1st lady: Hopes of nation drives Obama

A president must be driven by the struggles and aspirations of everyone to be a leader, first lady Michelle Obama said during a fundraising event in Chicago. "You see, as president, you must be driven by the struggle, hopes and dreams of all you serve," she told attendees Thursday. "That's how you make the right decisions for this country. That's what it takes to be a leader." While she didn't mention Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney by name, she seemed to be referring to secretly recorded controversial comments he made a GOP fundraiser in which Romney said 47 percent of the public would back President Barack Obama because they don't pay taxes, are dependent upon government and "believe that they are victims." Obama told the audience that Barack Obama had promised to tell the American people the truth, not just what they wanted to hear or what could garner "good headlines," the Chicago Tribune reported. "Barack has been fighting for us," the first lady said Thursday. "Slowly but surely we have been pulling ourselves out of that hole that we started in. For 3 1/2 years we've been moving forward and making progress and we're beginning to see that change we all can believe in." At a second fundraiser of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Leadership Council at a private residence, Michelle Obama said her husband knows what it means to be "married to the love of their life," evoking loud cheers, the Tribune said. She also told attendees much work remained to be done before Election Day. "The only guarantee you have in this election," Obama said, "is it will be closer than the last one."