Love them or hate them, the Obamas have dominated American politics for over a decade, but their influence appears to be fading fast. The latest sign? Michelle Obama’s underwhelming podcast launch, which failed to generate the excitement or engagement expected from someone with her media presence.
Despite heavy promotion from friendly outlets and appearances on top programs, her YouTube channel has fewer than 20,000 subscribers, and her first episode barely managed 60,000 views. Even more telling, her most recent video—released Thursday morning—had a mere 966 views at the time of reporting. That’s not just disappointing; it’s a major signal that the public isn’t as captivated by the Obamas as they once were.
For comparison, California Governor Gavin Newsom—hardly a political heavyweight on the same level as the Obamas—launched his own podcast just days before Michelle’s. His first episode, featuring conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, racked up nearly a million views, and even his lowest-performing episode has outpaced Michelle’s highest by a significant margin.
This drop in influence isn’t just about a lackluster podcast. It’s been building for years, with 2024 marking a turning point. Barack Obama, once the undisputed leader of the Democratic Party, saw his grip on voters slip dramatically. One of the clearest moments came when he attempted to rally black male voters behind former Vice President Kamala Harris.
At a campaign event, Obama scolded black men for their hesitation to support Harris, implying that their reluctance was rooted in sexism.
“You’re thinking about sitting out or supporting somebody who has a history of denigrating you, because you think that’s a sign of strength, because that’s what being a man is? Putting women down?” Obama said, taking aim at President Donald Trump.
“You’re coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses, I’ve got a problem with that,” he continued, before suggesting that black men simply “aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president.”
The backlash was immediate. Black male voters didn’t appreciate the condescension, and many pushed back against the idea that their political decisions were driven by gender bias.
Khalil Thompson, co-founder of Win With Black Men, summed it up: “We’re not a monolith. However, we are just like every other American in this country who wants a good paying job… afford to go to the grocery store, save a little for retirement and have a vacation.”
The message was clear: voters weren’t buying the guilt trip. And when the election results came in, exit polls showed that black men were shifting to Trump’s camp in significant numbers. Obama’s political magic had worn off, and the Democratic Party could no longer rely on him to turn out key voters.
