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White House to host First Granny as mother-in-law moves in
Marian Robinson, Michelle's mother, will join the family temporarily to help take care of Malia and Sasha, a role she undertook during the campaign.
- AP
- Published: 23:35 January 10, 2009
Washington: President-elect Barack Obama's mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, is moving into the White House at least temporarily to join Michelle Obama and the two children, transition officials said on Friday.
That is good news not just for late-night television comics, but for 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha.
During the campaign, Robinson retired from her job as a bank executive secretary to help care for her granddaughters.
"[Marian] Robinson will be coming with the family to help the girls get acclimated, and she will determine in the coming months whether or not she wants to stay in DC permanently," said Katie McCormick Lelyveld, spokeswoman for Michelle Obama.
Plenty of in-laws have taken up residence in the White House before, not to mention cousins and other relatives. "Throughout history there have been many extended first families in office," said Robert Watson, author of Life in the White House.
Ulysses S. Grant's father-in-law, Richard Dent, stayed for several years, said Maria Downs of the White House Historical Association. Mamie Eisenhower's mother was a little more complacent: So much so that she generally stayed in her room and slept until noon, Downs said.
By all accounts, Obama has a good relationship with his mother-in-law. She had put off retirement for years, but finally retired last summer to take care of the granddaughters while their parents campaigned.
"She didn't want anyone else taking care of the kids but her," McCormick Lelyveld said.
"She wanted to be the one there."
Barack Obama has called her one of the unsung heroes of his campaign, and spoke of holding her hand on election night.
But when asked by 60 Minutes if Robinson would move in, he quipped: "Well, I don't tell my mother-in-law what to do. But I'm not stupid. That's why I got elected president, man."
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