms and speech inflections of his character come naturally. 
 
The rapport between the two is courteous and playful in the film, as Michelle feistily keeps her date at arm&#39;s length while he uses charm to bring her guard down.&nbsp;Barack Obama, who turned 28 that summer, married Michelle in 1992, three years after their first date. 
 
The African-American community of Chicago&#39;s Southside serves as a backdrop to the story. Michelle gets a glimpse of the future USA president&#39;s early leadership skills when he takes her to a community meeting to find a way to build a youth centre.&nbsp;Later, the two momentarily clasp hands as they watch a harrowing scene in &quot;Do The Right Thing,&quot; where an African-American man dies after being placed in a chokehold by a white policeman. 
 
&quot;They were seeing what was happening in Chicago, and obviously Chicago is still in the news and issues between the citizens and the police are still in the news, and the president has to deal with that everyday,&quot; said musician John Legend, an executive producer on the film. 
 
Legend said the Obamas know about the film, adding, &quot;once they see it, if they haven&#39;t already, I think they&#39;ll love it&quot;. 
 
(Reuters)

'Southside With You' takes details the Obamas have shared in interviews and imagines the conversations and dramatises their date

We've heard their playlists, watched them dance together, and now Americans can see Barack and Michelle Obama on their first date in a film that follows the future president wooing his future wife over the course of a day. "Southside With You" takes details that the Obamas have shared about their first date in various interviews, and imagines the conversations they may have had. The film dramatises the Obamas' first date in the summer of 1989 and features Michelle Robinson, a 25-year-old lawyer from Chicago, going out with Barack Obama, a summer associate at her law firm. Over the hours they spend together, which Michelle initially insists is not a date, the two attend an Ernie Barnes art exhibition, a community meeting, a screening of Spike Lee's movie "Do The Right Thing", have drinks and eat ice cream as they discuss their lives, ambitions and fears. "You see in this film that they challenged each other, you know, and they walked in each other's shoes and that they spoke about their family, and I just think all that stuff is very real and accessible to people," said actress Tika Sumpter, who plays Michelle. Parker Sawyers, the actor who plays Barack Obama in the film, said he started off with a "strong impersonation" of the president, but then let the mannerisms and speech inflections of his character come naturally. The rapport between the two is courteous and playful in the film, as Michelle feistily keeps her date at arm's length while he uses charm to bring her guard down. Barack Obama, who turned 28 that summer, married Michelle in 1992, three years after their first date. The African-American community of Chicago's Southside serves as a backdrop to the story. Michelle gets a glimpse of the future USA president's early leadership skills when he takes her to a community meeting to find a way to build a youth centre. Later, the two momentarily clasp hands as they watch a harrowing scene in "Do The Right Thing," where an African-American man dies after being placed in a chokehold by a white policeman. "They were seeing what was happening in Chicago, and obviously Chicago is still in the news and issues between the citizens and the police are still in the news, and the president has to deal with that everyday," said musician John Legend, an executive producer on the film. Legend said the Obamas know about the film, adding, "once they see it, if they haven't already, I think they'll love it". (Reuters)

Revealed: The Film That Will Capture The Obamas' First Date

US First Lady Michelle Obama on Monday told the Democratic convention in Philadelphia that Hillary Clinton was the one candidate ready to be President, as she poured scorn on Donald Trump&#39;s behaviour and temperament. 
 
&quot;In this election, there is only one person who I trust with that responsibility, only one person who I believe is truly qualified to be President of the United States, and that is our friend Hillary Clinton,&quot; she said to standing ovations. 
 
&quot;In this election, I&#39;m with her.&quot; 
 
Obama painted a picture of her husband&#39;s first secretary of state as a competent, steely politician who does not make &quot;snap decisions&quot; or judgments. 
 
&quot;You can&#39;t have a thin skin or tendency to lash out. You need to be steady and measured and well informed,&quot; she said. 
 
