The seating order depends on the event, but at formal U.S. presidential gatherings the usual rule is precedence by office and then by spouse pairing , not by personal preference. At a dinner or ceremony with Obama, the Obamas would typically be seated according to the host’s protocol, with former presidents and first ladies grouped by rank and arrival order.

Typical order

A common arrangement is:

  1. The host president and first lady.
  2. The immediate guest of honor.
  3. Other former presidents, usually in order of seniority by presidency.
  4. Their spouses seated with them or at adjacent places, depending on the layout.

In a mixed group that includes Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and their wives, the seating is usually arranged so the presidents sit near one another and the first ladies sit near one another, rather than alternating strictly “president-wife-president-wife”.

With Obama specifically

If you mean the recent Obama Center event, coverage showed former presidents and first ladies gathered together, including Barack and Michelle Obama, George W. Bush, and other ex-leaders and spouses. Reports also noted a friendly exchange between Michelle Obama and George W. Bush at the event, which suggests a seated or grouped arrangement close enough for interaction.

Simple example

For a formal photo line or table, it might look like this:

  • Barack Obama.
  • Michelle Obama.
  • George W. Bush.
  • Laura Bush.
  • Bill Clinton.
  • Hillary Clinton.

The exact order can change based on venue, host, and whether the spouses are seated together or at alternating places, but that is the standard pattern used for presidential protocol.

If you want, I can also format this as a clean table of “president + wife” seating order.