Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she believes America is ready for a woman president, pushing back on recent comments by former first lady Michelle Obama, who said U.S. voters were not ready to elect a woman to the White House.
In an interview with NPR released on Tuesday, Whitmer said she has “love” for the former first lady and “the last thing I want to do is disagree with her,” but that she has a different perspective.
“I think America is ready for a woman president,” Whitmer said. “The question comes down to a choice between two people, and what we saw in this last election, while Kamala Harris didn’t beat President Trump, we saw women get elected across the country.”
“We saw women win up and down the ballot in hard, important states to win, so I do think there’s an appetite,” she added. “I just, for whatever reason, we have not had a woman president yet. I think we will at some point in the near future.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she believes America is ready for a woman president.(Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The governor cited the election victories last year for Democratic Govs. Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Mikie Sherill in New Jersey, as well as Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., in 2024.
In November, Obama said Americans are “not ready” to elect a woman to the White House, pointing to former Vice President Kamala Harris’ election loss to President Donald Trump in the last presidential election.
“As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready,” the former first lady said at the Brooklyn Academy of Music at the time while promoting her book, “The Look.”
Former first lady Michelle Obama said Americans are “not ready” to elect a woman to the White House.(Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running, because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not … We’ve got a lot of growing up to do, and there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it,” she added.
Pressed on whether Harris lost to Trump in the presidential election because she is a woman, Whitmer responded: “I don’t think it was just gender, no.”
Whitmer, who is term limited and cannot seek a third term as governor, said she does not currently have plans to run for another office.
She has been floated as a potential presidential candidate in 2028, but the governor said her focus remains on serving Michigan and helping her party’s candidates win the upcoming midterm elections.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she does not think former Vice President Kamala Harris lost to President Donald Trump just because she is a woman.(SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Asked about how Democrats could win in the midterms this year, Whitmer pointed to her gubernatorial campaign’s decision to remain “focused on the fundamentals.”
“I don’t think Michigan is unique in that,” Whitmer said. “I think every person in this country wants and expects government to make their lives better, and so that’s been our formula here in Michigan and I think that can be replicated everywhere successfully.”
Whole milk is heading back to school cafeterias across the country after President Trump signed a bill Wednesday overturning Obama-era limits on higher-fat milk options.
Nondairy drinks such as fortified soy milk may also be on the menu in the coming months following the adoption of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which cleared Congress in the fall.
The action allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to serve whole and 2% fat milk, along with the skim and low-fat products required since 2012.
“Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, whole milk is a great thing,” Mr. Trump said at a White House signing ceremony that featured lawmakers, dairy farmers and their children.
The law also permits schools to serve nondairy milk that meets the nutritional standards of milk and requires schools to offer a nondairy milk alternative if kids provide a note from their parents, not just from doctors, saying they have a dietary restriction.
President Trump touches a container of milk as he speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Washington.
Alex Brandon / AP
The signing comes days after the release of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which emphasize consumption of full-fat dairy products as part of a healthy diet. Previous editions advised that consumers older than 2 should consume low-fat or fat-free dairy.
Earlier this week, the Agriculture Department sent a social media post showing Mr. Trump with a glass of milk and a “milk mustache” that declared: “Drink Whole Milk.”
The change could take effect as soon as this fall, though school nutrition and dairy industry officials said it may take longer for some schools to gauge demand for full-fat dairy and adjust supply chains.
“The long wait is over! Whole milk is coming back to schools! This law is a win for our children, parents, and school nutrition leaders, giving schools the flexibility to offer the flavored and unflavored milk options, across all healthy fat levels, that meet students’ needs and preferences,” said Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association.
Long sought by the dairy industry, the return of whole and 2% milk to school meals reverses provisions of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act championed by former first lady Michelle Obama. Enacted more than a dozen years ago, the law aimed to slow obesity and boost health by cutting kids’ consumption of saturated fat and calories in higher-fat milk.
Nutrition experts, lawmakers and the dairy industry have argued whole milk is a delicious, nutritious food that has been unfairly vilified, and that some studies suggest kids who drink it are less likely to develop obesity than those who drink lower-fat options. Critics have also said many children don’t like the taste of lower-fat milk and don’t drink it, leading to missed nutrition and food waste.
The new rules will change meals served to about 30 million students enrolled in the National School Lunch Program.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described the new law as “a long-overdue correction to school nutrition policy.” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said it fixed Michelle Obama’s “short-sighted campaign to ditch whole milk.”
Schools will be required to provide students with a range of fluid milk options, which can now include flavored and unflavored organic or conventional whole milk, 2%, 1% and lactose-free milk, as well as non-dairy options that meet nutrition standards.
The new dietary guidelines call for “full-fat dairy with no added sugars,” which would preclude chocolate- and strawberry-flavored milks allowed under a recent update of school meal standards. Agriculture officials will have to translate that recommendation into specific requirements for schools to eliminate flavored milks.
The new law exempts milk fat from being considered as part of federal requirements that average saturated fats make up less than 10% of calories in school meals.
One top nutrition expert, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts University, has said there is “no meaningful benefit” in choosing low-fat over high-fat dairy. Saturated fatty acids in dairy have a different composition than other fat, such as beef fat, plus different beneficial compounds that could offset theoretical harms, he added.
“Saturated fat in dairy has not been linked to any adverse health outcomes,” Mozaffarian said in an interview.
Research has shown that changes in the federal nutrition program after the Obama-era law was enacted slowed the rise in obesity among U.S. kids, including teenagers.
But some nutrition experts point to newer research that suggests kids who drink whole milk could be less likely to be overweight or to develop obesity than children who drink lower-fat milk. One 2020 review of 28 studies suggests that the risk was 40% less for kids who drank whole milk, although the authors noted they couldn’t say whether milk consumption was the reason.
Barack and Michelle Obama had plans to see their good friends Rob and Michele Reiner on December 14, the day that the When Harry Met Sally director and his wife were brutally murdered in their Brentwood home. The former First Lady and current author recently recalled learning the tragic news on Jimmy Kimmel Live! “We’ve known them for many, many years, and we were supposed to be seeing them that night. Last night. And we got the news,” she said. “Let me just say this — unlike some people — Rob and Michele Reiner are some of the most decent, courageous people you ever want to know.”
“They are neither deranged nor insane,” she continued—referring to President Donald Trump’s snide message about the murder on Truth Social, in which he claimed that the director suffered from a “crippling, massive, incurable mental illness known as Trump Derangement Syndrome”.
