Could Michelle Obama run for president against Joe Biden and come out on top?
The former First Lady has universal name recognition and a sterling reputation in the Democrat party. She seemed to navigate her duties well during her husband’s tenure and is a well-spoken advocate for social justice and other liberal platitudes.
Recently the Wall Street Journal, in an editorial, mused about what the chances would be for a Michelle Obama run for the presidency.
Could it happen?
Joe Biden Is Struggling
The first thing Democrat op-ed writers Douglas Schoen and Andrew Stein remarked upon is the disappointing status of Joe Biden.
They referenced a recent poll in which the president had only a 36 percent approval rating. In that survey, Biden was also losing to Donald Trump by six points. Schoen and Stein were worried that many Democrats are already willing to throw in the towel on Biden’s re-election chances and look toward another candidate.
Why Not Michelle Obama?
Barack Obama’s wife might fit the bill.
She could make a believable case for “Hope and Change 2.0,” a continuation of her husband’s policies and an energetic return to a time when public discourse was less inflamed.
The former First Lady is known for her speech that implored Democrats to rise above petty politics. Her catchphrase she coined in an address at the 2016 Democrat convention, “When they go low, we go high,” became an immediate sensation with the party.
Obama has two memoirs to her name and has been a loyal soldier defending the party’s various candidates, especially Hillary Clinton during her ill-fated White House quest in 2016.
The former First Lady has previously claimed she is not interested in running for higher office, but that hasn’t kept political prognosticators from bandying about her name as a potential candidate for president or vice president.
It Could Be a Continuation of Obama Policies
Merrill Matthews, writing in an opinion column for The Hill, mused that “If Michelle were on the Democratic ticket, Barack would be a close adviser, not just to Michelle but to the administration and the Democratic Party.
In short, capturing Michelle would be the best way to recapture what Democrats see as that ole’ Obama magic.”
Matthews believes that since Barack is still so popular that voters would have enormous goodwill for the First Lady. Three years ago, in May of 2020, Michelle had a favorability rating of 56 percent, not a bad number in a country that often is terribly divided and holds negative perceptions of those in power.
Barack is one of the most popular figures (if not the most popular) in the Democrat party and he would be a formidable campaigner for his wife. Plus, they can dust off the old fundraising, texting, and email lists to get the Obama name top of mind again and fill the coffers with money.
Pristine Legacy for Michelle
Michelle leaves quite a legacy as the only African-American First Lady.
She faced a certain amount of trepidation when entering the White House, as many spouses would.
Still, she was able to pursue pet projects in children’s health, namely fighting the obesity afflicting youngsters, and seeking attainability of education for youth. She also grew a vegetable garden at the White House to forge her belief in nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
At 59, she is in favorable age group for presidents and would bring relative youth and potentially more charisma to the White House.
Michelle’s current approval rating is likely better than both Biden and Kamala Harris.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea for Harris to receive a pep talk from Michelle to help the vice president with her communications skills. Or some observers believe that Michelle should just replace Harris on the ticket.
Whether a potential president or vice president run, Michelle Obama would need the “want to” to compete for such high offices. She is likely enjoying retirement and probably has plans to help her husband with the new presidential center in Chicago. Her fans may clamor for the continuation of the Obama name in higher office, but they are not likely to get their wish, even though Michelle holds so much appeal.
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Author Expertise and Experience
Serving as 19FortyFive’s Defense and National Security Editor, Dr. Brent M. Eastwood is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Foreign Policy/ International Relations.
