International News

WASHINGTON, (APP/AFP) – First lady Michelle
Obama said Wednesday she had no desire to follow Hillary Clinton and run for president herself, saying she could have more impact outside of Washington’s polarized politics.
Obama made the remarks as she addressed the South by Southwest
festival in Austin, Texas, where she introduced a song for charity to support a UN-backed campaign to improve education access for the 62 million unschooled girls around the world.
“I will not run for president. Nope, nope, not going to do it,” she
said in response to a question.
“There is so much that I can do outside of the White House, and
sometimes there is much more that you can do outside the White House without the constraints, and the lights and the cameras, and the partisanship,” she added.
“There is a potential that my voice could be heard by many people who
can’t hear me now because I’m ‘Michelle Obama, the first lady.'”
Part of the first African American first family, the 52-year-old is a
Harvard-educated lawyer who has made no secret of her distaste for the glare of political life and has tried to steer clear of controversy, instead focusing on issues such as fighting obesity.
She said that she also wanted her daughters, Malia and Sasha, to live
elsewhere after what will be eight years in the White House.
President Barack Obama has also said unequivocally that his wife had no
intention to run for president but stated that the couple would stay in
Washington after he leaves office in January so their younger daughter Sasha
does not have to change high schools.