“What they have always been are passionate people, in a time when there’s not a lot of courage going on,” the former first lady continued. “They were the kind of people who were ready to put their actions behind what they cared about. And they cared about their family. And they cared about this country. They cared about their families, about this country, about justice and fairness. That’s the truth, I know them well.” She added, “And they cared about fairness and equity. And that is the truth. I do know them.”
Barack also reacted to the deaths of the Reiners, posting a message on X expressing his solidarity and recalling the importance of Rob Reiner’s work in the film and television industry: “Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen.”
An outspoken opponent of Donald Trump, Reiner had recently granted an interview to Ali Velshi, warning against current political drift. “Make no mistake; we have a year before this country becomes a full-on autocracy, and democracy completely leaves us,” he declared at the time, deeming the political climate under the second term of the 47th American president to be “worthy of the McCarthy era.”
Nick Reiner, Rob and Michele’s 32-year-old son, was arrested in the murder of his parents and is being represented by famed defense attorney Alan Jackson, who has represented everyone from Harvey Weinstein to Karen Read. Charged on Tuesday December 16 with two counts of first degree murder, Reiner faces the death penalty if convicted, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney.
Rob and Nick co-wrote and directed the film Being Charlie, which was inspired by Nick’s history of addiction and resulting complicated relationships with his parents.
Former first lady Michelle Obama said in a conversation published to her YouTube page Friday that the country is not ready for a woman president, saying that the U.S. has “a lot of growing up to do.”
“As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready,” Obama said. “That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not.”
Ross had asked Obama if she felt that the first lady role serving as an archetype for “wifedom and femininity” had impacted “the room that we’ve made for a woman to be president.”
“You know, we got a lot of growing up to do and there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman and we saw it,” Obama continued.
Obama stumped for Harris on the 2024 campaign trail, drawing large crowds to campaign events, advocating for women’s health care and pleading with men to vote for Harris.
The former first lady has faced speculation and calls to run for the presidency, but has repeatedly said she does not want to seek the Oval Office.
Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President in a new video posted on Harris’ YouTube Channel on Friday.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School has turned to Instagram with the hope of Michelle Obama joining them on graduation day next year as their commencement speaker.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School has turned to Instagram with the hope of Michelle Obama joining them on graduation day next year as their commencement speaker.
B-CC’s graduation day is scheduled for June 1, 2026, and the school has been asking for the former first lady to attend since September.
Their first video, posted on Sept. 11, has received over 40,000 views on Instagram, a very respectable showing.
But it was the school’s fifth video — featuring students outside cheering from the bleachers, that blew up on social media with over three million views.
The social media campaign was started by Noah Grosberg, the vice president of the Student Government Association. The senior was inspired after seeing the first lady’s documentary, Becoming, on Netflix.
“We grew up with her, she’s an amazing speaker, and we’d be honored to have her at B-CC,” Grosberg told NBC4.
The senior introduces each video by counting the days that they’ve been asking and urging viewers to tag the former first lady.
The former first lady has taken notice, making a comment on one of their recent posts saying she was moved by the campaign.
“It’s a credit to what you and so many others in your generation can get done through organizing,” she said.
She added that her team is in touch with the school and working on something special, saying she wants to hear their hopes.
The students have made it clear that their hope is that Michelle Obama will join them next year when they’re wearing their caps and gowns.
WTOP’s Jeffery Leon contributed to this story.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — On any day during her eight years as first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama said she could go from giving a speech to meeting with a counterpart from another country to digging in her vegetable garden with groups of schoolchildren.
And her clothes had to be ready for that. There was too much else to do, including raising daughters Sasha and Malia, and she said she did not have time to obsess over what she was wearing.
“I was concerned about, ‘Can I hug somebody in it? Will it get dirty?’” she said Wednesday night during a moderated conversation about her style choices dating to growing up on the South Side of Chicago to when she found herself in the national spotlight as the first Black woman to be first lady. “I was the kind of first lady that there was no telling what I would do.”
Obama would become one of the most-watched women in the world, for what she said and did, but also for what she wore. She chronicled her fashion, hair and makeup journey in her newest book, “The Look,” written with her longtime stylist Meredith Koop and published earlier this month.
The sold-out conversation was taped as part of “IMO: THE LOOK,” a special, six-part companion series to the IMO podcast she hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson.
She wanted her clothes to be welcoming as well as versatile.
“The thing about clothes that I find is that they can welcome people in or they can keep people away, and if you’re so put together and so precious and things are so crisp and the pin is so big, you know, it can just tell people, ‘Don’t touch me,’” she said.
She said she would not wear white to events with rope lines in case someone wanted a hug.
“I’m not going to push somebody away when they need something from me, and I’m not going to let the clothes get in the way of that,” Obama said.
Here’s what she said about a few of her notable fashion choices:
The gown for Obama’s first inauguration
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama dance at the Obama Home States Inaugural Ball in Washington, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama dance at the Obama Home States Inaugural Ball in Washington, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
The white, one-shoulder chiffon gown was designed by Jason Wu, then an unknown 26-year-old who was born in Taiwan. But when she stepped out at the inaugural ball wearing the gown, the moment changed Wu’s life. That was by design, she said.
“We were beginning to realize everything we did sent a message,” Obama said, speaking of herself and her husband, former President Barack Obama. “So that’s what we were trying to do with the choices we made, to change lives.”
She would continue to help launch the careers of other up-and-coming designers by wearing their creations.
Chain mail state dinner gown
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait at North Portico of the White House to greet Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini, for a State Dinner, Oct. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait at North Portico of the White House to greet Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini, for a State Dinner, Oct. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
Obama wore the rose gold gown by Versace for the Obama administration’s final state dinner, for Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in October 2016.
“So that was a kind of a, ‘I don’t care’ dress,” she said of the shimmery, one-armed gown.
“I put that on. I was like, ‘This is sexy.’ It’s the last one,” she said, meaning their final state dinner. “All of my choices, ultimately, are what is beautiful — and what looks beautiful on.”
Pantsuit worn to Joe Biden’s inauguration
Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama arrive to attend the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021, as Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the U.S. and Kamala Harris became the first woman vice president. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP, File)
Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama arrive to attend the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021, as Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the U.S. and Kamala Harris became the first woman vice president. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP, File)
“I was really in practical mode,” Obama said, explaining why she chose the maroon ensemble by Sergio Hudson with a flowing, floor-length coat that she wore unbuttoned, exposing the belt around her waist with a big, round gold-toned buckle. Her boots had a low heel.
