Michelle Obama Named Most ‘Fascinating’ Person of 2009

ABC’s Barbara Walters named First Lady Michelle Obama the “most fascinating person” of 2009. During the interview that aired Wednesday night and earlier Thursday morning on "Good Morning America," the first lady left the impression she’s now more comfortable with the role of political spouse.

Walters asked Obama to describe the “thorns” she’s encountered during their first year in the White House.

“Not so many thorns,” she said. “As Barack says, he has the thorny job.” She continued, “if there are any thorns, it’s just the constant concern that I’m doing enough and that I’m doing my best and that I’m making the country proud, and hopefully people are happy with the job that I’ve done so far.”

Asked about her earlier reluctance to embrace the life of a political family, Obama explained her “dilemma.”

“I always had this dilemma, because I always thought, well, if I wanted somebody as my state senator, or as my U.S. senator or as my president, I would want Barack Obama. And the only reason he wouldn’t do it, is if I said ‘no,’” she said.

Obama said her husband would have abandoned his political ambitions if she had asked him.

“It made it really hard to be the person that would stand in the way of someone else’s dreams, and the possibilities of his leadership and I definitely didn’t want to be in that position,” Obama said.

“I think I made the right call,” she added.

Watch a clip of the interview here.