When Michelle Obama started dating a guy named Barack, her brother Craig Robinson didn’t expect it to last. In fact, he figured the relationship would be over in about a month.

More than 32 years of marriage, two daughters and one historic presidency later, it’s safe to say Robinson’s prediction was dead wrong. But his candid admission on a recent podcast with Michelle didn’t just provide laughs – it reignited public curiosity around the Obamas’ marriage, both past and present.

Robinson didn’t hold back on the first episode of their new podcast “IMO.” When his little sister first started dating Barack Obama, he didn’t think the relationship was going to last long. According to Craig, the family hadn’t heard of him and were sceptical about the man with the unusual name. He compared the situation to Michelle’s previous relationships, which he recalled as being short-lived.

“Mich starts to date Barack, and we don’t know who this guy is. We’re just like, ‘Barack? Who’s got a name like Barack?'” Robinson said. “And I’m thinking to myself, it’s gonna last like about a month like most of your relationships did,” as reported by People.

Michelle disagreed with that take, insisting that she had a history of long-term relationships. But Robinson pushed back, stating he couldn’t remember any that lasted longer than a month – reinforcing just how little faith he had in Barack in the beginning.

Michelle’s brother wasn’t alone in his cautious approach. When Barack first met their mother, Miriam Robinson, her reaction was reserved. She noticed his height – a positive for the 5’11” Michelle – but that was about it. Craig echoed that sentiment, sharing that while his mom noted Barack was tall, he still didn’t think the relationship would go anywhere.

Craig’s outlook shifted after a casual game of pickup basketball. Following advice from their father, which a person’s character shows on the court – Craig decided to see what Barack was made of. He admitted the future president couldn’t go right due to being left-handed, but what stood out was how well he played with others and blended in with the group. It was that experience that convinced Craig that Barack might be more than just a fling.

Despite their longevity, public speculation about the health of their marriage hasn’t gone away. Earlier this year, rumours about a potential split ramped up when Michelle was noticeably absent from former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral, which Barack attended alone. Around the same time, Michelle also declined to join Barack in attending Donald Trump’s second inauguration, further fuelling gossip about trouble in their relationship.

Michelle addressed the chatter on the “Work in Progress” podcast, hosted by Sophia Bush. She discussed how society often struggles with women exercising independence. She explained, “That’s the thing that we as women struggle with – disappointing people. I mean, so much so that this year people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself. That they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,” as reported by People.

Despite public speculation and Craig’s early doubts, the Obamas continue to present a united front. On Valentine’s Day this year, Barack posted a tribute to Michelle on social media, celebrating their 32 years together and expressing his continued admiration of her.

Craig Robinson’s one-month prediction turned out to be wildly off base. But his scepticism offers a unique lens into the ordinary beginnings of one of America’s most famous couples. Before the campaign trails and international headlines, they were just two people trying to figure it out – and one older brother thinking it wouldn’t last past the calendar page.

Michelle Obama’s brother Craig Robinson never thought he’d one day be Barack Obama’s brother-in-law. The older brother of Michelle, 61, has admitted that when he first met the future president of the United States, he didn’t think he was long-term material.

“Mich starts to date Barack and we don’t know who this guy is. We’re just like, ‘Barack? Who’s got a name like Barack?’ “Robinson, 62, teased on his and MIchelle’s IMO podcast on April 16. “And I’m thinking to myself, it’s gonna last like about a month like most of your relationships did.”

Michelle disagreed with her brother’s assessment, saying, “That’s not true. I had many a long-term boyfriend.”

But the siblings couldn’t find common ground on the topic of Michelle’s pre-Barack love life.

“I remember mom’s first thing was, ‘Ooh at least he’s tall.’ Because Mich was usually posting up her other boyfriends,” Robinson said of the 5’11” future first lady. “And I said to myself, ‘Well, it’s too bad it’s not gonna last.’ “

Robinson also reflected on his father’s piece of advice about men, saying he taught him that you could learn a lot about a person by how they played a game of pickup basketball. So when he took Barack, 63, for a game at Michelle’s request, he paid close attention.

“Obviously we had a great time playing. This is what I learned, aside from the fact that he’s left-handed so he couldn’t go right at all, most importantly, he was a team player,” Robinson said of Barack. “He fit in with the people. So I was able to report back to you, everything was fine and the rest was history.”

The couple tied the knot in October 1992 and share daughters Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23.

Michelle went on to share that her husband stopped playing pickup games during his time in the White House after injuring his lip and requiring stitches.

“Barack put his basketball shoes up once he got his lip busted once he was in the White House playing a pickup game,” she said. “He needed, like, 30-something stitches … He had some major speech, this was probably Saturday. He had some major speech on Monday. I was like, ‘This is what I’m saying. You’re playing like you’re 10, and now your lip is split.’ “

Michelle recently opened up about how her newfound independence led to scrutiny and speculation that her marriage to Barack was on the rocks.

“That’s the thing that we as women struggle with — disappointing people. I mean, so much so that this year people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself. That they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,” Michelle told Sophia Bush on the iHeartRadio podcast Work in Progress earlier this month. “This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions herself, right? But that’s what society does to us.”

Michelle Obama is content with being a mother of two.

The former first lady, who shares daughters Malia Obama, 26, and Sasha Obama, 23, with her husband, former president Barack Obama, got candid with Kylie Kelce about her and Barack’s differing opinions on the size of their family on the March 20 episode of Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast.

“I was like, I think I’ve been lucky with these two,” Michelle said of Malia and Sasha. “Barack was like, ‘We should have a third,’ and I was like, ‘Dude.’ ”

Kylie, 32, who is currently pregnant with her fourth child with husband Jason Kelce, noted of Michelle’s girls, “Two good sleepers, I’d call it too.”

The Becoming author agreed, adding, “You know, I’m thinking we’re gonna get a crazy one.”

Michelle went on Not Gonna Lie to promote her own new podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, which aims to have “thoughtful conversations about life” with special guests.

Getting candid with Kylie about her fears from early motherhood, Michelle said, “I think the sadness or the postpartum that I felt with my kids really came from, like, you love these babies so much. You immediately, you’re connected, and you think, ‘Oh my God, all you have is me. I feel so bad for you. I wish you had a parent.’”

Michelle and Kylie, who are both mothers to girls, also quipped about their husbands being girl dads.

“That’s because that’s what your husband deserved,” Michelle told Kylie. “That’s what I told Barack, ‘Dude, you need a bunch of women in your life to smack you around.’ ”

And while she’s been approached about running for president countless times, Michelle added that she’d never consider it, due mostly to her role as a mother.

“I wanted them to have the freedom of not having the eyes of the world on them,” she explained. “And so when people ask me would I ever run, the answer is no. If you ask me that, then you have absolutely no idea the sacrifice that your kids make when your parents are in that role.”

Noting that she’s “not interested in politics in that way,” the author added, “The thought of, like, putting my girls back into that spotlight when they are just now establishing themselves. I think we’ve done enough … they’ve already served their time.”

• A Tell Media report / Republished from Bold Facts