Democrats divided over the future of their party agreed on at least one thing at their national convention in Philadelphia on Monday night: Michelle Obama was a star.
Advertisement
The first lady pushed diversity and denounced divisive rhetoric from “politicians we see on TV”, interpreted as a reference to GOP nominee Donald Trump, while wearing a classic cobalt blue dress designed by New York-based fashion designer Christian Siriano.
Last week, Michelle Obama’s 2008 Democratic National Convention was a headline topic, after Melania Trump’s speech included very similar words.
Michelle Obama’s speech framed the upcoming presidential election from the unique points of view of a wife, mother and first lady. “Our motto is, when they go low, we go high”. Just about every African American, Republican, Democratic, conservative or liberal has formed a special bond with this first lady.
“I want someone with the proven strength to persevere”, she said. And in terms of watching television on Monday night, it was an extraordinary moment of watching a live audience be actually transformed by something.
Hurwitz was the writer behind the Clinton’s concession speech in 2008, which is best known for the line in which she said her supporters made “18 million cracks” in the glass ceiling.
In fact, Michelle Obama’s remarks on Monday night built on work the Clinton campaign has already put out: Earlier this month, Clinton released an ad that shows children watching television while the worst of the worst of Trump’s notorious politically incorrect remarks play – profanity, mocking a disabled reporter, talking about shooting someone in the middle of NY and still getting votes.
“I wake up every day in a house that was built by slaves”, she declared before reflecting that now she can look out and “watch my daughters, two intelligent black young women, play with their dog on the White House lawn”. “But here’s the thing-what I admire most about Hillary is that she never buckled under pressure, she never takes the easy way out”. “You can’t have a thin skin or a tendency to lash out”.
“Don’t let anyone tell you this country isn’t great”, Ms Obama declared, thrilling a sports arena in Philadelphia that was packed to capacity on the convention’s first night. You need to be steady and well-informed. Perhaps it was the star power of the First Lady; perhaps it was the modicum of respect granted her position.
“I don’t think anyone is going to top that speech by Mrs. Obama”, he tweeted. In the video, she said her inspiration for joining politics was a trip to the White House organized by her eighth grade class. “And because of Hillary Clinton, and all our sons and daughters, now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States”.
“I think Hillary Clinton is a phenomenal woman”, Michelle Obama said when asked about her at a White House event in April, “And I’ve gotten to know her, and I think she’s made some pretty major contributions over the course of her life”. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was until recently a Democratic presidential candidate himself.
Advertisement
In 2011, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden started Joined Forces, an organization for service members and veterans for Americans to rally around them and support them through public and private services.
