Maybe life in the White House isn't so bad after all.

First lady Michelle Obama's office and the French Embassy both denied on Thursday that Obama ever told French first lady Carla Bruni that being first lady of the United States is "hell," as reported in an eye-catching excerpt of a new biography of Bruni.

"The first lady never said that," Obama's press secretary, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, said.

"Mrs. Bruni-Sarkozy distances herself completely from the content of the book," French Embassy spokesman Emmanuel Lenain said in a statement. "The words attributed to the first lady of the United States were never said."

Lenain said the book, "Carla and the Ambitious," was not authorized, and that only the authors are responsible for its contents -- though the book had been billed as the "official" biography. A separate unauthorized biography of Bruni has been penned by author Besma Lahouri.

Lenain told Fox News the Embassy did not issue its statement at the request of the French government. He said he did not know where the Obama quote came from.

The U.K. Daily Mail newspaper revealed the quote in a review of "Carla and the Ambitious" for Thursday editions.

"Don't ask! It's hell. I can't stand it!" Michelle Obama was said to have told Bruni during a private conversation at the White House during an official visit by France's president, Nicolas Sarkozy, last March.

Bruni, a singer and former model, reportedly collaborated on the book with writers Yves Derai and Michael Darmon as a push-back to Lahouri's unauthorized biography of the wildly untraditional political spouse, which was released Wednesday. "Carla and the Ambitious" is due out on Friday.

QuakerOats;486105 wrote:It is completely believable, and it is exactly why her handlers have kept her under wraps for over 2 years now, because quite often when she opens her mouth she says things that don't comport. I sense she has a big chip on her shoulder.

Manhattan Buckeye;486371 wrote:^^^

Agree that context means a lot, but for a Princeton/HLS grad that finds time to take 5-star resort vacations without her husband and one of her kids, 'hell' is a lot different than the hell suffered by 15 million plus unemployed Americans today, and millions more struggling. It is just another signal of a tone deaf and aloof political class.

ptown_trojans_1;486344 wrote:If it is true, then I'd like to know the context. Because, she can say life as in work is hell, which is one thing and not good to say. Or she can say that life, as in the Secret Service around all the time, trying to raise 2 kids in the White House and keep their life private, constant media attention to every detail, including social and fashion crap, that is all hell, which is understandable.

Still, off the record, probably private conservations leaked is a little shady, and it maybe a little trumped up to get attention and sell books.

Belly35;486606 wrote:We could be so lucky if they moved out under to cover of darkness .......

ptown_trojans_1;486625 wrote:People said the same thing about Bush.
Basically, you are just like the crazy left wing a few years ago.
Come on.....

HitsRus;486640 wrote:It's heresay and should be treated as such. I oppose any attempt to besmirch our leaders by people out to make a buck by distortion, half truths, context and outright lies. I have no love for the politics of the Obamas, but as our first lady, she deserves at least the respect of the title without having to defend herself from spurious, unsubstantiated, uncorroborated claims and statements.

Bruni, a singer and former model, reportedly collaborated on the book with writers Yves Derai and Michael Darmo..........

believer;486846 wrote:I agree with you. Still you have to admit it only took the Great Guru of Hope & Change....the Second Coming....the Anointed One just 2 short years to generate Bush-level disdain. The rapid fall from on high has been breathtaking.



NAW...It must be true. It's in the Bruni biography.

fish82;486156 wrote:I could honestly care less what that broad says or thinks.

believer;486846 wrote:I agree with you. Still you have to admit it only took the Great Guru of Hope & Change....the Second Coming....the Anointed One just 2 short years to generate Bush-level disdain. The rapid fall from on high has been breathtaking.