“The sitting president was trying to convince us that Jan. 6 was just a peaceful protest,” she said.
The inauguration ceremony at the Capitol was held two weeks after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot there by supporters of President Donald Trump who had sought to overturn Biden’s victory.
She said she had been thinking about the possibility of having to run if something else had happened that day.
“I wanted to be able to move. I wanted to be ready,” she said. But she and her team “had no idea” the outfit “was going to break the internet,” she said.
White House East Wing
Obama also spoke about the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for first ladies that Trump last month tore down to make room for a ballroom he had long desired.
Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks about her new book “The Look” during an event at Sixth and I, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks about her new book “The Look” during an event at Sixth and I, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Obama described the East Wing as a joyful place that she remembers as full of apples, children, puppies and laughter, in contrast to the West Wing, which dealt with “horrible things.” It was where she worked on various initiatives that ranged from combating childhood obesity to rallying the country around military families to encouraging developing countries to let girls go to school.
She said she and her husband never thought of the White House as “our house.” They saw themselves more as caretakers, and there was work to do in the mansion.
“But every president has the right to do what they want in that house, so that’s why we’ve got to be clear on who we let in,” Obama said.
Imagine, if you will, a world without mobile phones, the internet or The New York Times (digital OR print). Would your favorite puzzler survive? The good folks at the Times have something perfect to put in the bunker: “Puzzle Mania!” It’s a stylish hardcover book full of Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and more. By a lead Times puzzle editor, Joel Fagliano. Authors Equity. $38.
Contemporary art
Painting, collage, photography, sculpture, performance. Derrick Adams has embraced them all in a career spanning more than 25 years. His first monograph, “Derrick Adams,” includes 150 works that explore Black American culture and his own identity. Portraiture abounds. There’s joy, leisure and resilience in everyday experiences and self-reflection, with a little humor on board. Monacelli. $79.95.
Steph Curry inspiration
“Being shot ready requires practice, training and repetition, but it rewards that work with an unmatched feeling of transcendence.” That’s Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry in his new book, “Shot Ready.” The basketball star takes his readers from rookie to veteran, accompanied by inspiring words and photos. One doesn’t have to be into basketball to feel the greatness. One World. $50.
The American West
The photographer Frank S. Matsura died in 1913, but his work lives on in a hefty archive. He was a Japanese immigrant who chronicled life in Alaska and the Okanogan region of Washington state. He operated a photo studio frequented by the Indigenous people of the region. Many of those portraits are included in “Frank S. Matsura: Iconoclast Photographer of the American West.” Edited by Michael Holloman. Princeton Architectural Press. $40.
The gift of bird chatter
Cheeseburger, cheeseburger! The handy little book “Bird Talk” seeks to make identifying bird calls fun and accessible without heavy phonetic descriptors or birder lingo. Becca Rowland, who wrote and illustrated, offers funny, bite-size ways to identify calls using what’s already in our brains. Hence, the black-capped chickadee goes “cheeseburger, cheeseburger!” Storey Publishing. $16.99.
Mocktails and cocktails
David Burtka is sober. His husband, Neil Patrick Harris, imbibes. Together, they love to throw parties. This elfin book, “Both Sides of the Glass,” includes easy-to-follow cocktail and mocktail recipes, with commentary from Harris, who took mixology lessons out of sheer love of a good drink. Written with Zoë Chapin. Plume. $35.
It’s a book. It’s a burger.
This tome with a cover design that evokes a Big Mac is a country-by-country work of journalism that earned two 2025 James Beard awards for Gary He, a writer and photographer who previously freelanced for The Associated Press and self-published the book. He toured the world visiting McDonald’s restaurants to do his research for “McAtlas: A Global Guide to the Golden Arches.” As social anthropology goes, it serves. $49.95.
Yosemite love
From the cute but ferocious river otter to the gliders of the night, the Humboldt’s flying squirrel, this striking book is the first comprehensive work in more than a century dedicated entirely to the park’s animal kingdom. “Yosemite Wildlife: The Wonder of Animal Life in California’s Sierra Nevada” includes more than 300 photos and covers 150-plus species. By Beth Pratt, with photos by Robb Hirsch. Yosemite Conservancy. $60.
Samin Nosrat’s new book
Samin Nosrat lays herself bare in this long-awaited second book from the chef and author of the acclaimed “Salt Fat Acid Heat.” Her first book was 17 years in the making. In its wake, she explains in “Good Things,” was struggle, including overwhelming loss with the deaths of several people close to her and a bout of depression that nearly swallowed her whole. Here, she rediscovers why she, or anybody, cooks in the first place. The recipes are simple, her observations helpful. You can taste the joy in every bite. Penguin Random House. $45.
Chappell Roan
She struggled in the music game for years, until 2024 made her a star. Chappell Roan, with her drag-queen style, big vocals and queer pride, has a shiny Grammy for best new artist. Now, in time for the holidays, there’s a sweet little book that tells her origin story. “Chappell Roan: The Rise of a Midwest Princess.” With text contributions from Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, Dibs Baer, Patrick Crowley, Izzy Grinspan, J’na Jefferson, Ilana Kaplan and Samantha Olson. Hearst Home. $30.
Snoop’s homemade edibles
For edible-loving weed enthusiasts, “Snoop Dogg’s Treats to Eat” offers 55 recipes that can be done with or without the weed. The connoisseur includes tips on how to use your goods for everything from tinctures to gummies, cookies to cannabutter. Perhaps a loaded milkshake or buttermilk pancakes with stoner syrup. Chronicle Books. $27.95.
A style muse
With her effortless beauty, and tousled hair and fringe, Jane Birkin easily transitioned from her swinging London roots in the early 1960s to a cultural and style muse for decades. She lent a bohemian charm to everything she did, from acting to singing to liberal activism. And she famously was the muse for the Hermès Birkin bag. The new “Jane Birkin: Icon of Style,” encompasses all of Birkin. By Sophie Gachet. Abrams Books. $65.
More Taylor Swift
All those Easter eggs. All those songs. It’s Taylor Swift’s world and we’re just eyes and ears taking it all in. Swift has been everywhere of late with her engagement to Travis Kelce, her Eras tour and now, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Add to the pile “Taylor Swift All the Songs,” a guide to the lyrics, genesis, production and secret messages of every single song, excluding “Showgirl” tracks. By Damien Somville and Marine Benoit. Black Dog & Leventhal. $60.
