In the first stop of her 2024 campaign, former first lady Michelle Obama had an urgent message for men, insisting that this election could mean the difference between life and death for the women they love.
“From the bottom of my heart, I’m asking you to take our lives seriously,” she said at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The former first lady praised Harris’ qualifications and encouraged voter turnout and participation in the speech. But she spent a considerable amount of time emotionally making the case that if former President Donald Trump were elected again, there would be dire consequences for the future of women’s health.
“To the men who love us, how would you feel if America, the richest country on earth, continues to strip women of basic care, and what that means to every woman in your life? “Let’s imagine the impact it will have,” Obama said.
President Obama said women affected by the policy would have “no legal recourse if they need medication from out of state or abroad, or if they have to travel across state lines because their local clinic has closed.” He claimed that he could be at risk.
“If you bleed during an unplanned pregnancy, your daughter may be too scared to call the doctor. Your niece may miscarry in the bathtub after being turned away by the hospital,” she says. continued.
“And this will not only affect women, but you and your sons as well,” she said, suggesting that both men and women would suffer “the devastating consequences of teenage pregnancy.” .
Michelle Obama speaks at a campaign rally for vice president and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Saturday, October 26, 2024 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Brendan Smialowski/AFP-Getty Images
President Obama expands beyond abortion: Increasingly restricted access to many types of women’s health care will also have serious implications for miscarriage treatment, cancer screening, and access to medical professionals. suggested that it was a possibility.
“Your wife or mother may be the person most at risk of dying from undiagnosed cervical cancer because she lacks access to regular gynecological care,” she says.
“And in the worst-case scenario, there’s a tragic but very real possibility that you could be the one holding the flowers at the funeral,” she later added. “You may have to raise the children alone.”
Her speech came as polls show a large gender gap in Americans’ support for Harris and Trump. An October NBC News poll found that women supported Harris by a 14-point margin, while men supported Trump by a 16-point margin. Polls from multiple major media outlets also show a very close race between Harris and Trump.
President Obama also addressed voters who are not voting or are considering not voting for Trump or third-party candidates as an act of protest, insisting that “we women will be collateral damage to your anger.” .
“As men, are you prepared to look into the eyes of the women and children you love and tell them that you supported this attack on our safety?” she asked.
NBC News has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
President Trump’s position on reproductive rights has evolved over the years. He once supported abortion rights, but now credits him with appointing three Supreme Court justices who voted with the majority and helping to overturn Roe v. Wade. President Trump has said he supports each state’s right to determine the legality of abortion procedures within its borders, and has said he would not sign a federal ban.
President Obama also claimed that some people “hold Mr. Kamala to a higher standard than his opponents.”
“We expect her to be intelligent, articulate, have clear policies, never get too angry and prove herself worthy time and time again,” she said. Ta. “But we expect nothing from Mr. Trump. He has no understanding of policy, no ability to formulate a coherent argument, no integrity, no decency, no moral fiber.”
And Harris hinted that she could suffer in the election if Americans are “not ready for this moment.”
“The question is clearly not whether Kamala is ready for this moment, because she has shown in every way that she is,” she said. “The real question is: Are we as a country ready for this moment?”
According to Harris campaign officials, more than 7,000 people attended the rally. Most people in the room remained standing throughout Obama’s 40-minute speech, frequently cheering and emphasizing her comments.
