(MENAFN) Former First Lady Michelle Obama has issued a blunt assessment of America's political readiness, asserting the nation remains unprepared to place a woman in its highest office.

The candid remarks emerged during a November 5th dialogue with actress Tracee Ellis Ross at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where Obama was promoting her latest publication, The Look. Footage from the exchange surfaced on Obama's YouTube platform Friday, according to The Washington Post.

"Don't even look at me about running because you all are lying. You're not ready for a woman. You are not. So don't waste my time," Obama stated, directly confronting ongoing conjecture about a potential presidential campaign—rumors she has consistently dismissed.

The former first lady pointed to electoral patterns as proof of lingering gender bias, noting that "there's still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman."

Obama continues to wield significant influence within Democratic circles, maintaining an active presence on the campaign trail in multiple election cycles.

During the previous presidential contest, she threw her support behind former Vice President Kamala Harris and made direct appeals to male constituents regarding the stakes of another Donald Trump administration, particularly concerning abortion access.

"Fellas… before you cast your votes, ask yourselves, what side of history do you want to be on?" she said at the time.

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