Michelle Obama Addresses Readiness for Female Leadership

Michelle Obama expressed on Friday that she won’t pursue a presidential run, suggesting that the American populace is “not ready for a woman president.” She hinted that perhaps the country isn’t ready for a black first lady in the White House either.

Referencing Kamala Harris’ defeat to Donald Trump in 2024, President Obama highlighted the lingering sexism in the nation, remarking that Americans “have a lot of growing up to do.”

While promoting her new book, The Look, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, she stated, “As we learned from this past election, sadly we are not ready yet.” With a hint of frustration, she added, “So don’t even see that I’m running, because you’re all lying. You’re not ready to be a woman. You’re not ready yet.”

Continuing, she emphasized the work that lies ahead, noting, “Sadly, there are still many men out there who don’t believe they can be led by a woman. We’ve seen that.”

In her book, she amplifies thoughts about facing intense scrutiny as a black first lady, claiming that even factions within the Democratic Party attempted to undermine her once she became, as she put it, “competent” during her husband’s 2008 campaign.

Addressing the audience, she recalled, “I tell you, it’s our people who came after me. This started when we were at odds with the party. They started turning me into an angry shrew who did not love my country and degraded my husband who was unpatriotic… These people are lying. They are making things up because they want to win.”

Once in the White House, she felt the need to “define herself quickly” and mentioned she didn’t feel supported by the campaign, as many involved were white. “So I knew this right away. And I also knew that I was going to be the first lady and I was going to be in charge of my own story, my own story,” she reflected. “I had to be smarter than them. I had to outsmart everyone, and that reflected in everything I did, including what I wore.”

Obama’s book, released earlier this month, delves into her experiences with fashion and beauty. She argues that women in politics are often evaluated based on looks instead of leadership capabilities.

Despite her claims of facing severe criticism during her time in the White House, she frequently received acclaim from mainstream media and graced magazine covers multiple times for her style.

It’s worth noting that the comparative experiences of the current first lady, Melania Trump, who has maintained a high-fashion presence throughout her life, seem to be overlooked by the establishment media.