The Democrats are clueless and directionless. They have nowhere to go.
And now Michelle Obama’s dropped an earth-shattering bombshell on the Democrat Party.
The Democrats have been hoping to convince Michelle Obama to run for President ever since her husband, Barack, left office in January of 2017. They view her as the antidote to their problems, especially after the way the 2024 election was a total mess for them with Joe exiting early and Kamala Harris running a laughably bad campaign in the general election season.
It’s not hard to see why Democrats would want this, to be sure. Polls do suggest that she would have a shot at winning a term in the White House, though polls are never all that accurate in extreme hypotheticals anyway. Certainly, though, she looks to be a better front face for the Democrat Party than the rest of the Party’s bench, which is looking embarrassingly thin at the moment.
Unfortunately for the Democrats, Michelle isn’t going to be jumping into politics anytime soon. And by anytime soon, we mean she isn’t at all. She’s once again made herself very clear that she’s not going to be running for any type of office, citing a complete disgust she had with being in the spotlight and under the microscope 24/7.
Michelle Pours Cold Water On Potential 2028 Run Once And For All
Michelle Obama recently opened up about her life after the White House, her daughters’ experiences, and her stance on entering politics during an appearance on Kylie Kelce’s “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. The former First Lady expressed immense relief at leaving the intense public scrutiny behind when her husband, President Barack Obama, completed his second term in 2017. “I was so glad when we got out of the White House,” Obama shared, capturing her sentiments about the end of that chapter.
Throughout the conversation, Obama touched on her concerns for her daughters, Malia, now 26, and Sasha, now 23, who grew up under the constant watch of the public eye. She admitted to worrying about them “turning up on Page Six,” as reported by the outlet itself. “I wanted them to have the freedom of not having the eyes of the world on them,” Obama told the podcast host. “They still are dealing with paparazzi and being who they are and trying to carve out their own identity.” Her words reveal a mother’s desire to shield her children from the pressures of fame, even as they navigate adulthood.
Despite her time as First Lady earning her widespread admiration and a consistently high approval rating, Obama has faced repeated questions about stepping into the political arena herself. A trained lawyer with a lasting presence in the public imagination, she remains firm in her response. “When people ask me, would I ever run [for office], the answer is no,” Obama stated plainly. She went on to explain the reasoning behind her decision: “{People} have absolutely no idea the sacrifice that your kids make when your parents are in that role.”
Obama has not shied away from discussing the toll that eight years in the White House took on her family. “Not only am I not interested in politics in that way but the thought of putting my girls back into that spotlight when they are just now establishing themselves — we’ve done enough,” she said. Her daughters, she feels, have already endured more than their fair share of public life. She concluded the topic decisively: “They’ve already served their time—It would be unthinkable. Nope.”
The scrutiny Malia and Sasha faced during their father’s presidency was indeed significant. One notable incident occurred in 2014 when Elizabeth Lauten, then-communications director for Rep. Steve Fincher, R-Tenn., sparked outrage with a Facebook post about the girls’ appearance during a Thanksgiving address. Lauten wrote, “Rise to the occasion. Act like being in the White House matters to you. Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar.” The backlash was swift, and Lauten resigned shortly after, but the episode remains a stark example of the criticism the Obama daughters encountered.
Michelle Obama’s popularity has endured long past her White House years, yet she has no interest in chasing political office or further fame. Her recent podcast appearance made it clear that her priority lies elsewhere—protecting the privacy and independence her daughters are finally able to claim. For Obama, the sacrifices of public life are not worth revisiting, especially when it comes to her family.
Instead, the Democrats will have to make do with those who have remotely enough name recognition to even compete against the powerhouses who will be running for President on the GOP side. The Republicans are likely to come out with either Ron DeSantis, J.D. Vance, or Vivek Ramaswamy as their candidate in the 2028 election. The Democrats? Who knows.
A recent poll of Democrat voters found that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was the most oft-mentioned name to lead the Democrats in 2028 at the top of the ballot bill. That’s not a good thing for the Democrats at all, and Democrat Party officials reportedly freaked out about that. The panic is understandable considering you have the likes of Gavin Newsom, Pete Buttigieg, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as your “best options.”
The Federalist Wire will keep you up-to-date on any major 2026 and 2028 election news.
