Resurfaced video of Democratic Tennessee state representative Aftyn Behn's 2019 freakout is one of many such incidents that could sink her candidacy for U.S. Congress, the Daily Caller reported. The footage shows Behn ranting and loudly calling for the resignation of former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and then-Republican Tennessee state Rep. David Byrd.
"I’m here today on behalf of communities that you have silenced today in this legislative session," Behn shouted in the chambers of the Tennessee state House at the time. "You have been violent to our various communities this entire legislative session," Behn claimed from the balcony.
"You have stopped any accountability! You have been taken out! You have been violent and extreme towards people of color, towards women, towards minorities! You have failed! This is unacceptable behavior!" Behn continued to shout.
"You shouldn’t do this! This is the worst administration! You have to resign," she screamed before being hustled out by security. The video was shared on The Tennessee Holler's Facebook page on May 3, 2019, but it has recently been rediscovered as her embarrassing antics continue while Democrats attempt to flip the district to blue.
The outrage supposedly behind that stunt came from allegations against Byrd made by two women who claimed he inappropriately touched them while he was their basketball coach. A third woman also accused him of attempting to do so, but he was never formally charged with the crime and maintained his innocence.
At the time, Behn was acting on behalf of the Enough is Enough group, which agitated for Byrd's resignation over the allegations. Now Behn is running against GOP candidate Matt Van Epps, who was Lee's commissioner, in a special election to fill the seat for Tennessee’s 7th District in the U.S. Congress.
She hasn't stopped her outlandish antics, as Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles shared on X last May, "This is Nashville State Representative Aftyn Behn," he wrote. "She just posted a 15-minute video of her and a friend stalking the Tennessee Highway Patrol as they carried out official duties—openly admitting they were trying to stall law enforcement from stopping illegal aliens," Ogles captioned the video of Behn bragging about her behavior.
"Let’s be clear: Freddie O'Connell is enabling Nashville liberals to actively obstruct ICE and law enforcement operations. This isn’t just reckless—it’s aiding and abetting," he wrote.
This is Nashville State Representative Aftyn Behn.
She just posted a 15-minute video of her and a friend stalking the Tennessee Highway Patrol as they carried out official duties—openly admitting they were trying to stall law enforcement from stopping illegal aliens.
Let’s be… pic.twitter.com/NEBYp9j2ic
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) May 20, 2025
These crazy moments are not just few and far between for Behn, who will face off against Van Epps in the Dec. 2 special election. She seems to relish agitating and lacks self-awareness about how abrasive her opinions are to normal people. In a recent podcast episode of The Weekend, host Catherine Rampell asked Behn about some comments she made that were "very critical of police" and other inflammatory statements on social media, according to Fox News.
"You said in those since-deleted tweets that the Metropolitan Nashville police department should be dissolved. Another cheered on a teachers union saying that defund the police should be a requirement for schools reopening, and another saying ‘Good morning, especially to the 54% of Americans that believe burning down a police station is justified,'" Rampell reminded Behn before allowing her to disavow them.
"I'm not going to engage in cable news talking points, but what I will say is that, you know, our communities need solutions," Behn shot back. "We need local people deciding, solving local problems with local solutions. And that’s not the overreach of a federal government or state government of which we are dealing with in Nashville and our cities across the state of Tennessee," she added.
Meanwhile, another 2020 rant has resurfaced in which Behn, who wants to represent the district that includes Nashville, bashed Music City. "I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes. I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an 'it' city to the rest of the country. But I hate it," she said in the podcast.
Behn seems like more of a lunatic than the usual leftists who run for government as Democrats, and that could hurt her in next week's election. She's guilty of jeopardizing her party's chances in this special election, but lucky for her, Democrats vote for crazy people all of the time.
President Donald Trump claimed in a Truth Social message on Sunday night that the Republican party was bigger and more united than ever, calling out a few "lowlifes" who are making it seem more divided than it actually is.
The party has "never been so UNITED AS IT iS RIGHT NOW!" Trump posted.
"Other than Rand Paul, Rand Paul Jr.(Massie!), Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown, and a couple of other ‘lowlifes,’ and other than the fact that many want the Election threatening Filibuster TERMINATED (the Dems will do it in the first minute of their first chance!), and some don’t, there is great spirit and cohesion," he continued.
