Michelle Obama is leveraging her star power to keep Americans home in “quarantine.”
Residents in Washington, D.C. will receive robocall from the former first lady reminding them to stay home if they don’t have “essential” jobs, the Washington Examiner reported Monday.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser shared the news in a press release, which said that Obama had recorded calls to provide information about testing. The calls also encourage residents of the nation’s capital to stay home in lockdown.
Obama jumps in
“Hi, this is Michelle Obama. On behalf of Mayor Bowser, I wanted to share information on free coronavirus testing for District of Columbia residents experiencing symptoms,” Obama reportedly says in the announcement.
She goes on: “Remember, we urge you to stay home except if you need essential health care, essential food or supplies, or to go to your essential job.”
The report comes as lockdowns have become a flashpoint of controversy, with more than 26 million Americans losing their jobs to draconian orders in just weeks, according to NPR. Thankfully, struggling “non-essential” D.C. residents will now receive reminders from a millionaire author to follow orders and stop complaining.
Washington, D.C. has recorded over 4,000 known cases and more than 200 deaths as of Wednesday, according to government data. The Obamas have a residence there near the White House.
Will the real essentials please stand up?
Bowser has also formed an advisory group on opening up Washington that includes Susan Rice, President Barack Obama’s former national security adviser, according to The Hill. In her Monday statement, the mayor thanked Mrs. Obama for her help in getting citizens to comply.
“We are grateful to First Lady Obama for joining our effort to let residents know about free testing and for encouraging D.C. to stay home,” Bowser said.
Other “non-essentials” apparently include the House of Representatives, which will not return to the Capitol next week as planned, NBC News reports. The Senate will return to the Capitol on Monday, however.
While the nation suffers economically, Michelle Obama is prospering. Her best-selling memoir, Becoming, will soon receive a Netflix adaptation, according to The New York Times.
Meanwhile, a friend of the Obamas recently dismissed speculation that Michelle would run for vice president, saying there’s “no chance” she’ll campaign with Joe Biden. However, she does plan to endorse the former vice president, according to the New York Post, and her husband Barack has already done so.
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