Michelle Obama Needs To Be The Vice Presidential Candidate For Joe Biden To Win
There is no denying that this year is the craziest many of us have ever lived through. There is the
Matt Richards
There is no denying that this year is the craziest many of us have ever lived through. There is the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which, at this point, shows no sign of completely ending. While we remain optimistic for a vaccine at the end of this year/early 2021, it isn’t guaranteed. Due to this, normal “life as we know it” is on pause. Then there is the ongoing protesting for Black Lives Matter after George Floyd was horrifically murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There is also the “defund the police” movement that been brought up from the protests. Not to mention the murder hornets that we are keeping an eye on. It’s almost easy with all this going on to forget that this is an election year.
Prior to this year’s beginning, many people were already viewing it as one of the most important years ever due to the election. Whether you are on his side or not, there is no denying that President Donald Trump is the most controversial President ever and is exceptionally polarizing. He has in effect divided the country into a group of his most ardent, unwavering supporters, and those who are completely against him. As was discussed in a recent article, the idea of moderate politics has mostly been dumped out the window with the last majority feeling the need to either be completely liberal or completely conservative.
As it stands now, we have two candidates for President- Joe Biden and Donald Trump (up for reelection for a second term). While Biden wasn’t my favorite pick out of the Democratic nominees (Pete Buttigieg, anyone?), a narrative from the beginning was that he would be the inevitable nominee and, for what it’s worth, that came true. Even though we now know who the Democratic candidate is, one thing was undeniable regardless of who it was going to be- Donald Trump is going to be hard to beat. Trump is an expert at diversion tactics, painting narratives, and riling his base. Trump is also not a politician by nature and has been known to turn on the theatrics in order to cause controversy and get people talking. Trump’s most hardcore base also tends to not waver, regardless of what he does, and always seems to find a way to explain his (frequently) questionable actions.
In line with Trump being hard to beat, he will also be hard to debate. Due to the state of the world, it’s unknown if Trump and Biden will actually end up debating, but if they do it’s definitely going to be a show. Many critics of Biden have pointed out that he sometimes stumbles over his words and speaks with bizarre catchphrases and things that don’t completely add up. His critics- Trump included- have referred to him as “sleepy Joe” and used the times he’s spoken out as political propaganda to try to show he is not a fit candidate. It should be noted that these critics have ignored the fact that Biden has a stutter, which definitely can contribute to him “misspeaking at times.”
Sadly, one of the biggest battles Biden is up against is the fact that he doesn’t really have a “hardcore” base like Trump does. Many view him as falling into the “anyone but Trump” category, but also acknowledge he wouldn’t have been their first choice for the nomination and doesn’t necessarily excite people. Say what you will about Hillary Clinton, but her vision of America excited many who voted for her. She gave speeches that were inspirational, uplifting, and had many supporters who still feel she got the short end of the stick and should have been our first female President.
While many supported Hillary, at this point in time, there is only ONE woman in the modern political arena that appears to have the power to make change. She has the power to inspire, to get people excited, to help shape the America many who disagree with Trump’s divisiveness want this country to be. To give speeches that empower people and make them believe we can see better days. This woman is, without a doubt, Michelle Obama. It is for this reason- and a few others- that Joe Biden needs to select Michelle Obama as his running mate in order to secure a win to be the next President.
The first reason that Michelle should be THE choice for Vice President is the fact that she already has eight years behind her in The White House. Joe Biden was also there at the same time. While Michelle wasn’t the President, without a doubt she likely learned a ton about the office by having her husband serve two terms in that role. Additionally, many noted that the Obamas always brought a sense of class to The White House, something that many would argue is definitely lacking nowadays. If Michelle was to return into a political office, there is no doubt that she would bring the prior experiences that she learned and apply them to enact important change. Of note is that Barack Obama is considered one of the greatest Presidents of modern times. Having the name “Obama” return to The White House would seem like a much welcomed return to normalcy.
Another reason Michelle Obama would be a surefire way to help Biden secure the win would be her ability to inspire. Her speeches are some of the most inspirational and motivational things I’ve heard in my lifetime. They give you the power to believe and want to shout from the rooftops that people can make things better. A leader who can inspire people and get them amped up- in a positive manner- is a great quality.
Take a look at some of her quotes. Whichever side of the political spectrum you find yourself on, it’s hard to argue that they’re not at least empowering words:
- “Always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals”
- “Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own”
- “Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you”
- “You cannot take your freedoms for granted. Just like generations who have come before you, you have to do your part to preserve and protect those freedoms.”
- “The difference between a broken community and a thriving one is the presence of women who are valued”
- “You may live in the world as it is, but you can still work to create the world as it should be”
While there are many more, the point that she has a knack for inspiring and motivating people through her words is not lost even with these few examples.
Still, another reason that Michelle Obama should be Vice President is that we need a female at some point in politics. For far too long the “old boys club” mentality has sustained itself in American politics. There is no time like the present to bring a woman into politics and show the youngest members of our society that women can achieve anything that a man can, and your gender does not- and should not- limit you on what you can do. Michelle herself has previously said that “there is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” Becoming Vice President would prove her words tenfold.
Aside from being a woman, it’s remiss to not mention that the fact that she is African-American is significant as well, especially given the light of the events going on in the world. We need to continue to fight for equality and establish a world of equality, both politically and otherwise.
It is for all these reasons- and more- that it appears that, by selecting Michelle Obama, Joe Biden would have an exceptionally strong likelihood of being our next President. While many would vote for him regardless- as they are looking to evict Trump- there are definitely a good deal of people this likely would “push over the edge” and secure their voting for him.
Of course, it’s interesting to hear another perspective on this—I.e. if a Republican, Trump supporter feels that Michelle being chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate would help Biden or if Trump would still win.
When speaking to a Republican Trump-supporting realtor (who asked to have their identity remain anonymous for fear of having their business be attacked over their support of Trump), the subject of if Trump would still win if Michelle Obama was made the Vice Presidential nominee was brought up.
“Yes he will still win – it doesn’t matter who the VP is,” he shared “It would be hard to pander to the left any more than he already is, but choosing an Obama for his ticket would be doing so. Biden likes to yell ‘Obama! I was his VP and along for every major decision!’ when something good is brought up; but when anything perceived as bad comes up, he plays the dumb old VP card who had no say in anything.”
“I don’t believe anyone voting for Trump will see that choice – of someone with no political experience, chosen only for her skin color and last name – and say oh my god, now I’m going to vote for them,” he added. “It’s throwing a bone to people who are already voting Democrat.”
Regardless of your feeling on this issue, though, it sadly doesn’t appear that Michelle wants to be back in The White House. She seemed to suggest her lack of interest in returning in her Becoming documentary on Netflix; however, one can fundamentally still have hope. In a world that lately seems rather bleak, hope gives people something to hold onto.