And she noted how Clinton, when she lost her Democratic nomination race to Barack Obama in 2008, &quot;didn&#39;t get angry or disillusioned.&nbsp;As a true public servant, Hillary knows that this is so much bigger than her own desires and disappointments.&quot; 
 
The First Lady also turned personal, her voice cracking at times, when she discussed the future at stake for her two daughters. 
 
&quot;Because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters and all of our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be President of the United States.&quot; 
 
Obama&#39;s warm, eloquent remarks brought the house down, appearing to generate the unity that had eluded much of the first day&#39;s proceedings, when die-hard Bernie Sanders supporters jeered speakers when they offered their support for Clinton. 
 
Obama took a veiled dig at Republican nominee Trump, whose campaign slogan is &#39;Make America great again&#39;. 
 
&quot;Don&#39;t let anyone ever tell you that this country is not great,&quot; she said. &quot;Because this right now is the greatest country on Earth.&quot; 
 
The nation, she said, needs &quot;a leader who will be guided every day by the love and hope and impossibly big dreams that we all have for our children&quot;. 
 
Americans must not turn cynical by the rhetoric of this year&#39;s presidential election, she said.&nbsp;&quot;No, hear me,&quot; Obama added. &quot;Between now and November... we need to pour every last ounce of our passion and our strength and our love for this country into electing Hillary Clinton.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

She spoke of Hillary as a competent, steely politician who does not make 'snap decisions' or judgments

US First Lady Michelle Obama on Monday told the Democratic convention in Philadelphia that Hillary Clinton was the one candidate ready to be President, as she poured scorn on Donald Trump's behaviour and temperament. "In this election, there is only one person who I trust with that responsibility, only one person who I believe is truly qualified to be President of the United States, and that is our friend Hillary Clinton," she said to standing ovations. "In this election, I'm with her." Obama painted a picture of her husband's first secretary of state as a competent, steely politician who does not make "snap decisions" or judgments. "You can't have a thin skin or tendency to lash out. You need to be steady and measured and well informed," she said. And she noted how Clinton, when she lost her Democratic nomination race to Barack Obama in 2008, "didn't get angry or disillusioned. As a true public servant, Hillary knows that this is so much bigger than her own desires and disappointments." The First Lady also turned personal, her voice cracking at times, when she discussed the future at stake for her two daughters. "Because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters and all of our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be President of the United States." Obama's warm, eloquent remarks brought the house down, appearing to generate the unity that had eluded much of the first day's proceedings, when die-hard Bernie Sanders supporters jeered speakers when they offered their support for Clinton. Obama took a veiled dig at Republican nominee Trump, whose campaign slogan is 'Make America great again'. "Don't let anyone ever tell you that this country is not great," she said. "Because this right now is the greatest country on Earth." The nation, she said, needs "a leader who will be guided every day by the love and hope and impossibly big dreams that we all have for our children". Americans must not turn cynical by the rhetoric of this year's presidential election, she said. "No, hear me," Obama added. "Between now and November... we need to pour every last ounce of our passion and our strength and our love for this country into electing Hillary Clinton." (AFP)

Michelle Obama: Clinton only one qualified to be next US President

A Trump staffer apologised on Wednesday for using remarks by US First Lady Michelle Obama in a speech delivered by Donald Trump&#39;s wife Melania at the Republican National Convention that ignited a deeply embarrassing plagiarism row. 
 
The speech from the ex-model, watched by millions on television on Monday night, amounted to a nightmarish start for the convention and subjected her husband`s presidential campaign to withering scrutiny. 
 
Melania Trump had &quot;always liked&quot; the Democratic first lady and had &quot;read me some passages from Mrs Obama`s speech&quot; as examples of what she wanted to tell the convention, said staffer Meredith McIver. 
 
