Michelle Obama is trending and you won't believe why

After that scathing special counsel report about the president's mental fitness, his fiery defensive emergency press conference seems to have dug him a bigger hole. And the White House counsel was sent out the next day trying to clean it all up. What does it say about the president's ability to hold on to his incumbency? Joining me now is somebody with pretty unique insights on all of this, former senior adviser to President Obama, David Axelrod, who, of course, is a CNN senior political comment

ator. David, great to see you. The special counsel comments, they would not have landed. They would not have landed with the residence if the public hadn't already seen for themselves. True. Oh, absolutely. Look, the things that are most damaging are the things that confirm people's suspicions or fears. You know, when Mitt Romney made that 47% comment back in the 2012 election, it confirmed a narrative, a negative narrative about him. When Hillary Clinton said basket of deplorable was that it co

nfirmed a negative narrative. And look, long before this, there was this narrative out there about the president. It's the big meme on social media is something Republicans have been pushing for a long time, and it's clearly damaged him in polling that is that predates the the special counsel's gratuitous remarks. I agree with Ellie that I think he went way over the top on those. But but nonetheless, that is what the headline off of the report, the 350 page report was. If you were in the White H

ouse on Thursday, you know, the lay of the land, you know, the diplomatic reception room I've been at a few times, but not like David Axelrod, the advance man in me said. It's a bad setting. It's tight. The media are right there. They are tough to contain and probably they should have waited until the next day. Just wondering, what do you think? Yeah, he was like a big sirloin steak tossed in the middle of a bunch of hungry dogs there. And it was it was not optimal. Look, I might have done a one

on one interview with somebody that might have been better than right then the mob scene that we saw as a thing that was more controlled, where he was less likely to be provoked to anger, which he was in that in that particular setting. So it clearly didn't have the impact that they wanted. The only thing that he showed was some vigor, which was probably good. There was some edge to him, may have helped him, but, you know, on the whole, the thing was not good. And, you know, one point that hasn

't really been made enough is in addition to hitting this this piece about his age, the the the press conference gave all kinds of targets for the Republicans in the House who are going to Benghazi, this issue to death. They are going to use the impeachment proceeding. They've already signaled this and they're going to go after that. Transco ship. They're going to go after the tape of his conversation with his ghostwriter. They're going to do everything they can to keep this alive because their

standard bearer is a dumpster fire of legal and ethical issues and they want to muddy the waters. I got to ask you about this. Look at who Vegas oddsmakers are saying have the best chances of being elected this fall. Trump is a 5 to 6 shot. It's better than even Biden, 15 to 8, a little better than 2 to 1. Next in line, Michelle Obama, 11 to 1 ahead of Nikki Haley, Gavin Newsom, Robert F Kennedy Jr. And Kamala Harris. I don't know about you, David. I've got people in my orbit and my radio listen

ers say the same thing. There's like always a family member who says, In my case, it's my brother. Keep your eye on Michelle Obama. And I say, That is crazy. What should we be saying about Michelle Obama? Well, here's what I know. Michelle Obama. Obama loves this country. She's she's a brilliant person and a brilliant communicator. But she was a conscript to politics. She never was interested in a political life. Even when Barack Obama was a young politician. She really didn't participate much i

n his campaigns. I was with him in his Senate campaign in 2004. I think she showed up twice in the whole campaign on election night. So, you know, she she is not someone who likes politics. She doesn't like the tone and tenor of politics. And I would be floored if she would consent to that. They feel that they gave ten years of their life to this. And I'm sure she feels, as Barbara Bush did when she said there has to be someone other than the Bushes and the Clintons who could be president of the

United States. My guess is that's her attitude. I always say, Michael, that I have as much chance of dancing in the Bolshoi Ballet next year than then, that she would be president of the United States. And so if you see me running around at the end of the year in a leotard, you'll know. What I was going to say. Bolshoi is hiring. I hear the Bolshoi is I think maybe once, maybe once and for all. David Axelrod just put it to rest unless Cindy Adams is not watching. Thank you, David. All right, Mi

chael, great to see you. From the world of X, formerly Twitter. What do we have? Biden should not run and Harris would be worse for the country. So who's next in line? I mean, this is you know, this is sort of the conundrum in not only the timing and how far into the process we are. Although James Carville did speak of, you know, conventions having some significance, if they need to the LBJ example. But there's just not an obvious process, is there? Do you think that Gavin Newsom would stand idl

y by if it were to be Michelle? Michelle, I'd just say Michelle Obama. Oh, my God. Now I'm falling into the trap. Oh, my God. I believe it is a 0% likelihood that Michelle. I think that Michelle Obama like clinks. It's a drinking game among the Obamas. Seriously? Like every time some fool like me brings it up, they're clinking their glasses. Probably with Richard Branson.