Read a few comments.
Questions:
1. From your perspective, how much, if somehow, was Michelle Obama part of a decision processes of her husband administration? Can we say that she played some concrete political role?
2. Michelle Obama is pretty popular and we also hear voices that maybe she should run with Joe Biden as his VPOTUS. I think that it is not going to happen but in theory would it mean some advantage for Democrats or it probably would create more problems, and why?
Answers:
Stacy Cordery, Professor of History, Iowa State University
1. The answer to this question will not be clear for many decades–not until the archives are opened, interviews done, and participants retired or passed away. Until that time, we have only guesses as to Michelle Obama’s influence in her husband’s administration. And those guesses will depend almost totally upon who is doing the guessing. Right now, it seems that the First Lady played a more traditional role of confidant, behind-the-scenes advisor, and chief supporter. If she challenged him on his ideas, plans, or hirings, we don’t have concrete evidence of that, nor do we know how often she may have acted in this important role. As First Lady, Mrs. Obama pursued several of her own initiatives, and they were successful because they overlapped with or supported programs that her husband or the Democratic Party had underway, for the most part.
Your question was “did she play some concrete political role,” and as a scholar of First Ladies, I would say yes—because just about all of them do. But Michelle Obama did not play a PUBLIC political role. She did not publicly advise him. We didn’t see her try to hire or fire people in his administration as we’ve seen with Nancy Reagan and Melania Trump, for example. We did not see her lobby for legislation that was not directly connected to one of her five causes. She did not broach an idea to see what sort of public feedback it received so that Pres. Obama could drop it or pursue it, as the case may be—as Eleanor Roosevelt did. Michelle Obama did not sit in on Cabinet meetings, as some past first ladies have done. Mrs. Obama chose a more traditional, behind-the-scenes political role of bringing people together, being a positive and public face of the nation, caring for the national treasure that is the White House, looking after women, children, and veterans (a very traditional role for First Ladies), and being an obviously involved and caring mother. That’s all political, of course, when the person doing it is the spouse of the president.
Now, if you’re asking, would Michelle Obama make a good vice-president, that’s a different question. And the answer to that is yes. She’s observed the office and the workings of government at first-hand. She knows how everything works in Washington. She understands how Congress works. She knows how politics are conducted and she understand the legislative system. She’s observed hard power and soft power. She’s seen diplomacy happen. Plus, she has had a fine career as an executive, and she has a stellar education. Her network of friends and supporters is enormous, and she has tremendous social capital. Is she qualified to be VEEP? Yes. Could she do a fine job at it? Yes.
2. She says she will not run, and I believe her. She wrote in her memoir that she had no interest in elected politics. Of course, she could change her mind. Perhaps she might be convinced that enough people want her that she’d allow herself to be drafted. But I doubt it.
Some Americans would be ecstatic to see Michelle Obama in as VEEP, because of her credentials and her popularity, as well as all the things for which she stands—not to mention a fierce nostalgia for the Obama years. Some Americans would think she’d be the best choice for the vice-presidency because she is not seeking it. But ultimately, I believe that most Democrats know that there are other women who have been elected to public office and who have, in some cases, years of experience on the inside of the legislative process who would be a better pick as Mr. Biden’s vice-presidential candidate. Americans are not particularly happy with political dynasties, despite the Adamses, the Harrisons, Kennedys, and (because of) the Bushes. Americans who are clear-eyed about this are concerned about Biden’s age, and the possibility of a VEEP having to take over should he die in office. Best to have the most qualified person ready to lead. Michelle Obama is qualified. Is she the MOST qualified? Possibly not.
