Did the First Lady dis the president?

In a Politico story about President Obama’s efforts to organize a successful enrollment process for Obamacare starting on Oct. 1, the last sentence in that report stopped me in my tracks.

The closing paragraphs are based on a Politico interview with Joe Madison, a prominent black talk-radio host, who attended a private White House reception on Obamacare implementation.

Here is what Carrie Budoff Brown wrote:

“Madison lobbied Michelle Obama at the reception, saying he had been trying to get the president on his show to talk about health care and other issues.

“She suggested Madison might be able to do better.

“’Forget him,’” Michelle Obama said, according to Madison. “’We got to get together.’”

Wow. Did the First Lady brush aside her husband in such a disparaging way?

Joe Madison

Madison is an Obama supporter and Michelle has been on his nationally broadcast show in the past.  So, there is somewhat of a bond there. 

Still … "Forget him" -- ??

The reception on Tuesday featured an A-list group of African Americans, including Oprah Winfrey, actor Forest Whitaker, music producer Berry Gordy, and entertainer and activist Dick Gregory. Madison was invited because he fits in with the president’s plan to get the word out in the black community about the Affordable Care Act sign-up process.

“I would suspect some of them would be asked by the White House to use their celebrity status to pitch for ACA,” Madison told Politico. “And clearly the president appears to be in this pre-ACA campaign mode. He wanted to get it on people’s minds and get them at least thinking about it. When would he have a better of opportunity than at this gathering?”