Michelle Obama appears on The View

Michelle Obama appeared on ABC's The View today and answered questions about her pride in the country, her relationship with her husband and that famous fist bump.

The hosts also showed a clip that caused controversy for Obama earlier in the campaign season, when she said, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country."

Mrs. Obama applauded First Lady Laura Bush, who had defended her over the remarks and said that she thought the quote was taken out of context.

"I was touched by it, and actually I sent [Laura Bush] a note," Obama told The View co-hosts. "That's what I like about Laura Bush, just calm, rational approach to these issues," she said. "And I'm taking some cues. There's a balance. There's a reason why people like her, because she doesn't fuel the fire."

Obama also acknowledged that there was sexism in the presidential campaign that may have affected Hillary Clinton. "People aren't used to strong women," Obama said. "There are times we don't even know how to talk about it," she added. "Hillary Clinton has, as she says, she's created 18 million cracks on a ceiling," Obama said, "and we need to keep pushing it and pushing it. Because it's only until women like her step out, take the risks, take those hits, and it's painful and it's hurtful, but she's taken them so that my girls, when they come along, they won't have to feel it as badly."

Obama appeared as a guest co-host along with co-hosts Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd.