--- 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: 2026-10-08T09:55:16.241Z 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: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=2300c009-122a-4359-b619-9535d763d7c5&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: 'The Best Decision I Ever Made.' Watch Barack Obama's Surprise Anniversary Video for Michelle [Watch (HLS stream): 'The Best Decision I Ever Made.' Watch Barack Obama's Surprise Anniversary Video for Michelle](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/9vk9YEDK.m3u8) (2:17)  _Published 2017-10-04. The former president sent wife Michelle Obama a sweet video message on their 25th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, surprising her during her talk with Shonda Rhimes at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women in Philadelphia._ by [Tierney McAfee / PEOPLE](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Tierney McAfee / PEOPLE Contributor Oct 4, 2017 3:05 AM UTC The former president sent wife Michelle Obama a sweet video message on their 25th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, surprising her during her talk with Shonda Rhimes at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women in Philadelphia. 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)_._ ## Transcript [00:00] Hey honey. Listen, I know you are with all these [00:04] important Pennsylvania women and you're sharing the [00:07] stage with our buddy, Shonda Rhimes, but I had to [00:11] crash this party because today, we have [00:16] been married for 25 years. Now, the idea that you [00:19] would put up with me for a quarter of a century. Is [00:24] a remarkable testament to what a saintly, [00:28] wonderful, patient person you are. It [00:33] was a lot easier for me to do it because the fact of the [00:36] matter is not only have you been an extraordinary [00:40] partner, not only have you been A great friend, [00:45] somebody who could always make me laugh, [00:47] somebody who would always make sure that I [00:52] was following what I thought was right, but [00:56] you have also been an example to our [01:00] daughters and to the entire country. Your strength Your [01:05] grace, your determination, your honesty. The [01:11] fact that you look so good doing all this. The [01:15] way in which you've always taken responsibility for your [01:19] own actions but also for looking out for the people [01:22] around you. It's remarkable and it's [01:28] no wonder that as people got to know you the way that [01:32] I got to know you that they fell in love and it [01:37] is truly the best decision [01:41] that I've ever made to. Be persistent [01:45] enough asking out for a date that you finally gave in. [01:49] And I hope you feel the same way. [01:54] So don't want to interrupt the flow of what I'm sure is a [01:57] fascinating discussion, but I figured that you [02:02] wouldn't mind maybe me Parachuting in just to say [02:06] how much I love you and how much I appreciate you. [02:09] And, to all the women in the audience, thanks for [02:13] your indulgence. Bye, bye. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] ```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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