Got a theater buff?
What’s the beating heart of American theater? Broadway, of course. Teale Dvornik, a theater historian known on social media as The Backstage Blonde, has written a handy little history of New York’s Theater District, “History Hiding Around Broadway.” She takes it theater by theater, offering backstage insights into the venues themselves, along with shows that played there and Broadway highlights through the ages. Running Press. $25.
Christmas baking, Gilded-Age style
Sugarplums. They’re a thing! Fans of “The Gilded Age” are well aware and will eat up “The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook.” It includes treats from the era, some culinary history and a lot of old-time charm. For the record, sugarplums date to the 1600s, when they were basically just sugar. By the Gilded Age, starting roughly in the late 1800s, they were made from chopped dried figs, nuts, powdered sugar and brandy. Yes, please. By Becky Libourel Diamond. Globe Pequot. $34.95.
Forever flowers
Know a crafter? Know a flower lover? In “Everlasting Blooms,” floral artist Layla Robinson offers more than 25 projects focused on the use of dried flowers. She includes a festive flower crown, table displays, wreaths and arrangements with buds and branches. Her step-by-step guidance is easy to follow. Robinson also instructs how to forage and how to dry flowers. Hachette Mobius. $35.
Michelle Obama style
A brown polyester dress with a plaid skirt and a Peter Pan collar. That’s the very first fashion statement Michelle Obama can remember making, circa kindergarten. It was up, up and away from there, style-wise. The former first lady is out with a photo-packed book, “The Look,” taking us behind the scenes of her style and beauty choices. Crown. $50.
All of the living former presidents, along with their immediate family members, have made it pretty clear that they can’t stand Donald Trump. Some have tried to deal with this by avoiding Trump and largely refraining from commentary on his antics. But now, former First Ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, along with several former First Daughters, have confirmed what you probably already suspected: They aren’t big fans of Trump tearing down the East Wing to build a gilded White House ballroom.
Unsurprisingly, Hillary Clinton was the first to bash Trump’s extreme White House makeover. She posted this on X before the East Wing had been fully reduced to rubble:
Also unsurprising: Days later, she plugged “not his house” merch:
But as the East Wing was coming down, we heard from two First Daughters who are less vocal with their Trump criticism. First, Chelsea Clinton bashed Trump for “a wrecking ball to our heritage” in a USA Todayopinion piece:
The White House will always be a home I was lucky enough to live in for a while. Even more important, it is a mirror of our democracy, resilient when we honor its foundations but fragile when we take them for granted. What was dismantled today isn’t just marble or plaster; it is a reflection of how easily history can be erased when power forgets purpose.
A day later, Patti Davis, Ronald Reagan’s daughter, lamented the loss of the East Wing in the New York Times, calling the demolition “heartbreaking”:
Among certain jaded observers, there’s been a strain of chatter dismissing the damage, saying the East Wing was never all that architecturally distinguished. But it was not just a building made of brick and plaster; it was the people’s house, a building suffused with the spirit of the ideals that built it. It was a building that invited you to look beyond your own life, your own reality, to something bigger, a huge story we all inhabit. To stand in such a place makes you feel small, yet also larger than just yourself. It makes you aware of the continuum of history in a way that feels akin to sacredness.
… We silence so much when we tear down places that are there to teach us, inspire us, humble us. Ghosts and memories drift away in the dust, the wreckage, and we are all poorer as a result.
This week, even Jenna Bush Hager, the Today show co-host who rarely expresses any political opinions, made a crack about her former residence while interviewing Michelle Obama about her new book, The Look.
“As you know, the First Lady is a strange job,” Obama said. “There’s no guidebook, there’s barely a staff, now we don’t have a building.”
“I know,” Hager said, making a cringing face. “RIP, the East Wing.”
(Their comments start at the two-minute mark in the video below.)
Obama sharpened her criticism of the ballroom project as her press tour continued. During a Tuesday-night appearance on The Late Show, she quipped, “Remember that?” when host Stephen Colbert asked about the demolition.
She went on to describe the East Wing, which was traditionally the First Ladies’ domain, as the part of the White House where “life happened,” while the West Wing was “work.”
“It was an important distinction, because the West Wing team, they needed that break. You know, they needed to come to a place where they could be reminded of the reason we were doing this,” she explained.
Obama added that she’s “confused” about why Trump’s allowed to knock down a huge part of the White House while there were so many presidential norms her family tried to follow.
“It makes me confused,” she said. “I am confused by what are our norms? What are our standards? What are our traditions? I just feel like what is important to us as a nation anymore, because I’m lost. There were a whole standard of norms and rules that we followed to a T that we painstakingly tried to uphold, because it was bigger than us … that East Wing … it’s not mine. It is ours.”
During a live taping of her podcast, IMO, in Brooklyn on Wednesday night, Obama said Trump’s disregard for the White House shows how little he thinks of the First Lady’s role.
“When we talk about the East Wing, it is the heart of the work. And to denigrate it, to tear it down, to pretend like it doesn’t matter — it’s a reflection of how you think of that role,” Obama said, perVanity Fair. “Whether the West Wing understood it or not, I used to tell them: All the stuff we do on the East Wing, from the clothes I wear to [family dogs] Bo and Sunny to Malia and Sasha and grandma, those were five extra approval points that he got, because we provided a balance.”
If nothing else, the East Wing demolition is giving the former First Family members something to commiserate about the next time they all pal around without Trump.
Were there any styles or designers that you had to convince Michelle to wear? Were there any looks she was ever skeptical about?
She is pretty open-minded, in a way, and she’s also really practical. She’s not going to do something where she can’t move, she’s super uncomfortable, or she’s super hot. She’s very interested in, “What’s the weather? What’s the venue? Who’s going to be there?” My philosophy is, like, let’s see what the potential in a garment is. Even in this last photo shoot that came out, I had Jason Wu make this beautiful dress from his most recent collection, and she just didn’t feel great in it and wasn’t really open to exploring it, which made me extremely sad. So after the fitting, I took the dress and I was just thinking, How can we make this work? Because I really wanted Jason to be included in this—he’s an amazing designer, his work is solid, and the dress is beautiful. We ended up turning the dress into a top and pairing it with some sort of reconstructed jeans from Sami Miró, and she eventually got on board. But what I do is, I convince, I prepare, and then I also prepare to be disappointed.
In the book you mention that you never got attached to anything. That’s hard to do, I can imagine.
