I watched Michelle Obama’s speech tonight and was blown away by the contrast between Ann Romney’s speech last week and Mrs. Obama’s speech tonight.
With Mrs. Romney’s speech, she seemed to speak at us while conversely, Mrs. Obama’s speech seemed to speak forus.
The Huffington Post
Michelle Obama’s message: President Barack Obama is just like you.
“Barack knows the American Dream because he’s lived it,” the first lady told the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday in an address intended to reassure voters that her husband share their values – hard work, perseverance and optimism – while also drawing a contrast between him and Mitt Romney.
Mrs. Obama never mentioned the president’s Republican challenger, who grew up in a world of privilege and wealth.
But the point was clear as she weaved a tapestry of their early years together, when money was tight and times were tough, when they were “so in love, and so in debt.” She reminisced about the man who now occupies the Oval Office pulling his favorite coffee table out of the trash and wearing dress shoes that were a size too small. And she told stories about a president who still takes time to eat dinner with his daughters nearly every night, answering their questions about the news and strategizing about middle-school friendships.
With a mix of personal anecdotes and policy talk, Mrs. Obama’s speech was by far her most political yet.
“Today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my husband in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are – it reveals who you are,” she said.
To that send, the first lady painted a portrait of a leader who knows first-hand the struggles of everyday Americans, who listens to them as president, and who pushes an agenda with their interests in mind.
“That’s the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him,” she said. “I see the concern in his eyes … and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, `You won’t believe what these folks are going through, Michelle . it’s not right. We’ve got to keep working to fix this. We’ve got so much more to do.”"
She added: “I see how that’s what drives Barack Obama every single day.”
With such stories, the first lady sought to counter Republicans trying to paint Obama as something other than a typical American, and implied that it was Romney who couldn’t relate to people trying to get by in tough economic times.
To be sure, neither Romney nor Obama fits the bill of the average, working-class American struggling with credit card debt and mortgage payments. Both are millionaires who live a privileged life few Americans will ever experience.
Related articles
- Obama warns he may mist up at Michelle (capitalfm.co.ke)
- Michelle Obama: ‘My job is to remind people who my husband is’ (thegrio.com)
- How Will First Lady Michelle Obama’s Speech at the DNC Stack Up Against Ann Romney’s Speech at the RNC? (foxnewsinsider.com)
- Michelle Obama won’t take on GOP (politico.com)
- PREVIEW: Michelle Obama’s DNC Speech (foxnewsinsider.com)
- Sweet: Michelle Obama’s day and perks reserved for the big donors (suntimes.com)
Michelle was magnificent!!
She was stylin’ from the moment she walked out on stage. I think she even had a little extra wiggle in her walk. Plus I could tell from her pumped up shoulders that she had been working out for the occasion. And I love the way you all wear that skin lotion that makes you glow.
The speech was actually more of a performance – the way she used her sometimes trembling voice and her hands and body movement to arouse emotion. It was wonderful political theater. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Michelle was crafty too. She made all the right points, pressed all the right buttons and made the choices clear. But she said it all in such a loving, classy, uplifting and inclusive way.
I know her mother is proud of her. Her daughters probably aren’t at all surprised and expected nothing less.
I’m sure Barack feels like he owes her big time. (Did you see the photo of him cuddled up with Sasha and Malia watching the speech on T.V.?)
LTL, I agree with MOST of your assessment of the FLOTUS and that magnificent speech she gave last night. Just to nit pick a bit:
The speech was actually more of a performance – the way she used her sometimes trembling voice and her hands and body movement to arouse emotion. It was wonderful political theater. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Her delivery, in my opinion was not contrived or acted, it was sincere and straight from the heart. I didn’t see her “performance” as you did. I saw a wife and mother, retelling their story of struggle and success.
KStreet you are so cute. You don’t have to be that tactful with me.
I know exactly what you mean. As a matter of fact, right after I sent it I thought I might be taken the wrong way. Michelle wrote the speech herself, I read. And I know her delivery was absolutely sincere. But she DID rehearse on that very stage – getting used to the teleprompter and all. I saw flashes of her doing so during a news program. And surely she thought about not only what she was going say, but also how she would say it.
To me, Michelle’s ability to say words that she had planned to say ahead of time and say them in a way that sounds as if she’s speaking from the heart, unrehearsed, is part of her brilliance, charm and power. And it makes the difference between a good speech and a spectacular speech.
It’s a skill that could enable her to plan ahead of time how she wants to tell off Barack and pull that arrow from her quiver at a time of her choice.
Plus Michelle looks pretty tough, despite her beauty. She could almost dare Barack not to keep any displays of offense under control. (Not that Barack is the kind of guy who would ever do so – especially with the likes of Michelle Obama.
)
And speaking of Barack, did you see his appearance at the end of Clinton’s speech? And what did you think of Clinton’s speech? And how about the Obama/Clinton embrace? How cool was that? Contrary to what many may ink, I’ll bet Clinton actually WON Obama some votes among the good ol’ white boy crowd with that. They know any guy who becomes president, gets public blow jobs, keeps his wife, and then helps a Black guy become president has to be cool. And he still has a cool walk.
But enough about all that stuff from me. What do YOU (or any of the other ladies out there) think of Bill and/or Barack?
(There were camera shots of a lot of women breathing very heavily, if not gasping for air.
)