Top question for first lady: 'Can I have a hug?'

WASHINGTON -- The most popular question put to Michelle Obama during a question-and-answer session with the children of White House employees Wednesday was "Can I have a hug?"

It all started when a girl asked for the first lady's age. Hearing she is 51, the girl then told Obama she looks too young to be 51.

"You should come up and give me a hug," the first lady said, grinning at Anaya Brodie's comment. "Come on up here. Come give me a hug for that one."

Anaya received a hug, as did two other girls the first lady called on afterward.

But she eventually drew a line and declined a fourth girl's request for a hug, saying she didn't have time to embrace everyone, although she'd like to do that.

"I wish I could take pictures and hug all of you. I really do," Obama said after answering her final question. "I would stay here and do it, but then you guys would miss your lunch and everything else, and we'd be here all day, and your parents would get mad, and it would be bad."

The children, including some from the Boys and Girls Club and the District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency, participated in the annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.