When Barack Obama was first introduced to the now famous three-word call to arms that came to define his quest for the presidency — “Yes, we can!” — his initial response could be paraphrased as “No, I won’t!”.

According to a new book, when the slogan was first suggested to him he blanched, because he felt that the phrase was “corny” and “childish”. Only when his wife Michelle intervened and convinced him that it would work did he relent and use it in speeches and campaign events.

“I don’t like it. Come on,” Mr Obama is quoted as saying in Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage, by Christopher Anderson, parts of which appeared in the US press yesterday. “It will work,” the future First Lady assured the candidate. “Trust me.” The slogan was suggested by Mr Obama’s chief political adviser, David Axelrod, during the 2004 Illinois Senate race.

Mrs Obama was an influential figure during the campaign, and according to Mr Anderson killed off the idea of Hillary Clinton becoming Mr Obama’s running-mate.

“Do you really want Bill and Hillary just down the hall from you in the White House?” she is understood to have asked her husband. “Could you live with that?” Mr Obama eventually chose Joe Biden, while Mrs Clinton is now Secretary of State.

The 326-page book offers other insights into the Obama partnership, including an assertion that eight years into the marriage, Mrs Obama wondered if their union would fall victim to her husband’s political ambition.

Mr Obama allegedly bristled at his wife’s “constant criticism” about his role at home. The two also struggled with fertility issues, and Mrs Obama discussed adoption with friends.

The book also talks about last year’s heated campaign, with groupies passing their telephone numbers to Mr Obama. “He’s never given me reason to doubt him,” Mrs Obama said.

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