Former first lady Michelle Obama released a 24-minute video urging voters to support the presidential candidacy of Democratic hopeful Joe Biden, the vice president who served aside her husband, President Barack Obama.
“Believe it or not, the election is right around the corner,” Mrs. Obama began on the video, which was posted to Biden’s official YouTube page.
“We have the chance to elect a president who can meet this moment, a leader who has the character and the experience to put an end to this chaos, start solving these problems and help lighten the load for families all across the country,” she said, “and that leader is Joe Biden.”
The Bidens and Obamas have maintained a close-knit relationship since the end of the eight years they served in the White House.
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In the video, titled “Michelle Obama’s Closing Argument,” she reiterated her message from the virtual Democratic National Convention, where she said that President Donald Trump “isn’t up to the job” of leading the country.
“And if we want to regain any kind of stability,” Mrs. Obama opined, “we’ve got to ensure that every eligible voter is informed and engaged in this election because the stakes are on display every day.”
The video’s release comes a day before the vice presidential debate between Democratic candidate Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence.
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In a Gallup poll released at the end of last year, Mrs. Obama was named the “most admired woman” in the world for the second year in a row.
President Obama was named the most admired man for the 12th time. This year, he tied with Trump, who made the top of the list for the first time.
The Obamas have been actively campaigning for Biden through interviews and virtual events amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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In her video, Mrs. Obama again slammed the president’s COVID-19 response.
“Seven months later, he still doesn’t have a plan for this virus. Seven months later, he still won’t wear a mask consistently and encourage others to do the same, even when those simple actions could save countless lives,” she said. “Instead, he continues to gaslight the American people by acting like this pandemic is not a real threat.”
Her comments were released after the president’s coronavirus diagnosis but did not directly reference it. A member of her production team told CBS News that the video was filmed before Trump’s announcement.
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However, in tweeting out the video, Mrs. Obama said that her “heart goes out to everyone touched by this virus, from those at the White House, especially the Secret Service and residence staff whose service ought never be taken for granted, to all those names and stories most of us will unfortunately never know.”
She also criticized the president’s response to racial division in the country, and she closed the video by asking people to “search your hearts and your conscience” and vote for Biden on Nov. 3.
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