By Rebecca Davis O’Brien and Nicholas Nehamas
On Saturday, Michelle Obama made a fervent appeal to voters in the U.S. — especially men — rooted in a poignant and personal portrayal of women’s health and bodies, emphasizing the critical stakes tied to the potential return of former President Donald Trump.
During her inaugural campaign appearance this election season, the former first lady, who has generally shied away from political discussions, outlined the profound effects of the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that annulled the constitutional right to abortion, framing it in terms of personal devastation.
“If your wife is cold and bleeding on the operating table during a routine birth that goes awry, her blood pressure plummeting as she loses more blood, or some unexpected infection starts to spread and her doctors are uncertain if they can act, you will be the one hoping it’s not too late,” Obama stated. “You will be the one begging for someone, anyone, to step in.”
Though she recognized the frustration many Americans feel regarding the “slow pace of change” in the nation, she cautioned: “If we don’t nail this election, your wife, your daughter, your mother, we as women, will pay the price for your anger.”
Obama’s remarks — made at a rally in Michigan while introducing Vice President Kamala Harris — represented a remarkable focus on women’s bodies and their personal experiences in a U.S. presidential election. She candidly addressed menstrual cramps and hot flashes, articulating the embarrassment and uncertainty women and girls often endure regarding their bodies. She urged women to insist on being acknowledged as more than “baby-making vessels.”
Moreover, she condemned the media and many voters for expecting Harris to adhere to a higher standard than her rival, for “choosing to overlook Donald Trump’s blatant incompetence, while putting pressure on Kamala to impress us at every opportunity.”
“We anticipate her to be smart and articulate, to have clear policies, to show no excessive anger, to consistently prove her worth,” Obama remarked. “Yet for Trump, we expect nothing at all, no policy knowledge, no capability to present a coherent argument, no integrity, no decency, no morals.”
The audience erupted in cheers.
However, it was her comments regarding women’s health that resonated most with those present. Obama conveyed that Trump would further undermine women’s healthcare, whereas Harris has committed to codifying the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law.
According to Obama, those protections extended well beyond abortion rights, encompassing the private and essential relationships women and girls build with their healthcare providers.
Part of Obama’s message served as a counter to a point made by her husband, former President Barack Obama, who earlier this month sternly indicated that sexism might be hindering Black men from endorsing a female candidate. Michelle Obama appeared to suggest instead that men could be encouraged to support the women in their lives.
“From the depths of my being, I am asking you: Please, treat our lives with the seriousness they deserve,” she implored.
With the election just 10 days away, Harris is confronting a gender-divided electorate. A majority of women back her campaign, while most men are supporting Trump. Her appearance alongside Obama in Michigan appeared intended to invigorate her female base and prompt men to recognize what is at stake.
Polls indicate a near tie in the state, a crucial battleground for Harris’s ambitions. In 2020, President Joe Biden secured Michigan with robust support from Black voters, Arab Americans, and Muslims. However, Harris is currently struggling to gain traction with Black voters, particularly men, and many Arab Americans and Muslims express reluctance to vote for her due to the Biden administration’s backing of Israel amid the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. (During Saturday’s event, a man in the crowd interrupted Harris, shouting, “No more Gaza war.”)
The Harris campaign is actively courting other voting demographics, particularly moderate suburban women dissatisfied with Trump. Kalamazoo County, where Harris and Obama spoke on Saturday, is primarily white and home to many voters who picked former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley over Trump in the Republican primary.
After Obama’s speech, Harris delivered her customary political appeal to women concerned about their abortion rights and safety.
“We’re witnessing women crossing state lines urgently to obtain necessary care,” Harris noted. “Do you think Donald Trump is considering the repercussions for millions of women who will find themselves in medical deserts?”
Obama had made those stakes clear in terms rarely discussed during a national campaign.
“I want the men in the audience to truly listen, because the implications extend beyond just upholding a woman’s choice to give birth,” she explained. “Regrettably, we, as women and girls, have not been conditioned to openly discuss our reproductive health. Instead, we’ve been taught to feel shame and to conceal how our bodies function.”
Obama addressed the Democratic National Convention in August but had not campaigned for Harris since then. She is well-known for her aversion to the campaign trail, remarking on Saturday, “Y’all know I dislike politics.”
Nonetheless, she remains one of the most beloved and unifying figures within the Democratic Party.
In many respects, her joint appearance with Harris exemplified the type of generational and cultural shift that the vice president aims to highlight in her rapid campaign against Trump.
After Harris concluded her remarks, Obama returned to the stage. As the crowd looked on, the nation’s first Black first lady warmly embraced its first Black vice president.