It is only because the attachment isn’t about that fashion has to be this or that. That is not necessarily how I feel. Although I do admire and really, truly respect so many houses, designers, and brands, it’s not so much about the parts of fashion that are glamorous and flashy. It’s just more about what can work for her, right? Woman to woman, I don’t want to make another person uncomfortable, especially a client. There are limits. I kind of know where I can push her and where I need to just say, “Okay, we’re just going to do what works,” because it’s more important for her to be comfortable than to be a fashion plate.
There are always rumors about Barack and Michelle Obama‘s marriage. In fact, it seems like the only thing we can count on in the reporting about them is that someone will be speculating about a possible divorce. And the fact that the two either ignore the subject or joke about it probably doesn’t help.
Now, RadarOnline.com is saying that the two might actually be close to a divorce. Presidential historian Leon Wagener told the outlet, “The Obamas have been living separate lives for a while now, and whenever you see them on vacation it’s just an act for appearance’s sake.”
He added, “They clearly haven’t gotten along in years. They barely speak to each other, and they look like they are annoyed at each other whenever you see them together in photographs. There is no public affection, so it’s easy to see why she’d walk out on him.”
Not just that, he went on to make a bold statement about where they’re heading. “It’s no secret things are not going well for these two right now. This dinner only showed how much their relationship has deteriorated,” he said, in reference to a restaurant dinner the two shared in April that some say was just for show.
“The marriage is broken beyond repair – and Michelle plans to pull the trigger and file for divorce.”
We have, however, heard this before. And though the two have been open about marriage struggles and joked about the state of their marriage, they have also denied all rumors again and again. Former President Obama spoke about his marriage while at a Jefferson Educational Society event in Erie, Pennsylvania, not that long ago, making light of the struggles. “I have spent over eight years now trying to dig myself out of a hole with Michelle. And that’s been challenging, but I feel like I’m making progress. I’m almost breaking even at the moment.”
Michelle Obama, meanwhile, explained to NPR’s Wild Card with Rachel Martin why the two are not active on social media, something else people have taken as a sign the marriage is in trouble. “It’s like, OK, so we don’t Instagram every minute of our lives,” she said. “We are 60. We’re 60, y’all. We just, you just are not gonna know what we’re doing every minute of the day, you know?”
The divorce rumors really picked up steam after Michelle Obamaskipped Donald Trump’s inauguration. On the podcast she co-hosts with her brother, titled IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, she explained. “My decision to skip the inauguration, what people don’t realize, or my decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me, were met with such ridicule and criticism,” she said. “People couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any other reason, that they had to assume that my marriage was falling apart, you know.”
Does that mean the recent rumors are not true? It’s hard to know for sure, but all the other rumors have been anything but, so it’s probably safe to assume that if there’s something we need to know about the Obamas’ marriage, we will find out from the source sooner rather than later.
NEW YORK (AP) — Former first lady Michelle Obama will be promoting her upcoming book on fashion, “The Look,” through a special, six-part companion series to the podcast “IMO” that she hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson. Guests will include Jane Fonda, model-activist Bethann Hardison and designer-former J. Crew executive Jenna Lyons.
Higher Ground, the media company founded by Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama, announced Thursday that “IMO: The Look” will premiere Nov. 5 and run weekly over the following six weeks. Obama’s book, a look at her fashion choices during her time in the White House and throughout her public life, is scheduled for Nov. 4. Obama’s previous books include “Becoming,” one of the bestselling memoirs in history by a former political figure.
Obama will launch “The Look” podcast series with an appearance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where she will be joined by entertainer-producer Tracee Ellis Ross.
She is also scheduled to appear at Sixth & I on Nov. 12 in Washington and be interviewed by New York Times critic Wesley Morris.
The status of Michelle and Barack Obama’s marriage is very much something that has gotten a lot of attention since the two left the White House. In many ways, it feels like they transitioned to traditional celebrities, and with that comes the scrutiny about their personal lives. It’s just probably not the kind of scrutiny they expected. And their joking comments about their relationship never help the matter.
Case in point, Barack Obama’s latest comments about how he and Michelle are doing. During the final episode of the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, Obama offered advice to the host after ending his 16-year run, and threw in a little commentary on his relationship while at it.
“Just be a little brain-dead for a while. I read a bunch of books that had been stacked up,” the former President said, referring to what he did after leaving office. “I had a big deficit with my wife I had to kind of work my way out of, right? So, we went on a lot of trips and hung out and had nice dinners and slept in.”
He also said: “I think what this is an opportunity for, for you—it was an opportunity for me—was figuring out, all right, ‘What’s my next highest and best use? What’s a new purpose that scratches that itch.’ And it may not come to you right away.”
The former President has made similar comments before. He spoke about his marriage while at a Jefferson Educational Society event in Erie, Pennsylvania, recently, joking, “I have spent over eight years now trying to dig myself out of a hole with Michelle. And that’s been challenging, but I feel like I’m making progress. I’m almost breaking even at the moment.”
It was also addressed on the podcast Michelle Obama co-hosts with her brother, titled IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, with the former first lady saying, “When we aren’t [in the same room] folks think we’re divorced.” And Michelle Obama also explained their lack of a social media presence during NPR’s Wild Card with Rachel Martin.
“It’s like, OK, so we don’t Instagram every minute of our lives,” she said. “We are 60. We’re 60, y’all. We just, you just are not gonna know what we’re doing every minute of the day, you know?”
Rumors about the two really picked up after Michelle Obama skipped Donald Trump’s inauguration. The former first lady addressed the matter on her podcast, however, saying, “My decision to skip the inauguration, what people don’t realize, or my decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me, were met with such ridicule and criticism,” she explained. “People couldn’t believe that I was saying no for any other reason, that they had to assume that my marriage was falling apart, you know.”
So, jokes aside, Barack and Michelle Obama’s marriage is doing well. In fact, it might just be doing better than ever.
Michelle Obama is getting real about her health. The former first lady addressed how she really felt while going through menopause, while her husband was serving his first term as President of the United States.
On the Oct. 3 episode of her podcast IMO with her brother Craig Robinson, the Becoming author discussed her health with renowned OB/GYN health expert Sharon Malone. “It comes [suddenly], you wake up one day and you’re having hot flashes,” she recalled about her menopause. “It had to be in my mid-late 40s. I woke up one day and started having these severe bouts of heat flashing and sweating. I was like, what happened? I woke up and was different.”
