Michelle Obama Rebuffs Holder and Clinton Remarks About Civility

On Thursday, Former First Lady Michelle Obama during an interview on the Today Show rebuffed statements by former Attorney General Eric Holder and former Secretary of State and presidential nominee Hillary Clinton that encouraged incivility.

Holder told a group of Georgia Democrats to “kick” Republicans when they go low. Clinton said in an interview with CNN, “You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about.”

Obama affirmed her call to go high when others go low.

Watch:

Here’s the transcript: 

Savannah Guthrie: You know, and these are tough times politically, that we are living in. You were famous at the Democratic convention for saying, “When they go low, we go high.” And just this week the former Attorney General Eric Holder, who worked for your husband, said the Democrats should have a new motto, “When they go low, we should kick them.” Hillary Clinton said, “How can we be civil when our opponents are trying to, you know, take away everything we stand for?” And I just thought, what would you say now about your motto? Do you think it still stands, “When they go low, we go high”?

Michelle Obama: Absolutely. Fear is not a – it’s not a proper motivator. Hope wins out. And if you think about how you want your kids to be raised, how you want them to think about life and their opportunities, do you want them afraid of their neighbors? Do you want them angry? Do you want them vengeful? You know, if we think of the values that we try to promote to our children, Savannah, you’re a mother right now, and at this point, you have to think about what are the things you’re telling your girls. Which motto do you want them to live by? And I have to think about that as a mother, as someone who’s a role model to young girls. We want them to grow up with promise and hope, and we can’t model something different if we want them to be better than that.

I have to give Mrs. Obama props for not going along with this call for incivility.