Of course, there is some division in the GOP because it's virtually impossible to get hundreds of nationwide legislators to be in lockstep at all times.
I would argue strongly that different views and vigorous debate make the party better than having a bunch of yes-men (and women) who just agree with the leader and don't think for themselves.
Most people don't totally agree with any one person's views, so I think they get it when they see Republicans debating on issues. It would be nice if they could be respectful, but that doesn't get media attention so it is becoming more rare.
In my opinion, the amount of differing opinions in the GOP has given it an advantage over Democrats in recent years, even though it is sometimes difficult to deal with (like the House Speaker race the last couple times).
Trump also bragged about the size of the GOP since he first ran for president in 2015.
"Many Millions More Members!" Trump wrote. "We now have the Strongest Border EVER, Biggest Tax Cuts, the Best Economy, Highest Stock Market in USA History, and sooo much more."
He added, "BUT, THE BEST IS YET TO COME! VOTE REPUBLICAN!!!"
Trump is right here; the GOP has grown under his leadership.
That only leads to more diverse opinions, but that's part of the bigger tent and ultimately is good for the party.
Trump doesn't like diversity; he wants everyone to agree with him and I get it, but it's healthy and needs to happen.
Recently though, he has shown the ability to reconcile after having a spat with someone (i.e. Elon Musk and MTG, for a few examples), which is a welcome development as far as I'm concerned.
"I can patch up differences with anyone," he said when asked about Greene.
Tragedy struck the MMA world on Friday, when one of its bright young stars collapsed toward the end of a bout in Cicero, Illinois, shocking spectators and fans alike.
Isaac Johnson, 31, was participating in the Matador Fighter Challenge when he suffered the unexpected medical incident, and though emergency responders swiftly transported him to Loyola University Medical Center, he was pronounced dead just hours later, as the U.S. Sun reports.
According to the Sun, the Friday event itself was described by promoters as “the ultimate MMA and Thai event, where local warriors will battle it out in high-stakes, high-intensity matches.”
An event schedule indicated that Johnson was slated to take on Corey Newell in a Thai boxing match in the heavyweight category.
Joe Goytia, identified as the event's promoter, revealed the next day on social media, “This is a post I hoped to never make, last night one of the fighters in our event Isaac Johnson collapsed towards end of his fight.”
Goytia continued, “Medical attention was given by medical staff on hand and he was transported to hospital. I was then informed at around 1:30am this morning that he didn’t make it.”
He concluded, “I don’t have the words to express how I feel right now, all I can say is my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and teammates. We will now more as the medical report is released.”
Goytia was far from the only one to take to the internet to express shock and sadness over the loss of Johnson.
According to the well-known fighting website bloodyelbow.com, as soon as the news of Johnson's death emerged, fans began paying their respects online.
One person wrote in response to Goytia’s post announcing the death, “Didn’t know the guy but seen how he had a radiant smile, even moments before falling he smiled, this is the game we play, the man was a true warrior to the very end.”
One sports fan who was clearly moved by what occurred wrote, “I can’t even express my sorrow,” with another adding, “May he rest in peace. Very sorry for that to happen.”
Acknowledging the inherent risks of the sport Johnson loved, a particularly insightful commentator declared, “In this game you never know! Prayers to you the staff and the family! Rest easy warrior!”
According to the U.S. Sun, authorities in Cicero have opened a formal investigation into Johnson’s death, and autopsy results are pending.
Hopefully, the answers eventually gleaned from that probe will provide Johnson’s friends, family, and fellow competitors with some degree of closure, though they will never fully ease the pain of a vital young life cut far too short.
Judge Matthew Thornhill has resigned after being reprimanded for wearing an Elvis Presley wig while on the bench, the BBC reported. The judge is a self-proclaimed superfan of the late "Hound Dog" singer and is the longest-serving circuit judge in St. Charles County, Missouri.
A report by the Missouri's Commission on Retirement, Removal, and Discipline of Judges found that Thornhill "would routinely wear an Elvis Presley wig on or about October 31." Thornhill's antics included injecting references to The King during court proceedings, even if they were "irrelevant" to the case at hand.
