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GOP Conspiracy Theorists Latest Fearmongering: “Michelle Obama Will Replace Biden On 2024 Ballot” 

@SpectacularMag

If there’s one thing we can depend on Republicans for, it’s a good old-fashioned fearmongering conspiracy theory that dabbles in racism.

MAGA-leaning conservatives like failed candidate Vivek Ramaswamy have floated the unfounded conspiracy theory that former First Lady Michelle Obama will replace Biden on the 2024 presidential ticket.

The Conservative Political Action Conference held a panel on Thursday (Feb. 22) to debate whether former First Lady Michelle Obama will replace President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee in November. 

The three-day marathon of events known as the largest annual gathering of conservative activists began on Thursday with introductory panels on several hot-button issues, including one titled “Cat Fight? Michelle vs. Kamala.” 

Breitbart’s Matt Boyle, Townhall’s Kurt Schlichter, and conservative commentators Larry O’Connor and Monica Crowley discussed the theory that the Democratic Party will replace Biden with the former first lady at their nominating convention this summer and what role Vice President Kamala Harris would play if a switch is made. 

Ramaswamy — who is no stranger to racist conspiracy theories — appeared on Fox News and predicted that it’s become “that much more obvious” that the president would not be on the 2024 ballot, Ramaswamy said, Michelle Obama will be the Democratic nominee.

Ramaswamy’s comments came nearly a month after New York Post gossip writer Cindy Adams wrote about unverified “Plans … to grab Michelle for the Democratic presidency choice.” Earlier this week, Adams reported that Michelle Obama said in 2022 “I plan to run.”

One of the things this conspiracy theory accomplishes is that it stokes the flames of prejudice — particularly racism — against Michelle Obama and her husband, Barack, who Republicans have complained is effectively serving a third term since Biden was his vice president for eight years. Conservative conspiracy theorists are playing up the prospect of Michelle Obama as the Democratic nominee in part because they want to appeal to the racist politics of fear that Barack Obama could end up serving a proverbial fourth term in or near the White House.

Of course, none of these theories are rooted in fact.

The only fact known for sure about how Michelle Obama feels about the 2024 race for the White House is that she said she is “terrified” of Trump becoming president again.

“What’s going to happen in this next election? I’m terrified about what could possibly happen because our leaders matter. Who we select, who speaks for us, who holds that bully pulpit, it affects us in ways sometimes I think people take for granted,” Michelle Obama said last month on the “On Purpose” podcast.

Republicans have taken that comment and run with it all the way to the racetrack of conspiracy theories in what appears to be a concerted fearmongering effort to shore up support for Trump, whose poll numbers make him the presumptive GOP nominee (even though his candidacy may actually end up being disqualified anyway).

In the meantime, Karl Rove is seemingly the lone Republican voice of reason when it comes to speculation about Michelle Obama replacing Biden on the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket.

“I had to deal with this in 2020 when this was running through President Trump’s reelection campaign,” the former senior adviser to Republican President George W. Bush said on Wednesday. “They thought somehow or another, Biden was going to be pushed aside by Obama.”

Rove described that line of thinking as “sheer, utter lunacy,” echoing Michelle Obama’s sentiments that “she hates politics” and “loves the life she’s got.”

The article first appeared on NewsOne.com.

Image credit:

Michelle Obama: AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File