Michelle Obama: ‘Systemic racism’ is coming from the White House
- Her statement represents another intense criticism of Trump following her DNC address last week
- Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old black man, was shot in the back seven times by a white police officer on Sunday
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Quint Forgey on politico.com on August 26, 2020.
Former first lady Michelle Obama condemned what she called the “systemic racism” emanating from the White House and elsewhere around the country in an explosive statement on Friday that addressed recent killings and racial unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
“These past few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about what our kids are seeing every day in this country – the lack of empathy, the division stoked in times of crisis, the age-old and systemic racism that’s been so prominent this summer,” Obama said.
“Sometimes they see it on the news. Sometimes they see it from the White House Rose Garden. And sometimes they see it from the back seat of a car.”
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Third night of violent protests in US state of Wisconsin after police shooting of Jacob Blake
Obama’s statement represents another intense criticism of President Donald Trump following her Democratic National Convention address last week.