Michelle Obama sends message to Americans: "You are not mad at me"
Former first lady Michelle Obama addressed the current state of U.S. politics during an appearance on The Diary of a CEO podcast, calling for "empathy."
Newsweek reached out to a press representative for Obama via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Michelle Obama, the wife of former President Barack Obama, served as first lady from 2009 to 2017 and has remained a prominent figure in the media since leaving the White House, including writing the bestselling memoir Becoming and starting a new podcast with her brother, IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson.
Steve Bartlett's The Diary of a CEO podcast has been featured in the top five most downloaded podcasts since February of this year, according to recent data from Podscribe. The entrepreneur's show features interviews with high-profile figures, like MrBeast and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The podcast's popularity reflects a shift in podcast consumption: Bartlett is a self-proclaimed feminist who often discusses modern masculinity.
What To Know
Speaking on the podcast about the current state of political leadership in America, Obama said, "You are not mad at me."
"You don't understand a lot about the world," she continued, "You've been told a lot of things about who people of my skin color are. You've been taught to fear me, because of what you're going through."
"'Business leaders, and people in power, who want power, and haven't understood their 'why' can lead us down some dark tunnels, right?" she said, adding, "But it's the empathy for me."
"That ability to give some perspective that allows them to not take all that hate in and to really see the light in people. It's just a better way to live," she said.
Obama also addressed her decision not to attend Trump's second inauguration, which led to speculation about her marriage on social media.
"As a box-checking person who has been checking her whole life, doing the right thing, trying to always be an example...I think I just told myself, 'I think I've done enough of that.'"
Discussing her podcast, Obama described it as an "offering back."
"Let's keep up the mentoring that we were taught. Let's create our table and be a place where people can come for a little bit of advice and conversation," she said.
What People Are Saying
Former first lady Michelle Obama, on The Diary of a CEO podcast: "When you put yourself in other people's shoes, I do get why people are afraid. I do understand it, but also, Barack helps me remember. You know, he says, this is still the country that elected Barack Obama twice."
What's Next
New episodes of IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson drop every Wednesday.
