Former President Barack Obama made headlines earlier this week when he traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in support of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Yet although the former president has been stumping for Harris, another member of his family has been noticeably gone from the campaign trail. 

Michelle Obama said to be worried about security concerns

That fact was pointed out in a report run by NBC News, which noted how former First Lady Michelle Obama has yet to appear at an event for the vice president.

Her public absence makes for a glaring contrast with former President Bill Clinton, who recently traveled to the critical swing state of Georgia.

An unnamed source said to be familiar with the matter indicated that Mrs. Obama's reticence stems from concerns regarding her personal safety.

"After the two assassination attempts against former President Trump, the staffs of all the former presidents and first ladies recognized the new reality and so does the Secret Service," the source was quoted as saying.

The individual further added that Trump's brushes with death are evidence of a "new reality" and served as "a wake-up call to everyone."

Mr. Obama lectures black men about supporting Harris

Meanwhile, Fox News reported that former President Obama spent part of his time in Pennsylvania lecturing African American men on their supposed duty to get behind the vice president.

"My understanding, based on reports I'm getting from campaigns and communities, is that we have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running," Mrs. Obama declared.

The former president went on to complain that this perceived lack of enthusiasm "seems to be more pronounced with the brothers."

"And you are thinking about sitting out?" he demanded. "Part of it makes me think – and I'm speaking to men directly – part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren't feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you're coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that."

Black Men for Trump pushes back on Obama's message

Fox News observed that Mr. Obama's remarks were not well-received by the Black Men for Trump advisory board, which put out a statement condemning them.

"President Obama’s recent call for Black men to support Kamala Harris based solely on her skin color, rather than her policies, is deeply insulting," the group asserted.

"Black Americans are not a monolith, and we don't owe our votes to any candidate just because they 'look like us.' It's demeaning to suggest that we can’t evaluate a candidate’s track record – especially when Kamala Harris has done more harm than good to Black communities," it added.