Thornhill would sometimes use lyrics or reference Presley's birthday during proceedings that had nothing to do with what was transpiring in the courtroom. He would also sometimes offer to swear in witnesses or litigants while Elvis's greatest hits blared from his phone.
The judge said he did this "to add levity at times when I thought it would help relax litigants," but has since realized it was a mistake. "I now recognise that this could affect the integrity and solemnity of the proceedings," Thornhill said in a letter to the court on Nov. 12.
The judges made a mockery of his courtroom with these antics, and many in the media and on social media have had fun at Thornhill's expense. For instance, the New York Post shared photos of Thornhill in his absurd wig on X on Thursday.
"He’s left the building! Missouri judge loses job for ‘routinely’ wearing Elvis wig on bench, playing his music at hearings," the caption reads, adding an Elvis pun while also mocking Thornhill's exit from the bench.
He’s left the building! Missouri judge loses job for ‘routinely’ wearing Elvis wig on bench, playing his music at hearings https://t.co/ZybaC32EWk pic.twitter.com/aA4L7193bF
— New York Post (@nypost) November 20, 2025
However, Thornhill's unseriousness is no laughing matter. Other problems in his disciplinary report state that he would also share his political views from the bench and ask lawyers, litigants, and witnesses whether they had seen his "Thornhill for Judge" signs he posted during his campaign for judge.
Because the commission determined that Thornhill "failed to maintain order and decorum in the courtroom," it was recommended that he receive a six-month suspension without pay. He'll have to serve another 18 months on the bench before he can retire.
This disciplinary action wasn't the first time Thornhill ended up on the wrong side of a disciplinary investigation. In 2008, Thornhill was fined $750 for allegedly reducing charges for a woman who offered to give him a baseball autographed by Terry Bradshaw, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Fox News reported.
The judge has denied taking the ball, which also happened to be a fake. However, Thornhill is not the only person to wear something ridiculous in court, though there seems to be a double standard. As the New York Post reported, transgender public defender Stephanie Mueller shamelessly showed up to court in a tight, cleavage-bearing top and a miniskirt.
The gender-confused individual also wore heavy makeup that bordered on absurd, along with bold jewelry. This outfit would be completely unacceptable for a biological woman, but was tolerated by the left-leaning court and did not receive the same treatment as an Elvis wig.
Due to popular demand, I'm posting the extended cut of my interview with public defender Stephanie Mueller. The transgender attorney is representing one of the far-left activists charged with disrupting a council meeting in February.
Otherwise, this is Seattle. What's the big… https://t.co/rYo4nrj9Wu pic.twitter.com/fuTP4qObvu— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) April 5, 2024
The truth is that we live in a nation with unserious people. A court of law is supposed to be dignified as the matters there come down to someone's freedom or even life or death. Thornhill and others should save their personalities for their free time, not for the court.
Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas is urging the Senate to rename the office building that bears the late Sen. Richard Russell’s (D-GA) moniker, The Hill reported. Green noted that Russell's segregationist bent was problematic and thus necessitates the change.
Green said that the existing name "sends a powerful signal about the kind of leadership and principles our country holds in high esteem," the Texas Democrat wrote in a letter sent to every Senator. "These symbols should inspire a vision of liberty and justice for all, not the glorification of a person who fought to deny basic rights to millions of Americans and to entrench white supremacy in our democracy,” he added.
Russell served in the upper chamber from 1933 until 1971 when he died. Shortly after his death, the Senate renamed the "Old Senate Office Building" to honor Russell in a vote that went 99-1 in favor of doing so.
Like many Democrats of his time, Russell was vehemently opposed to the Civil Rights Movement and later called the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the "separate but equal" precedent in public school policy a "flagrant abuse of judicial power and a violation of states' rights." Shockingly, Russell joined other Southern senators in the "Southern Manifesto," which sought to reverse the court's decision to desegregate public schools.
Russell would eventually change his tune in 1964 when the Civil Rights Act passed urging people to "comply with the law of the land." Still, the fact that he held such reprehensible views is compelling Green to make sure his name is removed from the building.
