--- title: Watch Barack Obama Surprise Michelle With Anniversary Video description: “It is truly the best decision that I ever made to be persistent enough in asking you out for a date” canonical: https://time.com/4968387/barack-michelle-obama-wedding-anniversary-tribute/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-10-04T03:05:43.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:47:45.340Z og:title: Watch Barack Obama's Sweet Anniversary Tribute to Michelle og:description: He made the former First Lady blush og:url: https://time.com/4968387/barack-michelle-obama-wedding-anniversary-tribute/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt68b77a6c7a572b2e/6988e079929fad3e72bedf13/gettyimages-857172594.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5136 og:image:height: 2889 og:image:alt: Pennsylvania Conference For Women 2017 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch Barack Obama's Sweet Anniversary Tribute to Michelle twitter:description: He made the former First Lady blush twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt68b77a6c7a572b2e/6988e079929fad3e72bedf13/gettyimages-857172594.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 'The Best Decision I Ever Made.' Watch Barack Obama's Surprise Anniversary Video for Michelle > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. 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The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. by [Tierney McAfee / PEOPLE](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Tierney McAfee / PEOPLE Contributor Oct 4, 2017 3:05 AM UTC  Michelle Obama speaks during Pennsylvania Conference For Women 2017 in Philadelphia, Oct. 3, 2017. Michelle Obama speaks during Pennsylvania Conference For Women 2017 in Philadelphia, Oct. 3, 2017. Marla Aufmuth—Getty Images for Pennsylvania Conference for Women by [Tierney McAfee / PEOPLE](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Tierney McAfee / PEOPLE Contributor Oct 4, 2017 3:05 AM UTC [Barack Obama](http://people.com/tag/barack-obama/) sure knows how to make a grand gesture. The former president sent wife [Michelle Obama](http://people.com/tag/michelle-obama/) a sweet video message on their [25th wedding anniversary](http://time.com/4967027/michelle-obama-25-anniversary/) on Tuesday, surprising her during her talk with [Shonda Rhimes](http://people.com/tag/shonda-rhimes/) at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women in Philadelphia. Appearing on a big screen, Obama first apologized for “crashing” the conference before launching into a loving tribute that brought tears to his wife’s eyes — and color to her cheeks. “I had to crash this party because today we have been married for 25 years,” Obama said. “The idea that you would put up with me for a quarter of a century is a remarkable testament to what a saintly, wonderful, patient person you are.” “It was a lot easier for me to do it,” he added with a smile, “because the fact of the matter is that not only have you been an extraordinary partner, not only have you been a great friend, somebody who could always make me laugh, somebody who would always make sure that I was following what I thought was right, but you have also been an example to our daughters and to the entire country.” The former first lady teared up as her husband praised her “strength, grace, determination and honesty.” “It’s no wonder that as people got to know you the way that I got to know you, they fell in love,” he added. The former president also said he appreciated “the fact that you look so good” doing all of this. “It is truly the best decision that I ever made to be persistent enough in asking you out for a date,” he said. Mrs. Obama was blushing by the time her husband concluded the lengthy tribute. She turned to Rhimes and the crowd and joked: “I better get home.” The former president later posted his video on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/barackobama/videos/10155303917731749/), captioning it: “Asking you to go out with me is the best decision I ever made. I love you, Michelle.” Earlier on Tuesday, Mrs. Obama sent her husband and “best friend” a [happy anniversary message](http://people.com/politics/michelle-obama-barack-obama-25th-anniversary-instagram/) on Instagram, sharing a photo from their Chicago wedding on Oct. 3, 1992. “Happy 25th anniversary [@barackobama](https://www.instagram.com/barackobama/),” she wrote alongside the shot. “A quarter of a century later, you’re still my best friend & the most extraordinary man I know. I (heart) you.” _This_ [_article_](http://people.com/politics/barack-obama-michelle-25th-wedding-anniversary-tribute-conference/) _originally appeared on_ [_People.com_](http://people.com)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4968387/barack-michelle-obama-wedding-anniversary-tribute/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4968387/barack-michelle-obama-wedding-anniversary-tribute/"},"headline":"'The Best Decision I Ever Made.' 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