On Monday, SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly took aim at former First Lady Michelle Obama for what she described as ongoing criticism of America.
Kelly’s remarks came in response to Obama’s appearance at a rally with Vice President Kamala Harris, where Obama urged men to step up and take responsibility in the coming election. Kelly, however, was not impressed by Obama’s tone, accusing her of unfairly casting the U.S. as a “racist and sexist” nation while benefitting from the very privileges it afforded her.
Kelly pointed out that the Democrats, eager for a fresh face, had previously courted Michelle Obama to run, particularly as concerns about Joe Biden’s viability as a candidate began to grow.
“They would have done anything to sub her in,” Kelly said, criticizing Obama’s alleged “whining” about American society. Kelly went on to reference Obama’s wealth, noting that her estates in Martha’s Vineyard, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Hawaii, as well as luxurious vacations, are all thanks to the success she’s achieved in the U.S.
“We made her rich, famous, and beloved beyond any measure,” Kelly argued, adding that Americans are “sick and tired” of hearing complaints from the former First Lady. “All we want to hear you say is thank you.”
Michelle Obama’s comments were part of Harris’s strategy to narrow the gender gap in polling between her and former President Donald Trump. Recent polls reveal that Trump holds a strong nine-point lead among men, while Harris has a 12-point advantage with female voters.
Earlier in the month, Harris enlisted former President Barack Obama for a Pennsylvania rally, but Obama’s pointed message to male voters backstage—particularly Black men whose turnout has lagged—received mixed reactions.
The exchange highlights a broader tension between criticism and gratitude that has become a theme in recent campaigns, with figures like Kelly pushing back against what they perceive as ungrateful critiques of the very country that has elevated so many.