This is not the first time Green has initiated this action in the Senate. He tried similar initiatives in July 2020, February 2022, and in June of this year. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has also attempted a name change and introduced a 2018 resolution to rename the building after GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who died that year.
Green is not asking for it to be named after McCain or anyone else, but rather that the building return to its original designation until a "worthy successor" is found. "This clarion call is not an attempt to erase history, but an effort to ensure that our prominent public spaces reflect our best ideals, not our darkest actions," Green said.
"Continuing to honor racist Senator Russell in the very halls where he obstructed civil rights legislation is an affront to all who believe we cannot glorify racism. It is long past time for the Senate to remove this racist symbol of national shame," he added.
While Green is trying to change the name of a building, his other antics have made more headlines during his time in Congress. He was censured after interrupting President Donald Trump's address to the joint session of Congress earlier this year.
Green is prone to theatrics, but he made waves during Trump's speech by interrupting the president in his first address to lawmakers. Even 10 Democrats joined in to censure Green as many denounced his actions, Fox News reported.
"Al Green's childish outburst exposed the chaos and dysfunction within the Democrat party since President Trump's overwhelming win in November and his success in office thus far. It is not surprising that 198 Democrats refused to support Green's censure, given their history of radical, inflammatory rhetoric fueled by Trump Derangement Syndrome," said House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) at the time.
Of course, Green was thrown out of the joint session, and Democrats later sang "We Shall Overcome" when the censure was being introduced. Green's antics have continued as he attempted to impeach Trump several times and is at it once again.
"There will be articles of impeachment filed before the Christmas break, this I will pledge to you," Green said on Thursday, according to The Hill. The Texas Democrat has tried this before, but he keeps getting accolades from his fellow leftists each time he does it which is likely what spurs him to continue the effort.
The issue of whether to keep historical names and monuments continues and is an important conversation to have. While Green may have a point since Russell was a more contemporary lawmaker who held views antithetical to American values today, it still seems like another stunt from a Washington, D.C. swamp dweller who will do anything for attention.
Former Harvard president Larry Summers has resigned from the board of directors at OpenAI following revelations of a close association with disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Breitbart reported. Summers, who served as former President Bill Clinton's Secretary of the Treasury, said he was "deeply ashamed" after Epstein's emails proved their friendship.
Summers had announced his resignation from the artificial intelligence tech company after originally sharing that he was stepping back from his public-facing commitments. "Larry has decided to resign from the OpenAI Board of Directors, and we respect his decision," the company said in a statement.
"We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he brought to the Board," OpenAI added. Conservative commentator Steve Guest shared an image of the correspondence in which Summers "emailed Jeffrey Epstein about getting advice about women," he captioned his post to X on Nov. 13.
Larry Summers, who was Bill Clinton's Treasury secretary and director of the National Economic Council under Barack Obama and is currently on the board of OpenAI & Skillsoft, emailed Jeffrey Epstein about getting advice about women.
"….hit on a few women 10 years ago and… pic.twitter.com/9IGF4UUayI
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) November 13, 2025
Summers ducked out of the company, which called his move "in line" with what he had already announced. "I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, excited about the potential of the company, and look forward to following their progress," Summers said.
He had joined OpenAI's board in November 2023, just as it was going through growing pains under its CEO, Sam Altman, who was ousted at the time and has since been reinstated. In fact, it was Summers, in his position as a board member, who reviewed the firing that was ultimately overturned.
OpenAI wasn't the only board on which Summers was featured prominently before stepping down. He also served as a paid contributor to Bloomberg TV and was a contract writer for the New York Times' opinion section, though the Gray Lady has cancelled that arrangement.
Summers served on the Budget Lab at Yale and as the chairman of the Center for Global Development's board. He was also recently released from his teaching job at Harvard University, where he had once served as president, Fox News reported.
A video captured by students in Summers' economics class, featuring his lament about his ties to Epstein, went viral. The Ivy League school's spokesperson wouldn't comment except to say that 'his co-teachers will complete the remaining three class sessions of the courses he has been teaching with them this semester, and he is not scheduled to teach next semester."