Amid busy schedules and engagements, Michelle told herself, “I can get through this,” rather than contacting a health professional.
“I was the first lady so I’ve got speeches to give, I’m on planes, I’m [dressed up] and have my hair done,” she explained. However, the symptoms were too much to bear. “There was one trip I had about 40 hot flashes, and I was like, I can’t live like this. I can’t get off this plane soaking wet, I can’t factor in the time to change clothes and redo my hair during a day of speeches.”
The former first lady used hormone replacement to subdue the symptoms. “We need to talk about the symptoms because a lot of women aren’t even taught to be aware of what’s happening to their bodies,” she emphasized. “I want women to embrace tradition, because that’s still something we struggle with. We view transition as something negative, but we are always evolving and that’s a good thing.
In the end, Michelle emphasized the need for access to women’s health.”‘If we’re alive enough to have a transition then we’re blessed and we shouldn’t be ashamed of it. I’m trying – because it’s something you never stop working on as a woman – to figure out all the good and not get sucked into what I didn’t have or didn’t do because there’s still time ahead.”
She then described the present as the “best time of her entire life” despite the rumor mill that she and Barack are having marital issues.
“I do not wish to be 20 again, not in any way shape or form. There is some real freedom about this time in life. And I’m already thinking about my 70s and 80s, I want to be able to do some of this stuff in my 80s.”
The discussion comes weeks after both Michelle and Barack Obama had to shoot down divorce rumors. “There hasn’t been one moment in our marriage where I thought about quitting my man,” Michelle said in an episode where Barack was a guest.
In September, during an interview by historian David Olusoga, former President Obama responded to a question about his time post office with, “I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself [in] with Michelle,” according to the Daily Mail. “Now I’m at about level ground.”
She even talked about how people shouldn’t look up to her marriage with Barack as the ideal marriage. “I try to be honest with the world, with the people who follow me and Barack, to our girls, because, you know, people look at our marriage as the ideal,” she said on her podcast. “In Instagram world, you see two loving people doing a hard thing in the world, always on stage, giving each other a hug after a big speech and making it look easy.”
“A lot of young people could look at that and go, ‘I want a marriage like Michelle and Barack.’ And it’s like, well, let me talk about what marriage is, because it’s even when it looks good, even when it’s great, it’s hard. And so I think it’s important because it’s very easy to quit on a marriage.”
Michelle Obama has always been open about her marriage. That is, perhaps, one of the reasons why people continue to be interested in the state of her marriage. She keeps talking about it. She also now has a podcast she co-hosts with her brother, titled IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson. So, some talk about her personal life is to be expected.
But recently, she got really honest about how hard it can be and why, perhaps, people shouldn’t really be looking at her and Barack Obama as role models. “I try to be honest with the world, with the people who follow me and Barack, to our girls, because, you know, people look at our marriage as the ideal,” she said. “In Instagram world, you see two loving people doing a hard thing in the world, always on stage, giving each other a hug after a big speech and making it look easy.”
She added, “A lot of young people could look at that and go, ‘I want a marriage like Michelle and Barack.’ And it’s like, well, let me talk about what marriage is, because it’s even when it looks good, even when it’s great, it’s hard. And so I think it’s important because it’s very easy to quit on a marriage.”
The episode also saw her talking about how she and Barack have “done couples therapy” and explaining how “even in the best marriages, getting help, having periods where you need support, you need to think things through, is a normal part of making it through.”
It was a much more introspective conversation about her marriage, which she and her husband have sometimes joked about. The two have been plagued by divorce rumors since leaving the White House, and though this is pretty much the norm for celebrities, it has gotten a bit absurd for them and the way they respond to it probably doesn’t help.
Just recently, during an interview by historian David Olusoga, former President Obama responded to a question about his time post office with, “I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself [in] with Michelle,” according to the Daily Mail. “Now I’m at about level ground.”
A few days after that, he spoke about his marriage while at a Jefferson Educational Society event in Erie, Pennsylvania, saying, “I have spent over eight years now trying to dig myself out of a hole with Michelle,” adding, “And that’s been challenging, but I feel like I’m making progress. I’m almost breaking even at the moment.”
These things are said somewhat in jest, but people take them seriously. Even if just a few days after, the two are happily spending a weekend together on Steven Spielberg’s yacht.
Michelle Obama has also tried to temper expectations about how much of their lives they share, saying on NPR’s Wild Card with Rachel Martin. “It’s like, OK, so we don’t Instagram every minute of our lives,” the former first lady said. “We are 60. We’re 60, y’all. We just, you just are not gonna know what we’re doing every minute of the day, you know?”
There are eight days remaining in the 2024 Presidential Election for Vice President Kamala D. Harris and former President Donald J. Trump. In the last week, Vice President Harris visited Clarkston, an enclave bordered by Decatur to the west and Stone Mountain to the east. Friday, Harris visited Houston, Texas to campaign alongside U.S. Represntative Colin Allred, Kelly Rowland, and Beyoncé. Saturday, Michelle Obama joined Harris to rally voters in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Meanwhile, Trump headlined a rally at Madison Square Garden and is set to return to Atlanta tonight at Georgia Tech.
What do we know about the race with one week to go?
First, the early voting turnout in Georgia has surpassed the levels from 2020. As of 6am Monday morning, 38.9% of Georgia’s registered voters have made their choice in this year’s presidential election. More than 2.81 million voters have cast their ballot. Black voters make up nearly 34% of that turnout. The general rule of thumb is if more than 30% of Black voters vote for the Democratic Party, it bodes well for their chances. In the cases for Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton and Henry Counties, total turnout has been north of 40% during the early voting period.
Additionally, 71,000 Georgians who were registered to vote in 2020, but did not cast a ballot in that election, have already cast a ballot this year during the first week of early voting. Among newly-activated voters, Democrats currently hold an edge.
Every single survey has Harris and Trump locked in a dead heat in Georgia.
Maya Harris speaks during a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday, October 18, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
A Woman’s Right to Choose is central to Democrats closing message
During each campaign stop, one message was clear: reproductive freedom for women is true freedom for all Americans. The stories of the pain and suffering were told in an effervescent manner. Thursday, the family of Amber Nicole Thurman attended the Harris rally in Clarkston. Friday, Harris rallied voters in Houston on her pledge to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law. Texas, like Georgia, abortion procedures are prohibited at six weeks – before many women know they are pregnant – with exceptions only if the mother’s life is in danger.
