Washington : Former US First Lady Michelle Obama acknowledges that, despite a backlog of lawsuits against him, including one seeking to keep him off the ballot, she is “terrified” about the possible outcome of the 2024 presidential election, which could see former President Donald Trump surpass incumbent Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the polls.
In a podcast interview that was made public on Monday, Obama stated that one of her biggest concerns that keeps her up at night is the 2024 presidential contest in November.
“What’s going to happen in this next election? I’m terrified about what could possibly happen, because our leaders matter. Who we select, who speaks for us, who holds that bully pulpit, it affects us in ways sometimes I think people take for granted,” she told Jay Shetty in his podcast “On Purpose”.
“The fact that people think that the government — ‘eh, does it really even do anything?’ — and I’m like ‘Oh my God, does the government do everything for us, and we cannot take this democracy for granted’. And I worry sometimes that we do. Those are the things that keep me up,” she said.
Michelle Obama’s comments come atop President Joe Biden ramping up his reelection campaign, narrowing in on a message that democracy is on the ballot this year. Still, many Democrats have expressed concern that his message isn’t resonating, pointing to polls showing him in a close contest with former President Trump, media reports said.
In the interview, the former first lady listed a number of other items that worry her, including: “Are people going to vote, and why aren’t people voting?”
“Those are the things that keep me up, because you don’t have control over them. And you wonder: ‘Where are we in this? Where are our hearts?'” she said.
Obama subsequently implied that there was a double standard regarding Trump’s legal troubles and what would occur if a Black man found himself in a similar situation. “Everyone has different expectations in life. that I’ve discovered,” she remarked.
She stated, “Others can be indicted multiple times and still run for office,” without mentioning Trump. Men of color cannot. Simply learn to be virtuous. You ultimately gain from having that additional resilience.”
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