NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Former first lady Michelle Obama on Monday called on politicians in the U.S. to “encourage a smooth transition of power,” as President Donald Trump doubled down on his unsubstantiated claims that the presidential election was rigged.
Four years ago, Obama wrote on Instagram, then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton “had just been dealt a tough loss by a far closer margin than the one we’ve seen this year.”
“I was hurt and disappointed — but the votes had been counted and Donald Trump had won. The American people had spoken,” she wrote. “And one of the great responsibilities of the presidency is to listen when they do.”
The transition process, she noted, was not an easy one, as Trump "had spread racist lies about my husband that had put my family in danger."
"That wasn’t something I was ready to forgive. But I knew that, for the sake of our country, I had to find the strength and maturity to put my anger aside,” she wrote. “So I welcomed Melania Trump into the White House and talked with her about my experience, answering every question she had — from the heightened scrutiny that comes with being First Lady to what it’s like to raise kids in the White House.”
“I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do — because our democracy is so much bigger than anybody’s ego. Our love of country requires us to respect the results of an election even when we don’t like them or wish it had gone differently — the presidency doesn’t belong to any one individual or any one party,” she added.
“To pretend that it does, to play along with these groundless conspiracy theories — whether for personal or political gain — is to put our country’s health and security in danger,” she went on to say. “So I want to urge all Americans, especially our nation’s leaders, regardless of party, to honor the electoral process and do your part to encourage a smooth transition of power, just as sitting presidents have done throughout our history.”
In a series of tweets on Monday, Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that the “Radical Left Democrats, working with their partner, the Fake News Media, are trying to STEAL this Election.”
“I won the Election!” Trump added.
News outlets including the Associated Press declared President-elect Joe Biden the winner of the election on Nov. 7.
