Two weeks ago, Michelle Obama said she was frightened by the prospect of Donald Trump running for a second term.
Since this statement as part of a CNN podcast, conservative media outlets have taken turns stoking rumors that the former first lady is running for office.
A persistent rumor
Among the voices fueling the rumor while stoking distrust of a dirty trick by the Obama team, New York Post columnist Cindy Adams is the one generating the most reaction.
Like many other observers, Adams points to the current president's lack of support and emphasizes his inability to maintain the pace of a campaign.
Unable to debate, Biden, in her opinion, would have exhausted Barack Obama's patience. She also believes that Michelle is just a decoy and that it is the 44th president who is pulling the strings.
Regarding the Obama couple's impatience, she adds, without evidence, that after her decision, Michelle Obama would have met with executives from large companies starting in the summer of 2022.
Should we take Adams seriously? First of all, it is enough to remember that she is considered the “Gossip Queen” of New York, a defender of gossip.
Furthermore, this is not the first time that Michelle Obama has admitted her dislike of Trump and her fears for American democracy.
Michelle Obama and the political circus
Michelle Obama enjoys high profile, an essential factor if she were to join the campaign so late. Already popular with Democrats, it would benefit from support from 56% of the total electorate.
Since she is not an official candidate, this data is unreliable. Remember: Hillary Clinton enjoyed great popularity after her time as Secretary of State, but that didn't stop her from suffering a humiliating defeat in 2016.
That Barack Obama is disappointed with Joe Biden should come as no surprise. He had discouraged him from running in 2020, and the relationship between the two men was never as cordial as implied. Is that enough to put him out of business ten months before the election?
Michelle Obama is less polarizing than Hillary and doesn't seem to have the same hunger for power. We can safely say that she is currently living the best years of her life.
I believe she would do better than Joe Biden and have a very good chance of winning. I also believe that Kamala Harris' clan would give her free rein, but she still has to want it.
She was already unenthusiastic about the idea of her husband becoming president in 2008, and I would be very surprised if she was motivated by the prospect of returning to Washington, where the political climate there has rarely been so unhealthy.
The Obamas have become wealthy influencers, and even if they are given the aura once reserved for the Kennedys, they will weigh in on the campaign trail but not return to the White House.