Diana Carlin, Professor Emerita of Communication, Saint Louis University
1. Michelle Obama very likely played a traditional role in decision making during her husband’s administration being a sounding board for his ideas during private conversations. Most First Ladies have had personal opinions about many policies and actions and served as informal advisors. Only a few have spoken out on policies, and that did not turn out well for the most part. The most notable being Hillary Clinton on health care. Michelle Obama did not make public statements about her husband’s agenda, and she had her own agenda which she pursued with tremendous energy. She supported education, and as the new documentary about her book tour, “Becoming,” shows, she wanted to inspire young people to get an education, to fulfill their promise, and to believe in themselves. She spoke to many student groups during her eight years and she took that message internationally especially to girls in countries where educational opportunities are not readily available. She and Second Lady Jill Biden also had a project, Joining Forces, to support veterans and their families. Part of that work was around finding homes and jobs for homeless veterans. Her White House garden was part of her project to improve children’s health through her Move On exercise project and better school lunches and nutrition programs for children. The school lunch project required her to work with Congress which is something other First Ladies such as Lady Bird Johnson (environment) Rosalyn Carter (mental health), and Barbara Bush (literacy) have done more behind the scenes. Overall, she undoubtedly played a role because it is difficult for a President to not bring the work home, so to speak, but it was not a public one.
2. It is doubtful that Michelle Obama will be Joe Biden’s selection for vice president, but this is a strange political time and anything can happen. The main reason why it is doubtful is that Michelle Obama does not particularly like politics or want to run for office. Her good friend and former Obama advisor, Valerie Jarrett, made a public statement to that effect in April when the Michelle for VP rumors started. Mrs. Obama had to be convinced to get into the game when her husband ran, but did so because she saw the importance and significance of his candidacy. She had some missteps early on as a campaigner, but she learned from them, and she is an effective and passionate campaigner now. Her work as First Lady was respected mainly because she largely stayed out of the political fray with the exception of some of her childhood nutrition programs. If she were on the ticket, she would motivate women and minority voters to turn out. She would be a tireless campaigner especially since she doesn’t have young children at home to worry about as she did in the first Obama campaign. She would be motivated from watching the dismantling of many of her husband’s initiatives. She would not have the traditional baggage that officeholders have as she has not voted on anything and did not take public stands on positions; however, she will be attached to everything that went on in her husband’s administration as will Joe Biden. Opponents are likely to say that a vote for Biden/Obama effectively puts Barack Obama back in the White House. There is a segment of the population that would fear that, but that segment is not going to vote for Biden regardless of who is his running mate. While Michelle Obama has no political experience as an officeholder, she knows what the jobs of president and vice president require. She is smart, confident, an excellent communicator and a non-traditional choice which is appealing to some who don’t like career politicians. However, I conclude where I started, that it is unlikely but would make for an interesting election.
Lisa Burns, Professor of Media Studies, Quinnipiac University
1. Michelle Obama has consistently downplayed the role she played in policymaking. In her 2018 autobiography Becoming, she noted that they tried to keep White House business out of their personal time. When President Obama came to the residence at night, his focus was on his family. They were very good at compartmentalizing their lives, primarily to protect their daughters and keep their lives as normal as possible. There were obviously times when they talked about his day – you’d expect this in a healthy marriage. Almost all first ladies have served as confidantes to their husbands. Some were more forthcoming with their opinions on certain topics, while others served as sounding boards. By all accounts, Mrs. Obama fell into the latter category.
However, this doesn’t mean that she didn’t do her part to promote the Obama administration’s agenda. Mrs. Obama‘s causes and public appearances subtly supported her husband’s initiatives. For example, while he worked with Congress to pass the Affordable Care Act, she addressed the issue of childhood obesity by promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. This is part of health and wellness that families can relate to, regardless of their political background. Mrs. Obama was able to promote the importance of preventative health care (a key component of the Affordable Care Act) while appearing apolitical. This type of coordinated communication strategy made Mrs. Obama a very effective spokesperson for her husband’s policy initiatives even when she wasn’t directly promoting them.
When it comes to politics, she can be most helpful to Joe Biden by campaigning for him. She’s good friends with Joe and his wife Jill. She’s worked closely with both of them, so she can speak to their character and the kind of president and first lady they would be. She is an incredible speaker who can wow a crowd. Her 2016 speech at the Democratic National Convention is one of the most remembered of that event, especially her famous line, “when they go low, we go high,” which sums up her approach to politics.