According to CNN, Epstein's emails show his reach included celebrities, high-profile businesspeople, government officials, and others. While the mainstream media has been attempting to make a big deal about his tangential connection to President Donald Trump, it's clear that Epstein was a contact point for hundreds of prominent people.
"CNN’s analysis of about 2,200 email threads found that at least 740 were exchanges between Epstein and prominent figures in academia, government, media, and business. Epstein’s correspondence with them, which also included numerous text messages, spanned a decade from 2009 to the day before his July 2019 arrest," CNN reported.
This was even after Epstein had been convicted of soliciting prostitution with a minor and had been a registered sex offender since 2008. More resignations are sure to follow after the president signed legislation demanding that the Justice Department release all files on Epstein, The Hill reported.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has been ordered to release the information in the next 30 days after the resolution passed with near unanimous support. It allows for Bondi to hold back records "would jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution."
The Epstein files are sure to contain information that will ruin many lives once they're made public. The emails have already caused Summers to step away from every place of honor, and there will likely be many others like him in the months to come.
Notorious leftist activist Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. has been moved out of intensive care after the 84-year-old was admitted to the unit to help elevate his blood pressure, Just the News reported. Jackson suffers from progressive supranuclear palsy and will remain hospitalized for observation.
Jackson was a mainstay in the political culture for decades due to his early association with the late Martin Luther King Jr. He founded the Rainbow Push Coalition in 1996 to fight for progressive causes, including racial justice, and the organization bills itself as "a multi-racial, multi-issue, progressive, international membership organization fighting for social change."
The news broke Sunday that Jackson was admitted to the ICU at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital to receive the medication that is a "form of life support" for people whose bodies are unable to keep blood pressure high enough for survival, his organization shared. Jackson's son, Yusef, updated the public on Jackson's progress in a statement.
"We believe in the power of prayer, and we are grateful for the overwhelming outreach and prayers of the faithful. Our father is alert and continues to share his vision for churches and pastors to come together and reduce malnutrition during this period," Yusef Jackson said.
Although there has been some progress in his condition, Jackson will remain hospitalized due to his ongoing battle with PSP. Fellow racial justice warrior and equally notorious activist Al Sharpton also shared about Jackson's recovery in a post on X on Monday to address the rumors about the severity of the situation.
"I called in to Keepin’ It Real w/ Al Sharpton (live 1 to 4 PM ET) from Chicago as my daughter Dominique hosts the show in the studio. I shared an important update on Rev. Jesse Jackson. Reports that he was on life support are not true," Sharpton wrote.
"He is stable, surrounded by his family, and giving clear instructions on Thanksgiving efforts for ministers around the country. He still needs our prayers as he continues recovering, but he spoke with us and was fully engaged.
Sharpton included a video of his radio show call-in on the post. The 71-year-old racial activist was dressed in a suit and coat and appeared to be in the back of a chauffeured vehicle.
I called in to Keepin’ It Real w/ Al Sharpton (live 1 to 4 PM ET) from Chicago as my daughter Dominique hosts the show in studio.
I shared an important update on Rev. Jesse Jackson. Reports that he was on life support are not true. He is stable, surrounded by his family, and… pic.twitter.com/N92ByunJ9P
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) November 17, 2025
Jackson was found to suffer from PSP after first receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson's syndrome in April 2013, The Hill reported. According to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, PSP is "a rare neurological disorder that affects body movements, walking and balance, and eye movements."
The progression of the PSP usually begins in the patient's 60s and presents as Parkinson's-like symptoms. Many patients suffer from stiffness, slow movement, and loss of balance. Unfortunately, most people who contract the disorder are severely disabled in three to five years, but Jackson seems to have beaten the odds.
Studies indicate that the disorder occurs in about 5-6.4 people per 100,000 worldwide. The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society’s official journal said the prevalence of the disease could be higher than what is currently recorded, as "enhanced global collaboration" would be required to capture the full scope.
Jackson is a Baptist minister who was prominent in the Democratic Party on the periphery as an activist. However, he ran twice for the Democratic presidential nominee, coming in second to former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis in 1988 and third behind former Colorado Sen. Gary Hart and second to former Vice President Walter Mondale, who won the 1984 nomination before losing the general election.
