‘Democracy is so much bigger than anybody’s ego’: Michelle Obama calls for smooth transition of power

Michelle Obama, the previous first woman of the United States, mirrored upon President Donald Trump’s shock election victory in 2016 as she talked about exiting the White House in a social media submit on Tuesday. Urging the Trump administration to make sure a easy transition of energy after an in depth win by Democrat Joe Biden, Obama requested leaders to honour the electoral course of, “just as sitting presidents have done throughout the history.”

“I want to urge all Americans, especially our nation’s leaders, regardless of party, to honor the electoral process and do your part to encourage a smooth transition of power, just as sitting presidents have done throughout our history,” she stated in an Instagram submit. “I was hurt and disappointed—but the votes had been counted and Donald Trump had won,” she wrote referring to Trump’s victory within the final presidential elections. “The American people had spoken. And one of the great responsibilities of the presidency is to listen when they do,” she added.

 

Recalling the transition course of, she wrote: “My husband and I instructed our staffs to do what George and Laura Bush had done for us: run a respectful, seamless transition of power—one of the hallmarks of American democracy.” “We invited the folks from the president-elect’s team into our offices and prepared detailed memos for them, offering what we’d learned over the past eight years,” she added.

Michelle Obama additionally stated that the method was not simple for her as Trump had unfold “racist lies” about her husband and the previous president Barack Obama and her household which she stated, “wasn’t something I was ready to forgive.”

Also Read | Donald Trump to appoint financial institution watchdog in potential blow to Joe Biden

“I have to be honest and say that none of this was easy for me. Donald Trump had spread racist lies about my husband that had put my family in danger. That wasn’t something I was ready to forgive. But I knew that, for the sake of our country, I had to find the strength and maturity to put my anger aside,” the previous first woman added.

She additional wrote, “I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do—because our democracy is so much bigger than anybody’s ego. Our love of country requires us to respect the results of an election even when we don’t like them or wish it had gone differently.” “The presidency doesn’t belong to anyone individual or any one party,” she additionally stated.

The criticism by Michelle Obama comes as Trump has refused to concede defeat within the not too long ago held US presidential elections. Alleging fraud in poll counting, Trump has as a substitute threatened to problem the electoral consequence within the Supreme Court.

Also Read | Explained: What is presidential pardon and might Trump use it as his presidency nears finish?

Biden defeated Trump by successful a sequence of battleground states that the Republican incumbent had received in 2016. The Democratic former vice chairman additionally received the nationwide in style vote by greater than 5.5 million votes or 3.6 proportion factors. On Monday, Trump as soon as once more refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory as he tweeted “I WON THE ELECTION!”