Former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are gearing up for public appearances and book deals by signing up with the Harry Walker Agency, which will coordinate the speaking engagements while two attorneys will represent them for contract negotiations regarding potential book deals, a spokesman said Friday.
Politico reports that spokesman Kevin Lewis said in a statement, “President Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama have selected the Harry Walker Agency (HWA) to coordinate their respective speaking engagements. In addition, Attorneys Robert Barnett and Deneen Howell will manage contract negotiations with potential publishers for the former president and Mrs. Obama’s respective books.”
According to Politico, former White House press secretary Josh Earnest and former President Bill Clinton are also represented by the Harry Walker speakers bureau.
There is no word yet on when the Obamas will begin the speaking circuit or when any books will be published. Since leaving the White House, both have been quiet in public; we’ve only been blessed to see pictures of Barry enjoying his new freedom to do whatever he wants, and that includes kitesurfing in the British Virgin Islands with Virgin Group founder Richard Branson.
Obama did take time out late last month to issue a statement through his spokesman supporting the protests happening around the country in response to Donald Trump’s immigration ban.
“Citizens exercising their constitutional rights to assemble, organize and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake,” he said through his spokesman. The spokesman added that Obama was “heartened by the level of engagement taking place in communities around the country.”
I can only imagine that the Barack and Michelle Obama World Tour will be bigger than Jay Z and Beyoncé’s On the Run Tour, and much as we did in preparation for Beyoncé’s Formation World Tour, we will be deciding between paying our rent and buying tickets to hear Barack and Michelle speak.
And then, of course, we will buy every book they put out, shooting them to the top of the New York Times best-seller list, and they will bring back the sunshine to our rapidly graying world.
#LettucePray
Read more at Politico.