Trump disparages Michelle Obama at women’s rights event

President Donald Trump disparaged former First Lady Michelle Obama at an event aimed at highlighting the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, as “over her head” after she delivered a scathing, recorded speech criticizing him at the Democratic National Convention Monday.

“Well she’s in over her head, and frankly, she should’ve made the speech live, which she didn’t do,” President Trump said Tuesday when asked his reaction to Mrs Obama’s remarks, calling her speech “extremely divisive” before quickly pivoting to talk about drug pricing.

The former First Lady has frequently topped the list of the nation’s most admired women and left office in 2016 with a 69% favorability rating.

She issued a strong rebuke of the Trump administration, and Trump personally, in her 19-minute taped remarks.

Michelle Obama said: “He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us.” before invoking President Trump’s response when asked about lives lost from coronavirus in the country: “It is what it is.”

During the Tuesday event, the US president commemorated the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, the women’s right to vote, by pardoning women’s rights activist Susan B. Anthony.

He said during remarks in the Blue Room: “Later today, I will be signing a full and complete pardon for Susan B. Anthony. She was never pardoned.”

She was tried and found guilty of voting in the 1872 presidential election. Trump said the pardon was being prepared “right now” and would be signed later Tuesday.

Mr Trump has repeatedly appealed to what he calls the “suburban housewife” in his efforts to court the key voting block of suburban White women, with fearmongering about fair housing laws meant to combat segregation in recent weeks. The president also resorted to sexist and racist tropes to describe presumptive Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Ehe he was asked to clarify his perception of the suburban women voter Tuesday, he again used the word “housewife,” though most suburban women work.

Mr Trump said: “I view it very strongly that the suburban voter, the suburban housewife, women — and men — living in the suburbs, they want security and they want safety.”

He also touted pre-pandemic women’s employment levels and said it would be higher.

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