“So do you think Donald Trump is thinking about the consequences for the millions of women who will be living in medical deserts,” asked Michelle Obama during her speech in Houston. “Does anyone think he has the emotional maturity and foresight to come up with a plan to protect us?”
During an event hosted by Maya Harris, the women backing the Vice President Harris urged attendees to vote early and in person, emphasizing the significance of youth and diverse voter engagement. Maya Harris also underscored the Vice President’s commitment to reproductive freedom. The message was clear: individual efforts can make a significant impact, and the collective goal is to ensure Kamala Harris becomes the next President.
Objectives for enshrining Roe
Vote for Kamala Harris in the upcoming election, as she has pledged to protect reproductive rights and expand access to healthcare.
Women must have open and honest conversations important men in their lives to make it clear that protecting women’s health and rights is a priority. Urge the gentlemen to vote accordingly.
Encourage women, especially first-time voters, to exercise their right to vote and make their voices heard on these critical issues.
Support efforts to pass legislation that would restore nationwide protections for reproductive rights.
Advocate against policies and politicians that seek to restrict or undermine access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, contraception, and maternal care.
Maya Harris takes a selfie with a crowd during a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday, October 18, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
“It is why she has spent her entire life fighting for each of us to be able to have that freedom,” explained Maya Harris. “To put a fine point on it, like the freedom to make our own decisions about our health, our families and our futures. Which includes our reproductive freedom, which is a defining issue, not just in this election, but for our entire country. And certainly for this room in so many ways. It’s an issue that Kamala has been the strongest, most vocal champion of this issue since the overturning of Roe v Wade.”
Puerto Rico, an American territory, MAGA’s latest target
While Kamala Harris was in Philadelphia on Sunday, Donald Trump staged a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was apropos for Trump to hold such an event on an NFL Sunday. Trump notoriously failed in his attempt to buy the Buffalo Bills and the NFL put the former United States Football League out of business in the 1980s.
As for modern times, Trump and his surrogates put on a rally that was red meat for conservatives living on Long Island and Staten Island. Comedian Tony Hinchcliff warmed up the crowd by dehumanizing Puerto Ricans when he said, “I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” That joke did not go over well for U.S. Senator Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida currently fighting to keep his seat.
The problem for Scott is that every speaker was vetted by Team Trump. Scott is locked in a battle with Debbie Mucarsel-Powell for his seat in November’s elections. Florida is home to the largest number of Puerto Ricans in the United States outside of the island itself.
Conversely, Marc Anthony, Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi and others have shared a post by Kamala Harris which outlines her plans for Puerto Rico. Each person is supporting Harris in the election.
Notably, about 100,000 Puerto Ricans live in Georgia. Also notable, it took the Trump team six hours to clean up the disastrous fallout from the joke. “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” says Trump campaign Senior Advisor Danielle Alvarez. I mean, this too is a lie because Trump spent the week calling America a ‘garbage can.’ Trump also wanted to swap Puerto Rico for Greenland in 2020.
Trump does nothing to distance himself from the fascist labels
David Rem, a Trump surrogate, called Vice President Harris ‘the antichrist’. Tucker Carlson referred to Harris as, ‘a Samoan, Malaysian, low IQ former California prosecutor.’ Stephen Miller said, ‘America is for Americans and Americans only.’ That quote was directly lifted from Adolf Hitler’s speech in 1934 when he said, ‘Germany is for Germans and Germans only.’ No coincidence here. The Nazi Party held a rally at the World’s Most Famous Arena in 1939, espousing similar views.
This story will not directly discuss Trump’s former Chief of Staff John Kelly proclaiming that his former boss is a fascist and wishes he had generals that are loyal to him like Hitler’s. However, Miller’s quote is directly reminiscent of Joseph Goebbels, the philosopher of the Nazi Party. Goebbels drafted its literature which was cloaked in antisemitism.
For Trump, he realized his dream of seeing his name in lights on Sunday. Like his rally in Traverse City on Friday, Trump showed up hours late for his event. Trump labeled the Democrats as ‘the enemy from within’ because he believes they’ve done terrible things to America. Trump rattled through his greatest hits Sunday. He attacked the media and referred to America’s generals as ‘weak, stupid people’. Trump also said FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina was worse than Hurricane Katrina because FEMA paid out money to undocumented immigrants. That is an outright lie.
Subsequently, his followers left MSG after they could not sit around any longer.
Black Men and the Vote
Former U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, at the James R Hallford Stadium on October 24, 2024 in Clarkston, Georgia. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
During Sunday night’s WinWithBlackMen call, it emphasized the importance of increasing Black voter turnout in key battleground states. Key metrics included Black women voting 34-56 points above Black men in some states, and over 65% of Black voters aged 65+ having already voted. In Georgia, 38% of Black men have voted in the 2024 Elections.
Many leaders on the call were emphasizing to young voters that their vote can make a critical difference. For example, The Collective PAC is hiring up to 15,000 voting ambassadors in key swing states, including Georgia, to organize their friends and family. They are encouraging young people to sign up as ambassadors and leverage their personal networks to drive voter turnout.
The idea that Black men are not turning out for Harris is a myth. 72% of Black men are supporting Harris according to a Pew Research Center survey. However, misogyny is what is driving conversation. It is not a myth that misogyny by some Black men are being platformed by the Republican Party. Those pleas got hollowed out when “Dixie” was played before the U.S. Representative, Byron Donalds, was introduced in New York City Sunday afternoon.
The finish line is approaching
With eight days remaining, the Harris campaign has momentum. They are packing out stadiums. If polling data is not to be trusted, follow the money. The Harris campaign raised more than $1 billion in the period before September 30th, according to official filings.
Conversely, the Trump campaign is resigned to using racism and threats of violence. Trump even winked at the U.S. House Speaker, Mike Johnson, saying: “I think with our little secret we are gonna do really well with the house. Our little secret is having a big impact. He and I have a little secret. We will tell you what it is when the race is over.” Trump hopes the Election has enough chaos that it shall be thrown into the House of Representatives.
Donald Trump pledges to use the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. It was created to deport individuals during war with France, to deport undocumented immigrants from the United States. While Trump’s surrogates are making jingoistic and xenophobic remarks, Vice President Kamala Harris is shoring up support within Latino communities in Philadelphia.
The case for both candidates is now in the collective hands of Georgia voters.
Michelle Obama took to the stage in Michigan on October 26, 2024 to support Presidential candidate Kamala Harris – and she emotionally opened up on the effects of “debilitating” effects of menopause she had experienced.
