'It Will Never Happen' Former Obama Adviser Says Michelle Will Never Run for Public Office
Americans are going to see a lot of Michelle Obama, but not on any ballot, according to one of former President Barack Obama’s advisers.
“Let me very clear. It will never happen,” Valerie Jarrett said Monday on CNN.
Although Michelle Obama consistently scores high in popularity among Democrats, she has said ever since her White House days that she was not planning to ever run for office.
“She has committed her life to public service. And she’s going to use her incredible platform to be a force for good, but not in politics,” Jarrett said.
“You can bank on that,” Jarrett said. “She’s been very clear on that subject.”
“But there are lots of ways you can serve beyond running for office and I think that’s absolutely what she’s devoted to doing,” Jarrett added.
Alisyn Camerota: Will “superstar,” “rockstar” Michelle Obama please run in 2020? https://t.co/gAnIwDG5N7 pic.twitter.com/tL4a5vPwji
— NewsBusters (@newsbusters) November 19, 2018
In April, Michelle Obama said there was more to a female presidential candidate than gender.
“The reason why I don’t want to run for president — and I can’t speak for Oprah [Winfrey] — but my sense is that, first of all, you have to want the job,” she said, according to Today.
“And you can’t just say, ‘Well, you’re a woman, run.’ We just can’t find the women we like and ask them to do it, because there are millions of women who are inclined and do have the passion for politics,” she said.
“I think I have as much of a chance of dancing in the Bolshoi Ballet in 2020 as the likelihood of her running for office,” says David Axelrod https://t.co/dg5sVTdkwi
— POLITICO Magazine (@POLITICOMag) November 19, 2018
Noting that talk of her running came on the heels of a well-received speech, she suggested there is more to the office than talking.
“Just because I gave a good speech, I’m smart and intelligent doesn’t mean I should be the next president,” she said. “That’s not how we should pick the president. That’s been our problem. We’re very shortsighted about how we think about selecting the commander-in-chief.”
Instead, she has been urging others to run, and for voters to support them.
“We get the leaders we vote for. We get the policies we vote for. And when we don’t vote, that’s when we wind up with government of, by, and for other people,” she said in a September speech, according to the Washington Examiner
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