Donald Trump Spares Michelle Obama Retaliatory Attacks After White House Issues Him Stern Warning
Michelle Obama is one of the few spared of Donald Trump’s vicious attacks amid the 2016 presidential race. The first lady has made her stance known about Trump and skewered him on Thursday in a rousing speech in New Hampshire. Mrs. Obama said the Access Hollywood tapes she saw in which Trump was making lewd comments about women had “shaken me to my core.”
In all of her speeches railing against Donald Trump, Michelle Obama has refused to mention him by name. Her strong implications were successful in sending strong messages that it was, indeed, Donald Trump she was talking about.
So, why hasn’t the Republican presidential nominee made one attempt to attack President Obama’s wife? It probably has a lot do with the fact that he’ll be finished if he goes there.
White House WARNING: Michelle Obama CAN ATTACK You, But Don’t Retaliate https://t.co/i1c6x8kb1C pic.twitter.com/HHZbEuUeks
— Donald Trump Noticie (@DNoticie) October 14, 2016
— Donald Trump Noticie (@DNoticie) October 14, 2016
The Hill reports that Donald Trump has received a stern warning from the White House that he steer clear from insulting Michelle Obama. Principal deputy White House press secretary Eric Schultz told reporters that if Trump decides to take on the first lady, it’s all but over for him.
“I can’t think of a bolder way for Donald Trump to lose even more standing than he already has than by engaging the first lady of the United States,” Schultz said.
Michelle Obama moved a lot of listeners when she talked at length about Trump’s behavior witnessed on the tape released last week.
“I can’t believe I’m saying that a candidate for president of the United States has bragged about sexually assaulting women,” Michelle Obama said.
The first lady’s condemnation of Trump’s banter on the tape was personal to her. She warned voters that this isn’t just another “footnote” of political rhetoric in the 2016 election. This is much more than that and is about keeping someone like Donald Trump out of the White House. A visibly upset Michelle Obama continued that this tape showed a powerful man “speaking freely and openly about sexual predatory behavior.”
See the Michelle Obama’s full speech taking down Donald Trump over his comments on women https://t.co/gU5yXHhDlG
— TIME (@TIME) October 15, 2016
Donald Trump didn’t respond to Mrs. Obama’s speech. He hasn’t indicated any sign whatsoever that he intends to go after her for calling him an indecent human being.
Trump has actually complimented the first lady, saying she “did a very good job” giving her speech at the Democratic National Convention in July. She criticized him, but Trump later said he “liked” her speech.
In August, the Gallup poll revealed that Michelle Obama has a 64 percent approval rating… beating both Trump and Clinton’s and other major political figures.
Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence, stated that he wasn’t sure what the “basis” was of Michelle Obama’s speech on Thursday.
“Look I have a lot of respect for the first lady,” Pence told CBS This Morning on Friday. “But I don’t understand the basis of her claim.”
Pence added that he believes the sexual assault claims against Donald Trump are “unsubstantiated allegations are categorically false.”
Donald Trump’s credo is to retaliate when he’s attacked first and thus far the first lady has been exempt from the GOP nominee’s insults. Trump takes it upon himself to say or do whatever he sees fit regardless of what his team of advisors urge against. It’s been seen time and time again from his rants to debate performances against Hillary Clinton. Yet, he’s sparing Michelle Obama any attacks he might like to throw her way. He doesn’t take insults or disapproval well and the first lady is one of his most outspoken critics.
Will Donald Trump continue refraining from attacking Michelle Obama if he has nothing else to lose? That’s the big question.
[Featured Image by Alex Wong/Getty Images]
