Michelle Obama just collected a nearly $750,000 check to give a speech on diversity and inclusion.
The former first lady of the United States was selected to give a one-hour speech at the Bits & Pretzels Founder Festival in Germany on Sept. 25. She appeared at the tech fair in Munich to speak at a startup event. According to Daily Mail, two inside sources of the conference said the event was “held on the sidelines of the annual Oktoberfest beer festival.”
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The gig for Obama was reportedly worth 700,000 euros, the equivalent of $741,000 U.S. dollars. Conference organizers said the 59-year-old has been highly requested by participants for years and added that she “topped the list, year after year.”
“They really pulled out all the stops to get her,” said the Bits and Pretzels team insider. “It’s one of the highest fees that they have ever paid.”
Booking the former FLOTUS isn’t cheap. Axios reported in 2017 that the pricetag to book The Light We Carry author was $200,000, while her husband, former President Barack Obama’s price was double that at $400,000. The Obamas served two consecutive terms as the first Black U.S. president and first lady from January 2009 to January 2017, as noted by Daily Mail.
The speaking gig is relative to the attorney’s journey as the first Black first lady of the country. Recently, questions have been raised about the author stepping in as a possible alternative candidate to Joe Biden if he withdraws from the 2024 presidential race.
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, Obama has repeatedly denied any desire to seek office. However, Democrats may be looking to push her to run for candidacy.
“High-level Democrats are rallying to President Biden’s reelection, not because they think it’s in the best interest of the country to have an 82-year-old start a second term but because they fear the potential alternative: the nomination of Kamala Harris and election of Donald Trump,” a Politico report read earlier this year.
Fox 5 Atlanta wrote that Democrats believe she has the “it” factor to beat 2024 candidate Donald Trump.