Former first lady Michelle Obama confirmed that she will not try to return to the White House, putting the rumors that she could replace President Joe Biden as a presidential candidate to rest.
“As former first lady Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president,” Crystal Carson, director of communications for Obama’s office, told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday. “Mrs. Obama supports President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ re-election campaign.”
Rumors of her presidential bid had increased since special counsel Robert Hur released a report about an investigation into Biden’s mishandling of classified documents but said he would not be charged. Obama had become a popular rumored alternative among Democrats concerned about Biden’s age and mental capabilities, who speculated the former first lady could make her presidential debut this summer.
“I’ve never had the passion for politics,” she said prior to rumors of her running ahead of the 2020 election. “I just happened to be married to somebody who has the passion for politics, and he drug me kicking and screaming into the arena.”
Though she has been outspoken in recent years about her lack of interest in running for office, she did express concern about the 2024 presidential election in a podcast last month.
“What’s going to happen in this next election?” Obama said on the podcast On Purpose in January. “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.”
Several members of the GOP have also predicted she could be gearing up for the 2024 ticket as some Democratic leaders have come forward to voice their concerns about Biden’s reelection prospects. Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy brought up the possibility of an Obama bid frequently during his campaign, especially, he said, if he were to be the GOP nominee.
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“Everyone sees what’s happening with Joe Biden, but only a few Democrats will say it out loud,” Trump senior adviser Jason Miller told NBC News. “Behind the scenes, Democrats across the country are calling for Joe Biden to be replaced, and of course, President Trump is going to be asked for his opinion.”
While 47% of Democrats support a Biden replacement, the leading choice among Democrats is “none of them” at 27%, with Obama coming in second place at 22%, according to a Rasmussen Reports survey released last month.
Naomi Lim contributed to this report.
