Michelle Obama's podcast hits 260K subscribers as Democrats search on-line voices

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Michelle Obama's newly launched podcast has racked up greater than 260,000 YouTube subscribers this 12 months, and the previous first woman stays one of many Democratic Occasion's hottest figures.

However she's not a political savior, a brand new report reminds readers. She's not working for workplace, not to mention president, and her present is probably going at greatest a blueprint for Democrats determined to interact voters within the form of style that right-leaning exhibits and hosts did to President Donald Trump's profit in 2024.

"As Democrats seek for a liberal counter to the right-wing media ecosystem that helped Trump win again the White Home by reaching tens of millions who do not take note of mainstream media, the web present of a relatable and well-liked Democrat might be what they're searching for," a brand new USA Today report states .

Obama and her brother Craig Robinson launched "IMO" in March , which Obama teased as addressing folks feeling extra alone than ever in "actually difficult and complicated instances." Left unsaid was that Trump had taken workplace lower than two months earlier, with the political get together her husband Barack Obama led and the broader progressive motion in shambles after Republicans swept to energy in November.

Michelle Obama speaks to the CEO and co-founder of Airbnb on her "IMO" podcast earlier this 12 months. (Michelle Obama YouTube channel)

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But Michelle Obama has remained intentionally apolitical for probably the most half within the present. Her most up-to-date visitor was social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the place they mentioned his work to discourage parents from letting youngsters and youngsters spend an excessive amount of of their early life on smartphones and screens. On Father's Day, she spoke to rock star Bruce Springsteen and Trump wasn't talked about by identify.

She's stated repeatedly she's not working for workplace. One supporter quoted by USA In the present day famous the previous first woman "hates politics," and Obama has spoken about feeling a way of "freedom" together with her two daughters now in younger maturity.

However she's not staying out of the limelight. She has additionally appeared on quite a few different podcasts for interviews this 12 months, doing way more media appearances than her husband, together with on podcasts hosted by NPR, Amy Poehler, and Sophia Bush. She's largely eschewing political matters and direct criticism of the Trump administration, whereas not utterly avoiding sizzling matters both. One Democratic strategist stated this was a greater use of her abilities than sounding off instantly on politics.

Former president Barack Obama joins former first woman Michelle Obama in the course of the second day of the Democratic Nationwide Conference on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, on the United Middle in Chicago, Illinois. Vice President Kamala Harris will formally settle for the get together's nomination for president on the DNC. (Melina Mara/The Washington Submit through Getty Pictures)

"So that is one of the best ways that she will create area and present the multi-dimensional nature of Black girls: our pondering; how we have interaction mates; how we have interaction with folks throughout racial strains; how we have interaction with our siblings; and the fullness of us, whereas additionally permitting her to talk to the problems of the second," Democratic strategist Nina Smith informed USA In the present day.

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Within the backdrop of Obama's ascension as a extra public media determine in 2025, Democrats are reportedly casting about for a military of on-line influencers to counter the massively adopted voices like Joe Rogan that helped push younger males into Trump's nook in 2024.

Liberal strategists are pushing the get together’s megadonors to spend tens of tens of millions of {dollars} to develop "a military of left-leaning on-line influencers" to assist the get together "compete culturally" with President Donald Trump, in accordance with The New York Times .

"The quiet effort quantities to an audacious — skeptics would possibly say determined — guess that Democrats should purchase extra cultural relevance on-line, although casually right-leaning touchstones like Mr. Rogan’s podcast weren't constructed by political donors and didn't rise in a single day," the Instances reported.

<source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/931/523/joe-rogan-liver-king-brian-johnson-arrest-texas_01.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/06/1862/1046/joe-rogan-liver-king-brian-johnson-arrest-texas_01.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Democrats are looking for a liberal various to Joe Rogan, to little avail. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports activities through Reuters)

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Michelle Obama has constructed credibility with Democratic Occasion supporters since she and her husband burst onto the nationwide political scene within the late 2000s. But since neither she nor her husband are working for workplace once more, she will't be relied upon an excessive amount of past being a voice within the political wilderness.

"It is essential for her to remain inside the public area, so it is good that she needs to be lively. She endorses candidates and stuff of that nature. I've no downside with that," Maryland native Steven Uzoukwu informed USA In the present day. "I simply suppose we should not depend on the Obamas to avoid wasting America."