Michelle Obama at SXSW: 'I Will Not Run for President'

Michelle Obama says she won't run for president because of daughters Sasha and Malia. "I have these two young people at home," says the first lady

Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty

Once Michelle Obama leaves the White House next year, she won’t be looking back.

After delivering a keynote speech promoting education for girls around the world at South by Southwest on Wednesday, the First Lady said in a panel moderated by Queen Latifah that she “will not run for president.”

Obama cited her daughters, Sasha and Malia, as one reason.

“I have these two young people at home. Being the daughters of a president, just think about it. Not so easy. They handled it with grace and poise.”

Obama’s declaration doesn’t mean she won’t miss her days in the White House. “Time is almost up,” she lamented before singing a line from a Boyz II Men song: “It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.”

But Obama says the thing she’ll miss most about being first lady is the opportunity to interact with young people on a daily basis. “Young people keep me inspired,” she said. “You can’t be in public life and not love people. It’s a hard thing to do.”