Harris' trump card: Can Michelle Obama turn the tide?

The Democrats are bringing out their perhaps heaviest artillery as Kamala Harris' numbers decline and Democratic desperation grows. With just over a week left until the election, former First Lady Michelle Obama is now entering the fray.

» Published:

Harris' trump card: Can Michelle Obama turn the tide?
Photo: Brynn Anderson/AP/TT

Share this article

The Democrats have saved their strongest card for last, according to analysts. Saturday's campaign meeting with Kamala Harris in Michigan will be Michelle Obama's first before the election on November 5.

They are superstars who can get people to the polls and get people's attention, which is harder than ever now, says political analyst Brendan Buck about the Obama couple to MSNBC.

Through her appearance in Michigan, Michelle Obama is following her own call to action at the Democratic Convention in Chicago in August.

It's up to us to remember what Kamala's mother said to her: Don't just sit and complain. Do something, Obama said then.

If we see a bad poll – and we will – we must put down the phone and do something.

Beat Trump

And bad polls are no longer in short supply. Last week, Republican Donald Trump surpassed Democrat Kamala Harris in all so-called swing states, the states that in practice decide the election. In Michigan – where early voting begins this weekend – Trump is now leading by over one percentage point, according to the political website Real Clear Politics' compilation of current polls.

What lies behind Harris' decline is unclear, but according to political analysts in the USA, she has had difficulty breaking through and achieving popular popularity.

Michelle Obama, on the other hand, is described as extremely popular, despite it being almost eight years since her husband left the White House. In a poll in July before it became clear that Joe Biden threw in the towel – she was the only one to beat Trump in a hypothetical showdown between the Republican presidential candidate and various Democratic names.

Winfrey and Clintons

Both Michelle and Barack Obama have high confidence figures within the groups that Harris desperately tries to reach, according to The New York Times, including black and middle-class voters in urban suburbs.

Kamala Harris and the Obama couple are said to have been friends for around 20 years. Former President Barack Obama, who began his campaigning earlier in October, appeared on Thursday side by side with Harris in the swing state of Georgia. On Tuesday, he campaigned for a Democratic victory without Harris, but instead got company on stage from rapper Eminem.

Even Hillary and Bill Clinton have campaigned for Harris in recent weeks, as have TV profile Oprah Winfrey and artist Bruce Springsteen.

American lawyer and author, born in Chicago, Illinois on January 17, 1964.

Married Barack Obama in 1992. The couple has two daughters.

Has written three books. Was the First Lady of the United States from 2009-2017, when her husband was President of the United States.

Since then, speculation has been rife about Michelle Obama as a future American presidential candidate. She has, however, rejected all rumors, and instead campaigned for Joe Biden before the 2020 election and now for Kamala Harris.

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Australia Faces Major Climate Change Impacts Over Next 25 Years

Australia Faces Major Climate Change Impacts Over Next 25 Years

EU Faces Backlash Over Trade Deal with Trump Amid Criticism

EU Faces Backlash Over Trade Deal with Trump Amid Criticism

Equatorial Guinea Island Faces Year-Long Internet Blackout After Protests

Equatorial Guinea Island Faces Year-Long Internet Blackout After Protests

Trump Urges Israel to Be Cautious After Qatar Attack

Trump Urges Israel to Be Cautious After Qatar Attack

Far-Right Gains Momentum in German Local Elections

Far-Right Gains Momentum in German Local Elections

Lula Defends Bolsonaro Verdict as Upholding Democracy, Not a Witch Hunt

Lula Defends Bolsonaro Verdict as Upholding Democracy, Not a Witch Hunt

Over 100,000 Join Pro-Palestinian Protest in Madrid, Disrupting Cycling Event

Over 100,000 Join Pro-Palestinian Protest in Madrid, Disrupting Cycling Event

Massive Ankara Protest Backs Turkish Opposition Amid Court Case

Massive Ankara Protest Backs Turkish Opposition Amid Court Case

Romania Summons Russian Ambassador Over Drone Airspace Violation

Romania Summons Russian Ambassador Over Drone Airspace Violation

Kirk Murder Suspect Tyler Robinson Not Cooperating with Authorities

Kirk Murder Suspect Tyler Robinson Not Cooperating with Authorities

Qatar Calls for Punishment of Israel After Attack in Doha

Qatar Calls for Punishment of Israel After Attack in Doha

Starmer Condemns Violence and Racism After London Protest

Starmer Condemns Violence and Racism After London Protest

Russian Fishing Vessel Rescued After Power Failure in Danish Waters

Russian Fishing Vessel Rescued After Power Failure in Danish Waters

Ukraine Linked to Russian Train Sabotage Causing Fatalities and Disruptions

Ukraine Linked to Russian Train Sabotage Causing Fatalities and Disruptions

Gaza Residents Flee Amid Escalating Conflict and Overcrowded Camps

Gaza Residents Flee Amid Escalating Conflict and Overcrowded Camps

Explosion in Madrid Leaves One Dead and 25 Injured

Explosion in Madrid Leaves One Dead and 25 Injured

Ukrainian Drones Target Major Russian Oil Refinery Near St. Petersburg

Ukrainian Drones Target Major Russian Oil Refinery Near St. Petersburg

15 Dead in Truck Crash Involving Passenger Car in Southeastern Mexico

15 Dead in Truck Crash Involving Passenger Car in Southeastern Mexico

Nepal's First Female Leader Sushila Karki Promises Six-Month Term

Nepal's First Female Leader Sushila Karki Promises Six-Month Term

Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk in Arizona on September 21

Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk in Arizona on September 21