Michelle Obama’s Olympic Fantasy? Gymnastics - East Idaho News
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Michelle Obama’s Olympic Fantasy? Gymnastics

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Getty 072712 MichelleObama?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1343413732000Chris Jackson/Getty Images(LONDON) — Mitt Romney isn’t the only American candidate in London for the opening ceremonies. ABC’s Bill Weir sat down with first lady Michelle Obama this morning in London. The head of the official delegation from the White House told Weir that her childhood fantasy to be a gymnast was foiled by her genes.

“But I mean come on 5’11 with legs, no,” she said.  “But I love gymnastics. I was in awe of what those women could do. Men as well; the strength combined everything dance, strength, and acrobatics but that’s really a fantasy. Now if we get to something that’s a little more realistic maybe it would be track. I’d like to think I was fast.”

The back lawn of Winfield House, the stately residence of the U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. was converted into a giant playground as the first lady hosted a cross-Atlantic version of her Let’s Move! initiative. She arrived in a jog to the fanfare of the University of Florida marching band. There were cheers from the children on hand as she joined a host of U.S. Olympic luminaries such as Carl Lewis, Apollo Ono, Dikembe Mutombo and Summer Sanders.

Since swimmer Missy Franklin is from Aurora and today marks one week since the massacre there, Weir asked for her thoughts.

“It makes us all question our own safety and security but these events also remind us that this is a time we come together,” she said. “We are at our best as a country in times of tragedy. That’s when we embrace each other and we forget about the divisions. And my hope is that we continue to embrace these families and other families around the country dealing with tragedies. So hopefully these Olympics will give the families something else to look at to remember why we’re all here.”

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