All living former presidents of the United States were joined by their spouses on Monday for Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president — except for Barack Obama, whose wife, Michelle, skipped the ceremony.
Mrs. Obama’s absence did not come as a surprise; Barack and Michelle Obama’s office issued a statement last week: “Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration.” She also skipped the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter earlier this month.
Michelle Obama’s disdain for Americans who do not share her perspective extends as far back as her remarks in February 2008, when her husband was running for the Democratic presidential nomination, and she said, “For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country — and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change.”
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Roughly one week before the 2024 election, speaking at a rally for then-Vice President Kamala Harris in Michigan, Obama ripped Americans who didn’t agree with her, saying, “I’ve got to ask myself, well, why on earth is this race even close? I lay awake at night wondering what in the world is going on. And it’s clear to me that the question isn’t whether Kamala is ready for this moment, because, by every measure, she has demonstrated that she’s ready. The real question is, as a country, are we ready for this moment? Are we willing to do what it takes to get her across the finish line, or are we going to let ourselves get distracted and fall for the scam? Are we going to lose sight of the dire consequences if we come up short?”
“And right now, folks, I have to be honest, I’m not completely sure of the answers to those questions. Y’all give me great comfort in this arena. But this is a big country, and that’s why all of my hope about Kamala is also accompanied by some genuine fear. Fear for our country. Fear for our children. Fear for what is coming our way if we forget the stakes in this election, she continued.”
She ripped Trump, saying of Harris, “She will usher in a new generation of American leadership and send the ugliness of Donald Trump and his politics back where it belongs, the past.”