&quot;I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I did not check Mrs Obama`s speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused. No harm was meant,&quot; she said in a statement released by the Trump campaign.&nbsp; 
 
McIver said Trump had refused to accept her resignation, saying that &quot;people make innocent mistakes,&quot; according to her statement. 
 
&quot;I apologize for the confusion and hysteria my mistake has caused. I personally admire the way Mr Trump has handled this situation and I am grateful for his understanding,&quot; said McIver, who was identified as an in-house staff writer from the Trump Organization.&nbsp; 
 
Trump took to Twitter Wednesday to comment on the swirling controversy, saying: &quot;Good news is Melania`s speech got more publicity than any in the history of politics especially if you believe that all press is good press!&quot; 
 
He also took a swipe at the media, which he has repeatedly alleged is biased against him and favors Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who herself has recently been mired in an email scandal. 
 
&quot;The media is spending more time doing a forensic analysis of Melania`s speech than the FBI spent on Hillary`s emails,&quot; he wrote. 
Michelle Obama, a Harvard-educated lawyer, has high approval ratings across the country and in Melania`s home city has been embraced in New York fashion circles for her sense of style and elegance. 
 
With millions watching on television, the Slovenia-born former model delivered an eloquent and seemingly heartfelt defense of her husband. 
 
&quot;Donald is, and always has been, an amazing leader,&quot; said the 46-year-old. &quot;Now, he will go to work for you.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Despite the unmistakable similarities to remarks given by Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic convention, the Trump campaign initially denied any wrongdoing, then made a tacit admission before attempting to insulate Melania, adding to a picture of a campaign in chaos. 
 
But at the convention itself, many Republicans were unperturbed, with delegates and party members praising Melania for her grace and poise in delivering a speech in what is thought to be her fifth language. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Despite the unmistakable similarities to remarks given by Michelle Obama, the Trump campaign initially denied any wrongdoing

A Trump staffer apologised on Wednesday for using remarks by US First Lady Michelle Obama in a speech delivered by Donald Trump's wife Melania at the Republican National Convention that ignited a deeply embarrassing plagiarism row. The speech from the ex-model, watched by millions on television on Monday night, amounted to a nightmarish start for the convention and subjected her husband`s presidential campaign to withering scrutiny. Melania Trump had "always liked" the Democratic first lady and had "read me some passages from Mrs Obama`s speech" as examples of what she wanted to tell the convention, said staffer Meredith McIver. "I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I did not check Mrs Obama`s speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused. No harm was meant," she said in a statement released by the Trump campaign. McIver said Trump had refused to accept her resignation, saying that "people make innocent mistakes," according to her statement. "I apologize for the confusion and hysteria my mistake has caused. I personally admire the way Mr Trump has handled this situation and I am grateful for his understanding," said McIver, who was identified as an in-house staff writer from the Trump Organization. Trump took to Twitter Wednesday to comment on the swirling controversy, saying: "Good news is Melania`s speech got more publicity than any in the history of politics especially if you believe that all press is good press!" He also took a swipe at the media, which he has repeatedly alleged is biased against him and favors Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who herself has recently been mired in an email scandal. "The media is spending more time doing a forensic analysis of Melania`s speech than the FBI spent on Hillary`s emails," he wrote. Michelle Obama, a Harvard-educated lawyer, has high approval ratings across the country and in Melania`s home city has been embraced in New York fashion circles for her sense of style and elegance. With millions watching on television, the Slovenia-born former model delivered an eloquent and seemingly heartfelt defense of her husband. "Donald is, and always has been, an amazing leader," said the 46-year-old. "Now, he will go to work for you." Despite the unmistakable similarities to remarks given by Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic convention, the Trump campaign initially denied any wrongdoing, then made a tacit admission before attempting to insulate Melania, adding to a picture of a campaign in chaos. But at the convention itself, many Republicans were unperturbed, with delegates and party members praising Melania for her grace and poise in delivering a speech in what is thought to be her fifth language. (AFP)

Melania plagiarism row: Trump turns down staffer's resignation

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