Michelle Obama drums up voter participation at Nevada rally
This weekend, Former first lady Michelle Obama held a campaign-style rally in Las Vegas to urge voters in Nevada to register and cast ballots this fall.
Sunday, Obama warned an eager crowd sitting out the midterms means someone else will make decisions for them.
“We get the leaders we vote for. We get the policies we vote for. And when we don’t vote, that’s when we wind up with government of, by and for other people,” Obama told approximately 2,000 people inside a high school gymnasium.
The event was just the first of two rallies being headlined by the former first lady for the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization she co-chairs, When We All Vote.
While our Forever FLOTUS has always been one of the most popular draws among Democrats, she has kept a relatively low profile since leaving the White House in January 2017. Now, Obama has her sights focused on helping When We All Vote, which says it encourages participation regardless of political affiliation.
Her preference to sticking to nonpartisan voter encouragement makes it unclear whether Michelle will stump for any Democratic candidates this year, but former President Barack Obama has already made appearances in both California and Ohio to support Democrats. He has also endorsed over 80 Democrats up and down the ballot in more than a dozen states.
Michelle Obama to Democrats: “Democracy continues with or without you” https://t.co/eMDTxHGrQY pic.twitter.com/D2nUbsJQ6h
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 24, 2018
Michelle Obama stayed clear of any overtly partisan appeals at the Las Vegas gathering, telling people she didn’t care who they vote for as long as they made sure participate. But it’s also worth mentioning that she drew cheers and applause from the audience when she mentioned her husband and when someone in the crowd suggested she seek the presidency herself.
In response to the latter Obama laughed and shook her head, saying, “Stop this.”
Other speakers present also made sure not to mention partisan politics, although actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key came closest to delivering a partisan message, telling the crowd that America is at “a very, very interesting time.”
“I’m sure many of you out here have been experiencing, let’s call it, ‘mild frustration,’ ” he said.
He then urged everyone to “translate our outrage and our passion” into change.
In addition to getting out the vote for the midterm elections, Michelle Obama is also hitting the road for her book tour.
And the pre-sale tickets for her Becoming book tour, which went on sale Thursday, have people clutching their pearls and their purse strings at the rockstar level prices, the Washington Post reports.
The former first lady is gearing up to hit the road for a 12-city tour, but her ticket prices shocked fans because of what many call Beyonce-level costs. Still, Obama is selling out, so much so that what started as a 10-city tour talk evolved into two more cities being added, being the total to 12. The tour will end in Jay-Z’s hometown of Brooklyn. Maybe a Bey and Jay appearance is on the way after all!
In any event, while $29.50 seems fitting, that price is for a nosebleed seat. To get a closer glimpse of Obama, you’ll have to shell out up to $3,000 for front-row seats which reportedly includes a “pre-show photo opportunity,” meet-and-greet reception with Obama, a signed book and other perks, including an “exclusive VIP gift item.”
