In her last TV interview before the family leaves the White House, First Lady Michelle Obama said America’s outlook had changed since Donald Trump won November’s election.
Speaking on Oprah Winfrey’s show, Michelle Obama said: “Now we’re feeling what not having hope feels like.”
President Barack Obama repeatedly used messages of hope in his presidential campaigns and during his time in office.
Michelle Obama played an unusually prominent role in the 2016 election cycle, throwing her support behind Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and trading barbs with Donald Trump.
The first lady called on women to rise up against Donald Trump over his groping comments and denounced his campaign’s “hateful language”.
In turn, Donald Trump accused Michelle Obama of spending too much time campaigning for Hillary Clinton.
Michelle Obama does not mention the president-elect by name in the preview clip of the Oprah Winfrey interview, to be aired by the CBS network on December 19.
However, she repeats previous assertions that the US needs “an adult” in the White House, saying the country’s president should provide stability and inspiration.
Michelle Obama says: “Having a grown-up in the White House who can say to you in times of crisis, <<Hey it’s going to be ok, let’s remember the good things we have, let’s look at the future, let’s look at all the things that we’re building>>…
“All of this is important for our kids to stay focused and to feel like their work isn’t in vain, that their lives aren’t in vain. What do we do if we don’t have hope?”
The first lady says she believes the American public will come to appreciate President Barack Obama’s impact with time.
Michelle Obama is an unusually popular figure in America’s political landscape, with a favorability rating, measured by Gallup at 64%, that is significantly higher than that of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.
Oprah Winfrey endorsed Barack Obama for president in 2007 but failed to do so publicly in 2012.
In November, Oprah Winfrey urged voters to choose Hillary Clinton in November’s poll, saying: “You don’t have to like her… Do you like democracy or do you want a demagogue?”
