Barack Obama's family lift the lid on life with the US presidential candidate Exclusive by Anton Antonowicz, US Correspondent 10/07/2008

Barack Obama's family lift the lid on life with the US presidential candidate

Exclusive by Anton Antonowicz, US Correspondent 10/07/2008

Democratic candidate Barack Obama is not President of the United States yet, but his 10-year-old daughter already has plans for the White House.

In a revealing TV interview Obama's older daughter, Malia, speaks frankly about her life with a daddy who plans on becoming the most powerful man in the world.

When asked about moving to the White House, Malia said: "I enjoy decorating. So I get this whole new room to do whatever I want." Daddy gets the nation, Malia gets to wallpaper... It was one of many candid revelations after Obama agreed to a rare glimpse into his private life by letting television cameras interview his family for the first time.

NBC's Access Hollywood sat down with the girls and their parents last weekend for the Fourth of July holiday.

And after the weeks of grillings Obama has endured over Iraq and soaring fuel prices, this interview was about fashion and fun.

The Illinois senator - the Democratic nominee in this year's race to be the next American president - joined his wife Michelle and their two daughters, Malia and seven-year-old Sasha.

Until now, the youngsters have largely been kept out of the media spotlight. And yesterday Obama said he had had second thoughts about granting the TV interview and now wants to keep the girls out of the media glare again.

"It was an exception, it was Malia's birthday, we were in Montana and everybody was having a good time," he told the Good Morning America chat show later.

"I think we got carried away a little bit.

Generally what makes the girls so charming is the fact that they're not spending a lot of time worrying about TV cameras or politics and we want to keep it that way." In the three-part TV interview he said the girls helped him stay "cool". For cool, read "natural"

Malia told interviewer Maria Menounos: "My friend Sam, she came over and Daddy has never met Sam before.

"He was like, 'Hi!' and he shook her hand! I was like, 'Daddy! You really don't shake kids' hands that much. You shake adults' hands. And he's like, 'Then what do you do?' and I was like, 'You know, you just wave or say Hi.'"

Obama laughed: "She basically avoids me embarrassing her by giving these tips, especially when I'm around her friends."

The 46-year-old politician - who wore an open-necked blue shirt and brown suit trousers for the interview - also found himself the target of jibes about his dress sense.

"He's probably had those pants for about 10 years," Michelle said when asked about her husband's new status as a style icon.

He admitted: "I'm baffled by this whole thing because I hate to shop."

He also told how he keeps in touch with the family when he's on the campaign trial.

He said: "We call each other at least once a day. I'm usually the one on the road so I'm calling home. And we've got a computer that has a video feed."

"We save our conversation - if we have issues or things to discuss with the kids - we usually do that over the phone," Michelle added. "We've gotten used to being able to communicate pretty well over the phone."

He said: "Although Malia is much better at talking on the phone than Sasha.

Sasha gets bored talking to me. She says, 'OK, OK. Bye!'"

The couple - who married three years after meeting while she was working at a legal firm in Chicago - say they still make time for one another.

"We have our alone time," Michelle said.

"Our staff, they're good about making sure that we get space. And you know, now that the primary is over, Barack is home at least once a week and we really do family stuff.

We're going on bike rides, and going swimming and playing tennis."

Michelle, 44, said her husband of 15 years still knew how to sweep her off her feet. "What's the most recent romantic gesture you guys have done for each other?" NBC's Maria Menounos asked.

"Barack is very romantic," Michelle said. "You brought me flowers the other day."

"I did," he replied.

She continued: "We always go on dates. We always have date nights."

Asked what she had done for him romantically, she said: "I take care of his children! That is love." He said: "That is pretty romantic." And she added: "I think it's the little kisses, he likes to get attention, telling him I'm proud of him.

The kids like it when Mummy and Daddy hold hands and cuddle."

The family recorded the segment on Independence Day. "It's Malia's birthday," Michelle said. "What do we usually do for your birthday?"

"Birthday party," Malia cheered.

"We usually march in a July Fourth parade somewhere and then it's a birthday extravaganza," Michelle explained. "We incorporate a lot of fun. We have family with us now. We've got water pistols.

"The girls are having fun running around, so you know, we're usually doing picnics and fairs and ice-cream parlours and things that are fun for the kids, and obviously fun for us, and a lot more fun than listening to Daddy talk."

"They basically cut out when I start making speeches," Barack laughed.

"It's like, is he talking?" Michelle said as seven-year-old Sasha made a series of cheeky "blah blah blah" hand gestures.

She interrupts the interview to say: "Mummy, when are we getting ice cream?"

She added: "My daddy doesn't like sweets. He likes minty gum, not bubble gum."

"I'm not a real sweets guy. I'm pretty conservative when it comes to my gum," says this prospective leader of the Free World.

Wife Michelle points at him and jokes with a yawn: "Booooring."

SHOWTIME

The Obamas appeared on NBC's Access Hollywood show but Barack later said he intended keeping his daughters out of the limelight in future. He said: "It was an exception, it was Malia's birthday... we got carried away a little bit."

DAUGHTER MALIA, 10, ON THE WHITE HOUSE..

I love decorating..I get this whole new room to do whatever I want

WIFE MICHELLE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL..

The kids get bored with his speeches..we do fun things instead

MALIA ON KEEPING HER DAD 'COOL'

He shook hands with my friend..I said kids just wave or say hi

BARACK ON BEING A STYLE ICON..

That whole thing baffles me..I hate going shopping