She has fans that range across the full political spectrum, but former First Lady Michelle Obama has absolutely no intention of running for president.
Obama told twelve-year old journalist Hilde Lysiak, that there is “zero chance” she will seek the Oval Office in the future according to an interview published Thursday in Amtrak’s The National Magazine.
Former US first lady Michelle Obama gestures on stage of the Royal Arena in Copenhagen on Apr. 9, 2019 during a tour to promote her memoir “Becoming”. (MARTIN SYLVEST/AFP/Getty Images)
Lysiak asked Michelle Obama whether she would ever enter the presidential contest.
“A lot of people want you to run for president. You’ve publicly said that you aren’t interested, but everyone says that until they actually run,” Lysiak noted. “Just between us, if you thought the country needed you and you thought you could really help our nation, is there even a one percent chance you’d consider running?” (RELATED: Vogue Editor: Why Discuss Melania Trump In An Interview When Michelle Obama Is So ‘Incredible?’)
“Just between us, and the readers of this magazine — there’s zero chance,” Obama said. “There are so many ways to improve this country and build a better world, and I keep doing plenty of them, from working with young people, to helping families lead healthier lives. But sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office will never be one of them. It’s just not for me.”
Although Obama was not directly responding, her comments hit the news on the same day that filmmaker Michael Moore encouraged Obama to seek the presidency.
Director Michael Moore arrives for the world premiere of Fahrenheit 11/9 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto, Canada, September 6, 2018. REUTERS/Mark Blinch
“The only way to remove Trump is to crush Trump,” Moore said. “And that’s the question that has to be asked. Who can crush Trump? Who’s the street fighter? … There is one person that would crush Trump — and she hasn’t announced yet. And her last name rhymes with Obama. In fact, it is Obama — Michelle Obama.” (RELATED: Michelle Obama Declines To Defend Joe Biden)
Obama returned to one of her favorite themes in the interview, the alleged persistence of the racial divide in America: “Even with all the incredible opportunities I’ve had over the years, skin color is something that’s always with you. So to a young person growing up today, I’d say that race is something our country has always struggled with, and it’s something it’s going to keep grappling with for a while longer, too. As an African-American, that means that some days, those struggles are going to land directly at your doorstep, or in your classroom, or in your Instagram feed.”