Michelle Obama: Why I'm Voting for My Husband, President Barack Obama

USMagazine, Wednesday, October 17, 2012, 6:40pm (PDT)

Michelle Obama loves her husband. And she wants voters to love him too.

In an open letter to ELLE readers, the First Lady, 48, reveals why she married her spouse, President Barack Obama, and how his commitment to her and their two children, Sasha, 11, and Malia, 14, is an asset to the country's future.

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"When I fell in love with Barack more than 20 years ago, I knew he'd be a loving husband and a devoted father," she writes. "I knew he shared my determination to make a difference in other people's lives."

That determination, Michelle says, is part of what makes him both a good partner and a good leader. But it's not the only thing. 

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The First Lady goes on to explain why she's sure her husband is right for this job -- and why she was sure four years ago, when he put in his first bid for the presidency. 

"I didn't [vote for him] just because we were married," she insists. "I voted for him because I knew he was going to stand up for women like me -- and our daughters, sisters, and mothers. When I look at all he's done since that freezing day he was inaugurated on the Capitol steps -- from health-care reform, to saving jobs, to fighting for women's rights -- I'm proud of how far we have come. And I'm determined to help him keep moving forward."

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The ELLE letter, she hopes, is one step in that direction. In it, she details five reasons -- including equal pay for women and affordable education -- why she thinks readers should vote for Barack Obama when they go to the polls on November 6.

"Before you cast your ballot, I want you to ask yourself, Who's looking out for me? Who's thinking about my family?" FLOTUS concludes. "And I want you to know that the man I have loved for more than two decades -- the man who has worked so hard for so long to move this country forward -- is looking out for you every day."

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Michelle Obama: Why I'm Voting for My Husband, President Barack Obama