Many people have called Jackson a grifter and an agitator, and perhaps those labels are well earned. However, he is also an elderly man who is very sick, and his family cares deeply about his well-being. He deserves only sympathy and prayers at this time.
President Donald Trump has reversed course to call for House Republicans to "vote to release" the files of disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Breitbart reported. The president hopes this will allow the nation "to move on from this Democrat Hoax" that has been used to smear Trump as an alleged associate of his.
Republicans have been demanding the files that are thought to contain the names of Epstein's clients who may have abused the trafficking victims. Trump seems to have reversed course on this issue after getting blowback from both sides for dismissing the importance of this information.
Now, Trump is urging the vote to release the files and hopes to take the issue off the table. He said as much in a post to his Truth Social on Sunday to reiterate remarks he made on Friday about the next steps for Congress.
Trump had told reporters aboard Air Force One that he was in favor of the GOP voting to release the Epstein files "because we have nothing to hide and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party," the president charged. Trump claimed it was all an effort to distract from Republican successes.
The president went on to say that "thousands of pages" were already released by the Justice Department on "operatives," including former President Bill Clinton, Democratic donor Reid Hoffman, and others with a "relationship to Epstein." Trump said moving on was imperative so that Republicans could get back to their job fighting the insanity of the left.
"All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT, which is the Economy, ‘Affordability’ (where we are winning BIG!), our Victory on reducing Inflation from the highest level in History to practically nothing, bringing down prices for the American People, delivering Historic Tax Cuts, gaining Trillions of Dollars of Investment into America (A RECORD!), the rebuilding of our Military, securing our Border, deporting Criminal Illegal Aliens, ending Men in Women’s Sports, stopping Transgender for Everyone, and so much more!" Trump went on. He then p;ointed out Democratic hypocricy on the issue.
"Nobody cared about Jeffrey Epstein when he was alive and, if the Democrats had anything, they would have released it before our Landslide Election Victory. Some 'members' of the Republican Party are being 'used,' and we can’t let that happen. Let’s start talking about the Republican Party’s Record Setting Achievements, and not fall into the Epstein 'TRAP,' which is actually a curse on the Democrats, not us. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump concluded.
This reversal comes after Democrats attempted to use the files against Trump by insinuating he was somehow involved in Epstein's seedy behavior because the financier referred to him in his private emails, CNN reported. Of course, Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, who committed suicide in April, never implicated Trump despite having worked as a locker room attendant at Mar-a-Lago.
With Trump's blessing, the files could soon be released as the House and Senate have both agreed to do so. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said as much in a statement on Tuesday. "Once the House passes the bill to release the Epstein files today, I will move for the Senate to immediately take it up and pass it — period," Schumer said.
"Republicans have spent months trying to protect Donald Trump and hide what’s in the files. Americans are tired of waiting and are demanding to see the truth," Schumer added.
Perhaps the elderly senator can be excused for forgetting that Trump has only been in office since January. Epstein has been dead since 2010, so there was no legal reason to hold off on releasing the files while then-President Joe Biden was in office, and yet Democrats like Schumer were not so adamant to have them released.
It's also suspicious that the left tried to throw everything at Trump while he was running for president, but they never could pin any of the Epstein crimes on him. Now they think they will get him this time, and Trump has decided to release the files to take the issue off the table.
Trump is wrong that only the Democrats care about this issue, but he's right to go ahead and release the files. The American people are demanding answers, and even if it's phony support, there's no bipartisan agreement that the time has come. Whether we'll finally get any real answers or revelations is another matter entirely, unfortunately.
During an appearance to promote her new book "The Look" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Michelle Obama complained that America wasn't ready for a female president and called out supposed sexism for being behind the loss of Kamala Harris to Donald Trump in 2024.
“As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready,” she told the audience. "That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running, because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not.”
“You know, we’ve got a lot of growing up to do,” she continued. “And there’s still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it.”
The complaints built on previous comments she made during other book tour appearances that she had been under a "white hot glare" as first lady, a reference to her being the first Black first lady.
