Reveals: Michelle Obama Says US Not Ready

The interview began with Obama reflecting on the 2020 election, where she noted the nation’s lingering doubts.

• “As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready,” Obama said.
• “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 continued by highlighting the cultural hurdles that still exist.

• “You know, we got a lot of growing up to do,” Obama said.
• “And there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it.”

Obama emphasized progress while admitting setbacks remain.

• “We’ve come a long way,” she said.
• “Whether people really feel yet that they can follow a woman as president… we’d be silly to think there aren’t some gut… I don’t know, like we’re not even analyzing what those feelings are about because we’re trying to pretend it’s all better.”

She questioned the illusion of improvement.

• “How could it be all better?” she continued.
• “We’ve been feeding off this bone for so long, it doesn’t just go away. It takes time. But we’re moving. We are moving in that direction.”

Obama addressed the reality of male voters who may not support a woman.

• “There are men out there who would not vote for a woman,” she said.
• “Let’s just be real about it and put that on the table and talk about what that’s about.”

She urged calm over her candid remarks.

• “Let’s not be mad because I made the statement,” Obama added.
• “Let’s look at the fact that we’ve had two really qualified female candidates.”

She acknowledged imperfections in female leaders.

• “We have qualified women. They’re not perfect, they don’t cross every T and dot every I, there’s a falling-shortness that happens,” she said.
• “But why can’t we talk about that? Why are we pretending that didn’t just happen?”

Obama expressed optimism tempered by uncertainty.

• “We’re still growing,” Obama responded.
• “I think it’s going to happen. Are we ready now? I don’t know. Let’s prove us wrong. I would love that.”

She dismissed the idea of a third-term run by former President Trump.

• “I hope not,” Obama said.
• “I would actively work against that. I would be at home working against it.”

She stressed the need for fresh vision.

• “I do believe in the need for new vision,” she added.
• “This is a hard job, and it requires new energy, new vision all the time, new ways of looking at the world. So, I do think that eight years is enough.”

Obama questioned how new leaders would emerge if the same people keep repeating the same patterns.

• “How are we going to build new leaders if the same people keep doing it again and again and again?”

The conversation also revisited a prior discussion with actress Tracee Ellis Ross.

• “You know, we got a lot of growing up to do,” Obama said.
• “And there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it.”

Ross asked whether the first-lady role had opened a room for a woman to become president.

• “The room that we’ve made for a woman to be president,” Ross asked.
• “You know, we got a lot of growing up to do.”

Obama reflected on the room’s impact.

• “We’ve come a long way,” she said.
• “But there’s still a lot of men who don’t feel they can be led by a woman.”

The discussion underscored the ongoing challenge of male reluctance.

• “There are men out there who would not vote for a woman,” she reiterated.
• “Let’s just be real about it and put that on the table.”

The conversation closed with a reminder of Barack Obama’s support.