Is Michelle Obama pondering her own future run for president?

Investors ^ | April 30, 2012 | Andrew Malcolm

[bkopto]

Is Michelle Obama considering a Hillary Clinton move and running for the White House after her husband's term(s) are done?

It's not the kind of question Barack Obama or his strategists really want aired these days as he builds up his money war-chest and tries to establish the rationale for why voters should forget what he hasn't done and focus on Republican wrongs. According to a campaign aide, the president will "begin" his reelection campaign this Saturday, after more than 100 campaign fundraisers.

But the current first lady, who's playing a very active if little-noticed fundraising role across the country this cycle, sent mixed signals about her own future the other day when answering questions from some children visiting the White House.

One 12-year-old girl named Madeline asked, "Will you ever run for president?"

"Absolutely not, " the first lady replied, as tradition dictates, drawing audience laughter.

"Being President is a really hard job and it’s an important job. And when my husband is running for president, we’re right in there; we’re serving, too. And I think that once his terms are over, we’ll go on to do other important things -- because there are so many ways that you can help this country and the world, even if you’re not President of the United States."

A modicum of news coverage focused on Mrs. Obama's denial of interest and her outspoken assumption as a given of a second Obama term without the usual modest qualifier: "if the American people grant us another term."

But less attention was awarded to the first lady's ensuing comments about her own skills and future followed by five intriguing words: "So I probably won't run."

Probably won't run? 'Probably won't run' is not 'Absolutely not.'

[Kevmo]

I hope she runs, in 2016.

She’s probably more qualified than her husband was.

[nobamanomore]

What is it with Dems? Just being someone’s wife doesn’t make you anything. Like I said when Hill was running, would you let your mechanic’s wife work on your car? Your doctor’s wife operate on your gall bladder? Your stock broker’s wife handle your portfolio? It makes you think they desire a royal family, WTF.