Another Obama Story That Doesn’t Quite Add Up — Fact vs. Fiction in a Presidential Basketball Injury
In a curious retelling of an old story, Michelle Obama recently claimed that her husband, Barack Obama, required “around 30 stitches” after a basketball injury during his 4 years term in the White House. But official records — and reality — tell a very different story.
The Truth About “Elbowgate”
The incident happened in 2010, during a friendly basketball game in Washington, D.C. Then-President Obama was struck in the mouth by Rey Decerega, a staffer with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. The result? A split lip — and, according to the White House at the time, exactly 12 stitches, not “30-something.”
The injury made headlines back then and was even jokingly dubbed “Elbowgate.” But while the public moved on, Michelle brought it up again in a recent episode of her podcast, using the incident as a teaching moment — or perhaps a dramatic one.
“I’m always like, ‘Be careful playing basketball. You have a real important job,’” Michelle said. “And then he walks in with gauze on his lip. He had some major speech coming up, and I was like, ‘You’re out there playing like a kid — and now your lip is split open.’”
Playing It Up for the Podcast?
Michelle Obama, 61, made the claim during her “Light” podcast with her brother, Craig Robinson. The way she told it, the former president’s injury sounded like a medical emergency. But in reality, doctors used small cosmetic sutures simply to avoid scarring — hardly the stuff of a war wound.
Video footage at the time showed President Obama nursing the injury with an ice pack, watching from a second-story window while the rest of the family greeted the White House Christmas tree.
A Pattern of Embellishment?
Critics say this is yet another example of the Obamas revisiting past events with a bit of theatrical flair. Whether it’s for entertainment value or to keep certain narratives alive, this kind of storytelling often stretches the facts — something the mainstream media rarely questions.
Michelle even admitted on the podcast that she tried to stop Barack from playing basketball while in office, despite it being one of his favorite pastimes.
“He loved playing ball — but I was always worried. You’re president. You don’t need to be dodging elbows.”
Why This Matters
For many Americans, especially older voters who lived through the Obama years, this kind of exaggeration is more than just harmless nostalgia. It raises serious questions about credibility, media accountability, and the double standards in how stories from liberal political figures are presented — and remembered.