Political commentator Bill Maher has publicly criticised former First Lady Michelle Obama, accusing her of having a 'bad attitude' following her recent comments on America's readiness to elect a woman as president.
The Controversial Claim
During a stop on her book tour on November 5, Michelle Obama expressed a pessimistic view about female presidential candidates. Her remarks came just one day after two Democratic women, Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger, secured significant victories in their respective gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia.
'As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain't ready,' Mrs Obama stated, referencing Kamala Harris's loss to Donald Trump. 'That's why I'm like, don't even look at me about running, because you all are lying. You're not ready for a woman.'
She elaborated that a significant part of the problem lies with male voters, suggesting, 'There are still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it.'
Maher's Logical Rebuttal
On his show, Real Time With Bill Maher, the host did not hold back his disagreement. 'Her statement, I was rather shocked by it,' Maher confessed to his audience.
He framed his counter-argument around what he called a 'logical fallacy'. Maher contended that the electoral failures of Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Kamala Harris in 2024 were not proof of systemic sexism but rather reflections of those specific candidates' weaknesses.
'Just because we weren’t ready or didn’t like the candidates, Hillary and Kamala, doesn’t mean we’re not ready for a woman,' he asserted. Maher concluded his point by drawing a parallel to Barack Obama's successful campaign, hinting that the right candidate can overcome perceived barriers, and simply stated, 'Maybe it just has to be the right one.'
Stephen A. Smith Joins the Fray
Adding weight to the criticism, sports commentator Stephen A. Smith, who has been increasingly vocal on political issues, also condemned Michelle Obama's viewpoint on his SiriusXM radio show.
Smith challenged the notion by highlighting Hillary Clinton's popular vote win in 2016, where she garnered nearly 3 million more votes than Donald Trump. He attributed her ultimate loss to the Electoral College and poor campaign strategy in crucial swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.
'What do you mean we weren't ready? What do you mean we weren't ready?' Smith questioned pointedly.
Turning to the 2024 election, Smith placed blame on the Democratic Party for clinging to Joe Biden as their nominee for too long, only replacing him with Harris in July, which gave her a mere 107 days
Despite his critique, Smith offered a contrasting perspective on Michelle Obama's own potential, stating, 'Had you run for president, you would have beat Trump. I still believe that.'
The debate ignited by the former First Lady's comments underscores a deep division in the analysis of electoral politics, pitting arguments about persistent sexism against assessments of individual candidate appeal and campaign efficacy.
