Former First Lady Michelle Obama is once again putting speculation to rest, warning Democrats that she will not be a candidate for public office, now or ever.
During a podcast conversation released Tuesday with host Jamie Kern Lima, Obama was asked whether she would reconsider her long-standing insistence that she will never enter electoral politics.
Obama shot down Democrat hopes, confirming that she refuses to run for president.
Her answer was unequivocal: “No. Never ever.”
WATCH:
The blunt declaration follows earlier comments that reignited chatter about a potential future campaign.
Earlier this month, Obama told an audience in New York that America is “not ready for a female president,” adding:
“That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running, because you all are lying.
“You’re not ready for a woman. You are not.”
She also argued that “there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman.”
Obama has shut down speculation about a presidential run many times over the years, but her newest remarks emphasize that her focus is on stepping back, not stepping in.
“I believe that our job as leaders is to come in, do our part, bring others up, move out of the way,” she told Lima.
“This stage of my life is purposefully and mindfully planning my step aside, not my exit.
“But it’s like, you got to step up, whatever that is.
“And so it’s the opposite of holding on to the thing. It’s letting go.”
Obama Criticizes Trump’s White House Renovations
During the conversation, Obama also took aim at recent East Wing renovations under President Donald Trump, particularly the ongoing construction of a new White House ballroom.
“I felt a loss for us as a nation, but personally you know, that’s not our house, that’s the people’s house,” she said.
Obama said the changes left her feeling uncertain about whether the country still shares common values:
“I’m like, well, who are we? What do we value? And who decides that?
“That’s the thing that’s going through my head a lot lately.
“Who are we? What are the rules?
“Because I’m confused by—what are our norms and our mores?
“Not the laws, but how do we live together?
“That’s the part of it that hurts, it’s not the house.”
No Presidential Run Despite Persistent Speculation
With Democrats still struggling to navigate internal fractures and a generation of emerging leaders unsure of their political footing, some in the party have periodically floated Obama as a stabilizing national figure.
Her repeated rejections, however, leave little room for interpretation.
The former first lady remains one of the Democratic Party’s most recognizable personalities, but as she made clear yet again, she has no interest in translating that into a political run.
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