Anne Mattina, Professor of Communication, Communication Department Chair, Stonehill College
1. Though not an elected or appointed official, the role of First Lady in the U.S. is at its’ heart, political. I say this because she is typically the person closest to the President. Michelle and Barack Obama have a solid marriage and partnership and it would be nearly impossible to think that she wasn’t influential in terms of his thinking. She played no overt role in terms of policy rather she had a fresh approach to what has typically been a very traditional role for those women who have held it in the past, save for a very few such as Hillary Clinton and Eleanor Roosevelt. Like her predecessors, Michelle championed specific causes and lent her significant “star power” to many others. At the same time, she presented a very likeable and approachable image, a person with a great sense of humor who was devoted to her family. She called herself the “Mom-in-Chief” and gardened with school children on the White House grounds. By taking on this persona, she simultaneously helped Barack who was often seen as distant and unemotional.
2. I agree – Michelle will not be Biden’s VP running mate. While her popularity is very high among a wide swath of Democrats, the persistence and prevalence of racism in the US would likely make the job very unappealing to her. She is an intelligent person who has a gift when it comes to appealing to the country’s best sense of itself and embodying a sense of humanity, decency and compassion, all characteristics at odds with the current political environment in the US. I am confident that Michelle Obama will continue to participate in public life but within the boundaries of her own choosing.
Betty Winfield, Professor Emerita of Journalism, University of Missouri
1. Michele Obama had a long talk with Hillary Clinton about being first lady issues. Michele wrote in her autobiography, that she tried to be mindful of the uproar over Hillary’s attempt to change the health care and was roundly spurned, even pilloried for taking a policy role in the White House health care reform. That doesn’t mean she didn’t know what was going on and that she had the traditional “Pillow Talk” that previous first ladies had had as influence. Michele writes about knowing about the plans to take our Osama Bin Laden. There was coordination between the First Lady’s platform and the President and policy makers; especially over childhood obesity, school lunches, exercise and nutrition.
2. Not sure that she would want to be a Veep candidate; she has made it mighty clear that she was not into the political aspects of being a public figure. The only way that she might be chosen to be Joe Biden’s running mate is if he is in deep political trouble and might need her.
With other women having garnered delegates to the Democratic Convention, i.e., Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris, at this point it seems foolish to ignore their public support. Then, the problem would be which one; and how the rejected person’s supporters react.
The latter might be a reason to pick a governor, such as Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, or another public figure.
Biden promised a female, not necessarily a minority woman. Who knows at this point. The politics changes daily here.
Steven Greene, Professor of Political Science, North Carolina State University
1. Honestly, I think ever since the extreme negative (and unwarranted) blowback that Bill Clinton took for having Hillary Clinton serve as a key advisor, all presidents since have been reluctant to have any official or public political role for their spouse. By all accounts, the Obama’s have a very strong and mutually-supportive marriage. It would be surprising if Michelle Obama was not offering meaningful political advice to her husband. However, given political concerns, I expect any such advice was largely down-played publicly and she did not have any obvious or clear role in presidential decision-making. Especially, though, given her role in campaigning, it is very clear that Michelle Obama was completely plugged into the politics of her husband’s administration.
2. Most importantly, it’s just not going to happen. I actually think it would do more in African-American voter enthusiasm than harm it would create in other ways, but it is very hard to see Biden making that choice and even harder to see Michelle Obama having any interest in the position. Among other things, there are real (and legitimate) concerns about how Biden’s age should impact his VP choice and it seems very hard to justify him choosing a running mate who does not have significant political experience and would be ready to step in as president. Yes, Michelle Obama is smart, politically savvy, and very popular, but, mostly, I think she really has no interest in the position and Biden will have very strong pressure to choose a running mate with significant political experience.
Katherine Sibley, Professor, Director of American Studies Program, Saint Joseph’s University
1. Michelle Obama played a very significant role in the Obama Administration. While her concerns were largely in the areas of health,veterans’ issues and education, as these were important priorities in her husband’s terms they also underline her key role. We can think about the legislation that became the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, changing diets in American schools–which, even if it was controversial and rolled back by the US Department of Agriculture in the current Administration, nevertheless raised the issue of child obesity to great focus in the nation. We can consider, too, her great interest in veterans’ rights to higher education and economic opportunities, which resulted in measures to increase access to education and jobs for veterans and their spouses, part of Michelle Obama and Jill Biden’s joint effort, “Joining Forces,” which has left long standing legacies in the higher education and employment sectors in the US. Finally, we may consider Michelle Obama’s deep commitment to girls’ education in particular, highlighted in her famous speech in London at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, and her initiative, “Let Girls Learn.” She has maintained a number of these concerns today through the work of the Obama Foundation.
