Michelle Obama's Claim She Won't Run for President Sparks Twitter Debate

23:53 GMT, 6 May 2018

Former first lady Michelle Obama said on Saturday she has no plans to run for president despite her growing popularity. Her lack of interest in the position was met with mixed reaction on Twitter.

Sputnik

In response to rumors that she might run for office in 2020, Obama said she had no intention to follow in her husband's footsteps, adding that America must first unite rather than seek a miracle candidate to become its savior.

"It doesn't matter who runs [until the US becomes unified]," she told an audience of 5000 at the United State of Women Summit in Los Angeles, California.

"When I hear people say, 'you run,' it's part of the problem. We still didn't get 'yes we can' right," she said, referencing two-term US President Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign slogan. "It's not 'yes you can,' it's 'yes we can.'"

Twitter reacted differently to Michelle's unwillingness to live up to the expectations of her supporters. Some thanked the Christian Jesus and listed everything they believed she did wrong during her husband's presidency.

Michelle Obama Says She WON'T Run For President In 2020

THANK YOU SO MUCH for NOT running! Who need another 8 years of the lowest GDP growth in the history of the US!!!!https://t.co/1x9tLN1Th7

— Reload Depot 🇺🇸 (@ReloadDepot) 6 мая 2018 г.

According to the former first lady, what can really bring change is a renewed interest in politics by people across the country. She pointedly called America's search for a unifying president a "distraction."

"We don't wait for the one person to save us. We voted for Barack Obama and he didn't end racism," she said.

At a women's empowerment forum Earlier in April in Boston, Massachusetts, Obama said she believed the job should be taken by someone who genuinely wants it.

"We can't just say let's find the women we like and ask them to do it, because there are a million women who are inclined and who do have the passion for politics."