In a recent appearance on "Cuomo," party strategist Ameshia Cross dismissed the notion that calls for former First Lady Michelle Obama to join the 2024 presidential race are coming from Democratic activists. Instead, she suggested that these calls are largely a strategic ploy by Republicans aimed at pitting her against Vice President Kamala Harris. "Honestly, I don't think it's coming from the right because they really want to see Michelle Obama run; I think it's coming from the right because they want an opportunity to tear Michelle Obama down," Cross told anchor Chris Cuomo.
Cross, who previously worked on President Obama's campaign, emphasized that Michelle Obama has shown "absolutely no interest" in a White House bid "at any level." Rather than running for office, Cross believes the former First Lady will likely support Harris as a surrogate, helping her secure funding and mobilize voters. This assertion was further supported by former President Obama, who has endorsed President Joe Biden's exit from the race but has yet to formally endorse Harris.
Cross speculated that Obama's endorsement for Harris is imminent, suggesting that he is being "procedural" and is likely waiting out of respect for Biden. "We should be hearing from him shortly thereafter, or up to when that virtual roll call actually happens," she said.
The vice president has already garnered significant support in the initial days of her campaign, raising tens of millions of dollars. Cross sees this trend continuing, buoyed by grassroots efforts. "There are people knocking on doors who are aligning with Kamala Harris right now in communities across this country," she said.
Meanwhile, in an unexpected twist, comedian Roseanne Barr has offered a more controversial take on the Democratic race. During an appearance on Newsmax, Barr suggested an unlikely 2024 ticket featuring Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. She claimed, without evidence, that former President Barack Obama is effectively serving a third term and that he would continue to influence the Democratic Party.
Barr's comments came in response to Newsmax host Todd Starnes, who had floated the idea that Michelle Obama might be the ultimate nominee, a notion also echoed by Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Barr speculated that Clinton would serve as Michelle Obama's running mate in what she described as an "open primary."
"It doesn't really matter who the Democrats choose because the president is Obama, and he's in his third term now, and he'll be running for his fourth term," Barr claimed. She added, "I love that the brains behind the Democrat Party say that if [former President Donald Trump] is elected, Trump will be a dictator who will refuse to relinquish power when in fact that's Obama's story right there."
Starnes appeared to entertain Barr's theories, asking her how she thought a Michelle Obama candidacy would play out. Barr replied, "Well, that's what I think they'll probably do with Hillary as vice in their open primary. I think it's going to be a big show that everybody needs to bring their popcorn to. It's going to be very entertaining."
These developments come as Vice President Harris embarks on her campaign trail, starting with a rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Harris used the opportunity to highlight her experience as California's attorney general, drawing a sharp contrast with Donald Trump. "I took on perpetrators of all kinds," she said. "Predators who abused women. Fraudsters who ripped off consumers. Cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain."
In her speech, Harris framed the upcoming election as a choice between "freedom, compassion and rule of law" versus "chaos, fear and hate," a clear jab at Trump. Despite the challenges and the noise from conspiracy theories, Harris remains focused on her campaign, rallying supporters and preparing for a contentious election season.
