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I Miss Barack and Michelle Obama — but Not Their Slander of Young Voters
Everyone’s favorite First Couple continues to underestimate young voters in a way that feels more dangerous than ever
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
If the Obamas want to convince young people to play a greater role in government, smugly suggesting that they don’t know how America works might not be the best use of their talents of persuasion.
Last week, former President Barack Obama joined his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama, on the premiere episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast; they discussed social justice in the wake of George Floyd’s death, their own paths toward politics and advocacy, and the importance of the younger generation becoming more politically engaged. Michelle Obama spoke with fondness about the young people across the country that have taken to the streets to protest, but expressed lingering concerns about “too many young people who question whether voting, whether politics is worth it.”
Her husband offered an assessment as to why that may be — but it’s one that doesn’t completely respect the intelligence of its intended audience.