She said,
Let me be clear, these were our people who were going after me. This started when we were running against our party. The beginning of turning me into an angry shrew who diminished her husband, who didn’t love her country, who was unpatriotic…These people are lying. They’re making stuff up because they’re trying to win.
“I had to be smarter than them. I had to outsmart everyone and that came to everything I did, including what I wore," she added.
The book is about fashion, but Obama is proving her ability to turn absolutely everything into a race issue.
She wrote a book about fashion, then argued that the political world judges more on women's outward appearance than on their qualifications and accomplishments.
Kind of doesn't make sense that she would write a fashion book if she were trying to be taken seriously then, does it?
Also, when you consider that she was on the cover of Vogue three times and current First Lady Melania Trump has been snubbed by that publication, it pretty much destroys her argument.
It's ludicrous to think that Kamala Harris's race was why she lost the election to Trump.
She sounded like almost as much of an idiot (or maybe more in some ways) as then-President Joe Biden, she never had good polling numbers except for the two weeks after she was selected (not elected) as Biden's replacement, and people just knew that she would be a worse president than Biden, even with his dementia.
Furthermore, I believe, along with many Republicans including Sen. Ted Cruz (TX), that Michelle Obama could have run away with the 2024 election if she had wanted to run.
Either there's something super nasty in her past, or she just likes to complain about her victim status a lot more than actually do anything for her country. For whatever reason, she refuses to prove herself wrong. And I'm very glad she does, because we don't need another radical Democrat president, irrespective of their gender or race.
President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon all those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, unrest at the U.S. Capitol has been a source of endless controversy and debate, drawing the particular ire of Democrats, and additional clemency moves made by the administration late last week may add fuel to that fire.
As the Daily Mail reports, Trump granted a second pardon on Friday to Dan Wilson, a man who received a prior grant of clemency for his presence at the infamous Jan. 6 protest, clearing his record again in a felony firearm case.
Trump had already pardoned Wilson earlier in the year for his role in the Jan. 6 demonstration, but he remained incarcerated due to gun crimes discovered back in 2022, offenses to which he pleaded guilty.
It was during a probe of the Kentucky man’s involvement in the Jan. 6 unrest that authorities found six weapons and approximately 4,800 rounds of ammunition at his residence, possession of which was rendered unlawful by his past felony convictions, as NPR explains.
After a court battle related to whether the Jan. 6 pardon rightly encompassed the firearms conviction, the White House ultimately contended that the discovery of the guns and ammunition would never have happened absent the raid on Wilson’s home, which stemmed from his involvement in the D.C. protest.
“Because the search of Mr. Wilson’s home was due to the events of Jan. 6, President Trump is pardoning Mr. Wilson for the firearm issues,” a White House statement declared.
Wilson had been destined to remain in prison until 2028, but Friday’s pardon resulted in his immediate release, with his attorney stating that his client “can now reunite with his family and begin rebuilding his life.”
Wilson was not the only Jan. 6-related pardon issued by Trump last week, with Suzanne Ellen Kaye of Florida also receiving the nod, as NPR further notes.
Kaye had spent a year and a half in prison as a result of social media threats against federal agents who visited her home in 2021 to probe what they thought was her involvement in the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol, as the Miami Herald explained.
Having suggested on social media that she would shoot any agent who arrived at her home, Kaye later testified at trial that she did not actually own any guns and did not intend to threaten federal officials.
She also stated that she was not even present at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and she was never charged with any crimes related to the events of that day.
In discussing Kaye’s pardon, an unnamed White House official stated that she suffers from “stress-induced seizures” and that her case was one “of disfavored First Amendment political speech being prosecuted and an excessive sentence.”
There has been no shortage of debate regarding Trump’s decision to grant sweeping pardons to those involved in the Jan. 6 unrest, particularly in cases of individuals accused of engaging in physical violence on that day and also in those involving largely unrelated -- yet incidentally discovered -- offenses.
Even so, the administration is standing firm in its decisions, with Edward Martin, special pardon attorney at the Justice Department, stating emphatically on X that “President Trump is unwinding the damage done by Biden’s DOJ weaponization, so the healing can begin.”