Michelle Obama criticized Donald Trump, referring to him as a “felon” and “slumlord,” and labeled him a “predator” during an impassioned speech in Michigan. She issued a strong warning about the potential implications for reproductive rights in the United States if Trump were to return to the presidency.
In her most impactful comments on the campaign trail so far, the former First Lady depicted a grim outlook for abortion rights and pregnancy care following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which eliminated a constitutional right to abortion access.
Trump lacks honor
From Kalamazoo, Michigan, which she humorously renamed “Kamala-zoo,” Obama stated that Trump lacks honor, decency, and morals. She observed that many people dismiss his “childish indecency” as mere antics, suggesting that instead of scrutinizing his troubling behavior, some individuals find it amusing.
Obama expressed her frustration over the apparent indifference towards Trump’s significant incompetence, pointing out that some people expect Vice President Kamala Harris to impress them at every turn. She conveyed her anger about the apathy toward Trump’s erratic conduct, his evident mental decline, and his past as a convicted felon and a slumlord who has been found liable for sexual abuse. This reference included his guilty verdict related to the hush money case and prior judgments linked to his landlord history and allegations of sexual assault.
Michelle Obama on Trump’s healthcare agenda
She further illustrated alarming scenarios that can arise during problematic pregnancies, contrasting Trump’s healthcare agenda with Harris’s support for abortion rights. Obama cautioned that complications could arise unexpectedly, where even moments of hesitation could result in tragic consequences.
She urged listeners not to entrust their lives to politicians, particularly men, who lack understanding or concern for the experiences women face, as their misguided policies can severely impact women’s health.
In a direct appeal to male voters, Obama questioned whether they were ready to face the women and children they care about and explain their support for an attack on women’s safety.
Michelle Obama with Harris
Vice President Harris remarked that individuals who abstain from voting while demanding perfection from her are treating women as “collateral damage” in their frustrations. Obama’s remarks followed a rally Harris held in Houston, Texas, focused on women’s reproductive rights, where music icon Beyoncé also appeared.
Beyoncé emphasized that she was not present as a celebrity or a politician, but as a concerned mother advocating for the freedom to make choices about their bodies.
During a separate rally in Pennsylvania, Trump claimed that attendees at Harris’s Houston event were primarily there to see Beyoncé perform, a performance that did not happen. He suggested that Beyoncé did not even know who Harris was and criticized the turnout at her rally compared to his own, asserting that he could fill an arena multiple times over.
People have lower expectations for Trump
He claimed that Beyoncé’s appearance was merely an attempt to attract a crowd and mocked her for not performing, leading to a chaotic transition to Harris’s speech. Trump had previously unfoundedly asserted that attendees had booed Beyoncé as she departed the stage.
Returning to Michigan, Obama directed her ire at Trump and those who hold Harris to a more demanding standard than her adversary. She noted that while people expect Harris to be intelligent and articulate with a clear policy agenda, they have much lower expectations for Trump, who demonstrates no understanding of policy or coherent argumentation.
