Plane mechanical issue delays Michelle Obama trip

Who was the mystery passenger President Barack Obama greeted aboard a government aircraft after he spent most of the day in Florida?

It was his wife, Michelle Obama.

The first lady’s office says her Wednesday afternoon visit to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, was delayed because of a maintenance issue with the airplane she was assigned.

So there she sat aboard the plane at Andrews Air Force Base when Air Force One arrived with the president.

After a brief chat at the bottom of the stairs with an Air Force general and a Secret Service agent, the White House says Obama was driven to the second plane to chat with his wife.

He left by motorcade after a few minutes. Her plane was airborne shortly afterward.

Associated Press