Michelle Obama recently expressed her belief that the United States is not yet prepared to elect a woman as president, particularly pointing out that this sentiment is more prevalent among male voters.
She admitted that if she ever considered running for the presidency, she would likely face this ingrained bias, making a successful campaign challenging.
“That’s why I say, ‘Don’t even consider me for a run because you’re not ready for a woman leader,'” Obama remarked. “You’re not prepared, so don’t waste my time.”
These comments came during a live discussion on November 5th with actress Tracee Ellis Ross, as Obama promoted her latest book, “The Look.” Reflecting on recent elections, she noted, “As witnessed last election, unfortunately, we’re just not prepared.”
Her remarks alluded to the November electoral outcome where Donald Trump decisively defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris.
In contrast to his 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton, where Trump lost the popular vote but claimed the electoral college, he managed to secure nearly 2.3 million more votes than Harris in the 2024 election.
Michelle, 61, addressed the audience at the Brooklyn Academy of Music with disappointment over what she believes is the prevailing attitude among some in the country.
‘We got a lot of growing up to do, and there are still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it.’
Michelle Obama has said that Americans are not ready to elect a woman president, implying there is still widespread sexism among men
The former first lady, 61, has been repeatedly asked to run for president for well over a decade but she has resisted those calls, citing her then teenage daughters as an excuse in March 2016
Michelle has been talked about as a worthy presidential contender among liberals as far back as 2012, when her husband was in the middle of his eight years as the commander in chief.
Despite her fans in the Democratic party trying to recruit her to run every time primary season rolls around, she has consistently made it clear that she won’t heed the call.
She appeared on the TODAY Show in October 2018 and told anchor Savannah Guthrie that has never wanted to be a politician.
‘Nothing has changed in me. I want to serve. … There are so many ways to make an impact. Politics is not my thing. It’s as simple as that,’ she said.
Less than a year before Obama left office, in March 2016, she said during South by Southwest that she ‘will not run for president’ because of her then teenage daughters, who are now in their twenties.
Obama himself said in an October 2016 radio interview that his wife ‘will never run for office’.
‘She is as talented and brilliant a person as there is, and I could not be prouder of her, but Michelle does not have the patience or the inclination to actually be a candidate herself,’ he said. ‘That’s one thing y’all can take to the bank.’
Michelle’s followers hoped she had changed her mind after delivering several highly-rated speeches attacking Trump while campaigning for Harris last year.
Michelle’s comments come after Donald Trump has now racked up two wins against prominent Democratic women, the first being Hillary Clinton in 2016
He then defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024. And unlike his win over Clinton in 2016 — when he lost the popular vote but won the electoral college — Trump got nearly 2.3 million more votes than Harris
It appears she is just as steadfast now in her detestation of politics as she was several years ago.
Public polling does indicate that there does remain a significant barrier to women winning the highest office in the land.
Ahead of the 2024 election, American University released a poll that found that four in 10 Americans know someone who would not vote for a woman to become president.
‘A notable “youth paradox” exists, where younger voters, while generally supportive of women in office, are actually the least open to electing a female president,’ the poll’s authors wrote.
