Michelle Obama is the first First Lady to actively campaign for her husband’s hopeful successor since Lady Bird Johnson. Since the Democratic Convention, she has made appearances in five swing states to encourage voters to cast their vote for Clinton. Michelle Obama’s historic work and success on the campaign trail is largely due to her ethos, which is boosted by a high approval rating and her celebrity status. Obama’s ethos attracts voters and gives her, her opinion, and her words credibility.
Popular Vote
According to an August Gallup poll, Michelle Obama earned a 64% approval rating among Americans. This is reportedly higher than Clinton’s according to The Boston Globe article “Michelle Obama sets a new standard for the campaign trail.” The article quotes a Democratic strategist named Jim Manley. In regards to Obama, he stated, “She’s much more popular than Hillary Clinton throughout the country.” The full article can be accessed at this link: https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2016/10/06/michelle-obama-takes-turn-hillary-clinton-star-surrogate/l80Bfr0PoQS3u7Igw7CuoI/story.html. A strong ethos is built on appeal. Both Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama are First Ladies of the United States, yet Obama’s ethos is stronger than Clinton’s ethos because she is more appealing to potential voters. They see Obama as more relatable and trustworthy, and, therefore, are more willingly accept her ethos.
One of the Cool Kids
In an interview with Variety Magazine, Obama admitted her celebrity status, “I’m a product of pop culture. I’m a consumer of pop culture, and I know what resonates with people. I know what they’ll get a chuckle out of and what they think is kind of silly.” You can read the entire interview with this link: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/news/a17308/michelle-obama-interview-pop-culture/. She is worthy of voters’ attention. She knows what to say to them. What she says carries weight with people. This is all thanks to her status as a pop culture icon because people view Obama as someone important in society. Her celebrity label and the credibility that comes with it are vital parts of Obama’s ethos.
Thoughts
Essentially, Michelle Obama’s ethos is forceful. It is a powerful weapon for Obama to wield in an effort to benefit Clinton in this election. The ethos of one First Lady might not be enough, but their two ethos combined has the power to convince voters to listen to them and even vote for Clinton in November.