Rocking a gorgeous tortoiseshell pants suit by Theory, Michelle came out on stage to huge cheers, and spoke passionately about the importance of the upcoming American election, and the impact the results can have on democracy as well as the healthcare of girls and women in all of our lives.
Michelle Obama gives a speech to voters in Michigan
“We’ve been taught shame and how to hide how our bodies work,” she began, speaking about how women’s health is still considered taboo.
“Too many of us suffer from severe cramps and nausea days on end, every single month,” she continued, adding: “Too many women my age have no idea what’s going on with our bodies as we battle through menopause and debilitating hot flashes and depression.
“See, fellas, most of us women we suck up our pain and we deal with it alone. We don’t share our experiences with anyone, not partners, friends, or even doctors.”
Watch as Michelle Obama is left close to tears in emotional speech
Michelle, 60, continued, turning the conversation to women’s healthcare and reminding listeners that women are “more than just baby-making vessels”.
“A woman’s body is a complicated business… it brings life and that is beautiful but even when we are not bearing children there is so much that can go wrong at any moment,” she said.
Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris in Michigan
“Every woman here knows what I am talking about: an unexpected lump, an abnormal pap smear, a mammogram, an infection or blockage which all can be early signs of life-threatening cancers.
“In those terrifying moments, which will happen to the vast majority of women in the country, it feels like the floor falls out from under us.”
“I don’t expect any man to grasp how vulnerable this makes us feel, to understand the complexities of reproductive experience. Most women don’t understand the breadth and depth of our reproductive lives, and that is because our experiences are neglected by science. And if you happen to look like me, you are more likely to be ignored, studies show,” she revealed.
“So let me take a minute to help folks, especially men, to get a better sense of what can happen if we keep dismantling parts of our health system as Trump plans to do.”
U.S. President Barack Obama (R) and first lady Michelle Obama in 2016
Michelle, who was First Lady between 2008 and 2016, and has two daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23, then spoke to the men listening, and began to well up, as her heightened rhetoric painted real life scenarios that impact everyone.
“Your girlfriend could be in legal jeopardy if she needs a pill from out of state or overseas, your wife or mother could be the ones at higher risk of dying from undiagnosed cervical cancer because they have no access to regular gynecological care, your daughter could be the one too terrified to call the doctor if she’s bleeding during an unexpected pregnancy,” she said.
“It will affect you, and your sons… and then there is the tragic and very real possibility you may be the one holding flowers at the funeral, you may be the one left to raise children alone.”
“Take our lives seriously, please, do not put our lives in the hands of politicians – mostly men – who have no clue or do not care about what we as women are going through, and don’t grasp the broad reaching health complications their misguided policies will have on our health outcomes,” she concluded.
Beyonce delivers remarks at a campaign rally in support of US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris
Taking to the stage, the singer revealed that she was “not here as a celebrity, not here as a politician, I’m here as a mother,” referring to her three children with husband Jay-Z: Blue Ivy, Rumi and Sir.
Continuing, Beyoncé shared her idea of what she hopes for the future for her children, as she told the audience: “Imagine our daughters growing up, seeing what’s possible with no ceilings. No limitations. Imagine our grandmothers, imagine what they feel right now, those who have lived to see this historic day. Even those who are no longer physically with us, imagine all of their sacrifices.”
“I am asking y’all from the core of my being to take our lives seriously,” she said at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The former first lady praised Harris’ credentials and urged voter turnout and engagement in her speech. But she devoted significant time, laden with emotion, to arguing that there would be dire consequences for the future of women’s health if former President Donald Trump were elected once more.
“To the men who love us, let me just try to paint a picture of what it will feel like if America, the wealthiest nation on earth, keeps revoking basic care from its women and how it will affect every single woman in your life,” Obama said.
Obama argued a woman affected by the policies could be “in legal jeopardy if she needs a pill from out of state or overseas, or if she has to travel across state lines because the local clinic closed up.”
“Your daughter could be the one too terrified to call the doctor if she’s bleeding during an unexpected pregnancy. Your niece could be the one miscarrying in her bathtub after the hospital turned her away,” she continued.
“And this will not just affect women; it will affect you and your sons,” she said, suggesting both men and women would suffer from “the devastating consequences of teen pregnancy.”
Obama expanded beyond abortion, suggesting that increasingly limited access to types of women’s health care could also have serious ramifications for miscarriage care, cancer screenings and access to medical professionals.
“Your wife or mother could be the ones at higher risk of dying from undiagnosed cervical cancer because they have no access to regular gynecological care,” she said.
“And then there is the tragic but very real possibility that in the worst case scenario, you just might be the one holding flowers at the funeral,” she later added. “You might be the one left to raise your children alone.”
Her speech comes as polling indicates a wide gender gap in Americans’ support for Harris and Trump. An NBC News poll from October found that women were supporting Harris by a 14-point margin, while men were supporting Trump by a 16-point margin. Polls from multiple major outlets also have showed that Harris and Trump are locked in an extremely tight race.
Obama also addressed voters who were considering not casting ballots or voting for Trump or a third party candidate in protest, arguing that “we as women will become collateral damage to your rage.”
“Are you as men prepared to look into the eyes of the women and children you love and tell them that you supported this assault on our safety?” she asked.
NBC News has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Trump’s stance on reproductive rights has evolved over the years. While he at one point supported abortion rights, he now takes credit for his role in the overruling of Roe v. Wade after he appointed three justices to the Supreme Court who voted with the majority. Trump says he supports states’ rights to decide the legality of abortion procedures within their own borders, and he’s said that he would not sign a federal ban.
Obama alsocontended that some people are “holding Kamala to a higher standard than her opponent.”
“We expect her to be intelligent and articulate, to have a clear set of policies, to never show too much anger, to prove time and time again that she belongs,” she said. “But for Trump, we expect nothing at all. No understanding of policy, no ability to put together a coherent argument, no honesty, no decency, no morals.”
And she insinuated that Harris could suffer electorally if Americans aren’t “ready for this moment.”
“It’s clear to me that the question isn’t whether Kamala is ready for this moment because by every measure, she has demonstrated that she’s ready,” she said. “The real question is: as a country, are we ready for this moment?”
More than 7,000 people attended the rally, according to a Harris campaign official. Most people in the room stood during Obama’s entire 40-minute speech, frequently breaking into cheers and emphasizing her comments.
This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News here:
