Insider Responds To Michelle Obama 2028 Rumors
Former First Lady Michelle Obama has no interest in stepping into the political arena and was even considered "problematic" by some individuals during the 2024 presidential race, according to a new book.
In an appearance on Fox News’s “Jesse Watters Primetime,” author Jonathan Allen discussed the book he co-authored with Amie Parnes, titled “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.”
Allen reveals in the book how Vice President Kamala Harris had to sharpen her performance skills just days after President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 race. A scheduled call from former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama was meant to serve as an official endorsement of Harris’ campaign.
Allen pointed out that the video format, which online commentators have described as “cringe” and “staged,” was a product of urgency.
“She had a need for speed. Why does Michelle always come off as so, like she cannot be bothered? She was supposed to do this video endorsement with her husband Barack and she did not want to get her hair and makeup done? What was that about?” Watters questioned Allen.
“I think Michelle Obama does not like politics, she’s not someone who wants to stay involved, but she is a massive figure in the Democratic Party—perhaps the most popular. There was a misunderstanding. Essentially, the Biden and Harris campaign was hemorrhaging cash. After Biden’s debate performance against President Trump, donations stopped. The campaign manager thought, maybe we can turn this into a viral moment, a viral video to generate some funds. The Obama team agreed to a video but didn’t want to be on screen. The Harris team, on the other hand, couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t just release a statement. It turns out it was all about fundraising, and the video ended up being incredibly awkward,” Allen explained.
Watters followed up: “Why did they need money? Didn’t they raise over $2 billion?”
“They did raise a significant amount, but there was a period when Biden’s donors completely cut him off, so they couldn’t contribute at that moment. It was a major issue. Many donors were pressuring Biden to drop out, and the Harris campaign was stepping in. The uncertainty was whether that money would return. At that moment, they were focused on making payroll in August. Ultimately, they raised an enormous amount of money. But it didn’t matter because Trump had the advantage, and Kamala Harris struggled to convey why she was the right choice,” Allen elaborated.
As reported by the Daily Mail, the campaign Harris inherited from Biden—managed by Obama associate Jen O’Malley Dillon—was so financially unstable that insiders worried payroll for August might not be met.
Rather than issuing a simple tweet or staging a high-profile campaign event, O’Malley Dillon believed that turning the Obamas’ endorsement into a shareable video clip would be a cost-effective strategy to “save a few bucks – and generate some grassroots money.”
However, according to the book, O’Malley Dillon did not effectively communicate this intention.
Allen and Parnes state, “Harris aides were shocked when they heard what they thought was a demand from the Obamas. It was allegedly the former first couple’s insistence on a campy behind-the-scenes video of Harris answering their call.”
They further wrote, “Harris would need to clear her calendar to match theirs, and she would be on camera, but not the Obamas.”
An aide confided, “This is the window of time that Michelle and Barack have for you to take this call, and it can’t be on video because Michelle’s not going to be camera-ready.”
Harris’ staff was also puzzled as to why a video was even necessary.
Allen and Parnes wrote, “Harris’s longtime advisers pushed back, asking why the Obamas wouldn’t just put out a paper statement or a tweet.”
A baffled Obama aide replied, “The video was the Harris campaign’s idea.”
The financial concern was further clarified by a source who had raised alarms about payroll.
According to Allen and Parnes, “Harris had to pretend to be surprised and excited about what should have been a clear endorsement from both Obamas in order to appear genuine.”
Harris feigned astonishment upon hearing both Barack and Michelle Obama on the line, saying, “Oh, hello, you two are together.”
After an aide handed her the phone, she commented, “It’s good to hear you both.”
“We’re going to have some fun with this too, aren’t we?” Harris said, as both Barack and Michelle Obama expressed their support for her.
As Allen and Parnes described, “The optics of unity had taken on the utmost importance.” However, this focus came at the cost of authenticity and quality in the endorsement moment.
“To reach an agreement on the most basic political act, days of intense negotiations were required,” they continued. “The script and the entire frame were intended to elevate the Obamas by giving the impression that she was pleading for their approval.”
The authors summed it up by stating, “this was typical bulls***.”
As speculation continues about potential Democratic candidates for 2028, Michelle Obama has once again dismissed rumors of her entering the presidential race.