2. Yes, she is unlikely to run for vice president; she has made it clear that she is not interested in a further political career. She is immensely popular, as you say–her new Netflix book tour documentary attests to that, as does her bestselling book and the enormous audiences who followed her on tour, and many would love her to be chosen! Certainly there are risks, although those who would oppose her running would likely vote against Biden anyway. But overall, she has other priorities and I do not see her becoming a VP candidate.
Tammy Vigil, Associate Professor of Communication, Boston University
1. It is hard to say just how much influence any first lady has directly on an administration. Pretty much all first ladies act as private confidantes to their husbands, but some become more specifically influential in decision-making based on their relationship with the president and on their interest/expertise. Michelle Obama was directly influential with the school lunch initiative–her staff helped advise on changes to make school lunches healthier. However, unlike Hillary Clinton (who unsuccessfully managed a healthcare reform effort but successfully expanded medical coverage for children) and Rosalynn Carter (who testified before congress regarding mental healthcare), Michelle Obama was not very public or formal about her influence. Her public speeches tended to show support for her husband’s initiatives, and she did speak out in favor of gun control after school and other mass shootings, though. We can say that she did play a concrete political role, though, as an advocate for women and for children. Although they were not formal pieces of legislation, her initiatives with #Let’sMove and #LetGirlsLearn were highly influential and resulted in some concrete changes to people’s lives.
2. People do seem to want to “draft” Michelle Obama into a more formal role–VPOTUS as you point out. I like her and think she is a wonderful role model with lots to offer the public, but I don’t think she should be pressured into running for any office. She has sacrificed a lot as first lady and dealt with a ton of criticism and personal attacks simply for being married to the former president. She is smart and skilled at appealing to various audiences, but she also should have the opportunity to make her own choices in life. With that said, her extreme popularity is an advantage for the Democrats and Biden, and she would certainly draw out voters that might sit on the sidelines if she (or someone with similar appeal–outgoing, smart, straight talking, relatable) is not on the ticket. However, there are disadvantages to her being on the ticket. For example, she brings with her an established set of critics whose reach is broad and who have a ready-made batch of complaints about her. Now, those are easy to anticipate, but they still have strength (e.g., there are still people who assert and fully believe she is actually male contrary to any and all evidence to the contrary) so that could be a disadvantage. In addition, the fact that she has never held elected office before is a weakness. It is hard to run on a record as FLOTUS since the position is not actually a formally elected or appointed position and has no delineated powers/responsibilities. For Michelle Obama, running for vice president could actually cost her some of her popularity–she will have to take hard stances on political issues and that could erode some of her ability to appeal to a broad audience.
Gil Troy, Professor of History, McGill University
1. This is the perennial First Lady question – how much influence did she have? And anyone who has ever been married knows that it’s very difficult to prove just how much influence one spouse has on another… What we do know is that she avoid the kind of formal role on health care that Hillary Clinton sought -and that caused the Clintons so much political trouble. That she seemed to be aligned with the central goals of the Obama administration and that POLITCALLY – if not policy-wise – she was a powerhouse – extremely popular, widely respected, someone who really became an all-American icon in her own right during those eight years.
2. So, yes, she is pretty popular, and in this age of celebrity-worship and reality politics, people are wondering if she would boost Biden — but – she has never shown any interest in political office, has no experience in government but would have a rather old running mate, and it’s not clear how she would help in the swing states – she’s more popular as an African-American icon and as a Blue Stater – the fight will be in the purple, swing states…
Filed under: Politics, United States, US politics | Tagged: Barack Obama, Democrats, Joe Biden, Michelle Obama, Politics, United States, US politics, US presidential election 2020 |
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