As former first lady Michelle Obama made her decision to replace ailing President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket this year, there was a loud pop audible throughout the country.
According to the New York Post, a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted last week revealed that 48% of Democrats questioned said they wished their party had a different presidential candidate.
Michelle Obama topped a list of candidates that people expressed interest in replacing him, which also included Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, failed 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
But put off the bumper stickers and lawn signs.
Michelle Obama’s office indicated that her plans do not involve the Oval Office in a statement to NBC News that deflated thousands of hopes.
Director of communications for Michelle Obama’s office Crystal Carson told the publication, “As former First Lady Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president.”
“Mrs. Obama endorses the reelection campaigns of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris,” the statement read.
For months, there has been rampant speculation that Michelle Obama might take over.
Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, made a prediction in September that Biden’s eventual replacement might be the former first lady.
Cruz stated on his “Verdict” show, “So here’s the scenario that I think is perhaps the most likely and most dangerous,” Cruz said on his “Verdict” podcast. “In August of 2024, the Democrat kingmakers jettison Joe Biden and parachute in Michelle Obama.”
“I view this as a very serious danger,” he declared.
“I also think Michelle is not all that eager to run for president,” Cruz continued, nevertheless.
The senator and the former first lady seem to agree on that.
Obama discussed politics in a Netflix special with Oprah Winfrey, according to a quote cited by NBC News.
“Politics is challenging. Additionally, those who pursue it must truly want it. It is so vital that you must hold it in your soul. She remarked, “It is not in my soul.”
The network did note, though, that when rumors of her campaigning for president began to circulate in 2020, Michelle Obama’s camp became enraged when future first lady Jill Biden declared that Obama had “had it with politics.”
After that, NBC News said, the Biden team received revised phrasing for a response to inquiries concerning Michelle Obama that did not appear to rule out any future ambitions she might have to run for public office.
According to those familiar with the situation, “new talking points that Obama’s office proposed would affirm that she would be great at anything she chose to do and say that the Biden team is grateful for the work she’s doing at When We All Vote.”
“They said the response was crafted to not make it sound as though Obama would never hold public office.”
