“I never could have imagined that any of this would be part of my story,” the former first lady said during some of the most memorable remarks at Wednesday’s rally. “But even if it’s still a little uncomfortable for me, I recognize why moments like this are important, because all of this is absolutely necessary.” “Such traditions matter not only to those of us who hold these positions, but to all who participate in and monitor our democracy,” he added. Officials joined Obama administration alumni to watch the unveiling of a portrait of the former president by Robert McCurdy and a portrait of Michelle Obama by Sharon Sprung. What you need to know about today’s revelations The official White House portraits of presidents and their spouses are usually unveiled by their successors in the earlier years of their presidencies. At times, the White House ceremony can be an opportunity for a president to honor a predecessor from their party with whom they had a long association. In other cases, the ceremony is a highly celebrated moment of bipartisan unity between presidents of opposing parties who find camaraderie in having the shared experience of being the leader of the free world. But this ritual did not take place during the presidency of Donald Trump. Trump, a frequent critic of his predecessor, did not schedule a ceremony to honor the Obamas during his four years in office. And since leaving the White House, he has continued his criticism of Barack Obama. More importantly, he has spent much of his post-presidency falsely claiming that he won the 2020 election and that his democratically elected successor is falsely occupying the Oval Office. Michelle Obama used her moment from the podium to remind listeners how presidents are elected and how they should leave the White House — a thinly veiled jab at Trump and those who continue to support his false claims. “The people make their voices heard with their votes,” he said. “We are holding the inauguration to ensure a peaceful transition of power. Those of us lucky enough to serve work, as Barack said, as hard as we can for as long as we can, as long as the world chooses to keep us here and once our time is up, we move on. And all that remains in this hallowed place is our good efforts.” Obama, the only black first lady in American history, spoke of the rarity of the occasion, given her relatively humble upbringing in a working-class family on Chicago’s South Side. “For me, this day is not exactly what has happened,” he said. “It’s also about what could have happened because a girl like me, she should never have been up there with Jacqueline Kennedy and Dolley Madison. He should never have lived in this house. And she certainly shouldn’t have served as first lady.” “But what we’re looking at today is a portrait of a bisexual child with an unusual name and the daughter of a water pump operator and a stay-at-home mother — what we are seeing is a reminder that there is a place for everyone in this country,” Obama added. “Because, as Barack said, if the two of us end up on the walls of the most famous address in the world, then again, it’s so important for any young kid who doubts himself to believe that he can too.” Obama shared her hope and confidence in America’s ability to continue to be the home of possibility despite the ever-present cultural battles over the country’s future direction. “As much as some might want us to believe that this story has lost some of its luster, that vision and discrimination and whatever else might have dimmed its light, I still know deep down that what we share, as continues my husband to say, it’s much bigger than what we don’t do,” he said. “Our democracy is much stronger than our differences. And this little girl from the South Side is blessed beyond measure to have felt the truth of this fuller story throughout her life.”
