Michelle Obama has ruled out running for president at any point in the future.
The former First Lady said she wanted to ‘make room’ for younger generations who she and husband former President Barack Obama hope to ’empower’.
She made the surprise announcement while speaking to a sell-out crowd at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX.
‘Nope, nope, nope’: Michelle Obama rules out running for president after receiving an audience question about ‘what she saw herself doing in 10 years’. She responded saying she wanted to empower the ‘next generation’ with her husband Barack Obama
The former US First Lady is on a promotional tour for her book ‘Becoming’ which takes in dozens of US cities before coming to Europe in April
Obama is currently on a promotional tour across the United States for her book ‘Becoming’ which recounts her childhood and time in the White House.
The autobiography sold 1.4 million copies in its first week, and went on to become the best-selling book of 2018.
Answering online questions at the event on Thursday, an Twitter fan asked what she thought she’d be doing ten years from now.
Someone in the hall’s audience shouted that she would run for president, according to KXAN. Obama shook her head and replied, ‘Nope, nope, nope’.
‘It’s not us occupying the same seats, it’s making room,’ she said, before going on to describe how she would work with her husband to empower the ‘next generation of leaders’.
Although the former First Lady had repeatedly denied that she had any political ambitions, highly placed Washington insiders believed Mrs Obama’s sky-high approval ratings would prompt senior Democrats to urge her to reconsider.
Obama sits with talk show host Rachael Ray to discuss her childhood and her time in the White House during husband Barack Obama’s presidency
Autobiography ‘Becoming’ sold over 1.4 million copies in its first week on shelves and later became the best selling book of 2018 after beating Bob Woodward’s Fear
Polls also regularly rate her more popular than Donald Trump. It was thought she’d follow in her husband’s footsteps, running for office after the immense success of her book.
Barack Obama’s rise to become America’s first black President began in 2006 with the publication of his book The Audacity Of Hope. It’s popularity was followed the next year by his decision to run for the White House.
Rumours of another Obama presidential bid intensified last year when Mike Huckabee, who failed to clinch the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, endorsed a prediction on his website.
‘Now that Michelle Obama has been named “Most Admired Woman” for 2018, it’s time for me to make a prediction for 2019: the former First Lady will toss her hat in the ring for 2020, and she will get her party’s nomination,’ it said.
Obama answered questions from twitter and the audience at the packed event in Austin, Texas yesterday
‘Her PR machine, which has quietly percolated ever since Hillary lost, went full-tilt in September with the November 13 release of her book, Becoming. (One might ask, “Becoming what?” I say, “Becoming a presidential nominee.”)’
But Mrs Obama’s announcement that she won’t be running shouldn’t come as too much of a shock, as she ruled it out in her memoir, writing: ‘I’ve never been a fan of politics, and my experience over the last ten years has done little to change that.’
Obama spoke earlier in the event about the last time she flew on Air Force One, the Presidential plane after the inauguration of Donald Trump in 2017.
‘I sobbed for like 30 minutes,’ she recalled. ‘That day was hard for so many reasons. Getting on that plane, I was finally able to release how hard that journey was.’
The talk was hosted by celebrity chef and talk show host Rachael Ray
Other subject Obama discussed were her modest upbringing as well as relationships, parenting, exercise, and gardening.
Her tour has received a massive following, with packed stadiums across the United State including the Austin show.
Obama will bring her book tour the London’s O2 Arena on April 14.
Obama said she ‘sobbed for 30 minutes’ during her final flight on Air Force One out of Andrews Air Force Base, a tradition following the end of a presidential term
Earlier in the day the Obamas had waved goodbye to their White House home of eight years as the transition of power to then-President-elect Donald Trump (pictured with wife Melania Trump third left) took place
The extremely successful tour had been extended to include another 21 events in 2019 across Europe and North America.
She will make stops in the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France and the Netherlands throughout April.
‘I couldn’t be more excited to visit even more cities across the country and around the world,’ said Obama.
‘I’ve been so humbled by the response to the tour thus far and the overwhelming interest we’ve received from so many communities we weren’t able to visit this year.
‘That’s why I’m thrilled that we’re able to expand our conversations to these new settings and wider audiences.’
For the people unable to make it to one of her shows, Obama has asked fans to ask questions via Twitter.