The Democratic National Convention (DNC) kicked off on Monday night online, with one of its keynote speakers being the former first lady Michelle Obama.
Among all others who were featured during the first day of the DNC 2020, Michelle Obama and her speech address were one of the highly-anticipated moments. Despite hating politics, per her speech, she felt the need to address the nation in this trying time.
Michelle Obama’s message to the American nation
The former first lady started her address by acknowledging the hard time that everyone is currently experiencing, with each one feeling it in different ways compared to others.
One of the highlights on the first part of Obama’s speech reads:
I’ve met so many of you. I’ve heard your stories. And through you, I have seen this country’s promise. And thanks to so many who came before me, thanks to their toil and sweat and blood, I’ve been able to live that promise myself.
That’s the story of America. All those folks who sacrificed and overcame so much in their own times because they wanted something more, something better for their kids.
There’s a lot of beauty in that story. There’s a lot of pain in it, too, a lot of struggle and injustice and work left to do. And who we choose as our president in this election will determine whether or not we honor that struggle and chip away at that injustice and keep alive the very possibility of finishing that work.
“But let’s be clear: going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty. Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountain top.” @MichelleObama pic.twitter.com/3IlRyqi9MA
— Brian Sims 🌈 (@BrianSimsPA) August 18, 2020
Reports and political analysts have commented on Obama’s speech as being very personal. She’s been known for her “inspiring and motivating political speeches,” per CNBC. She’s been dubbed as “one of the most sought after campaign surrogates in all of politics.”
However, those who expected the first lady’s version of “Mom-in-chief” were in for a wake-up call as the rest of her speech addressed the importance of change under the current administration.
Michelle Obama strikes on Donald Trump
Further into Obama’s almost 20-minute speech, she highlighted the hardship of running the presidency job. She emphasized:
“A president’s words have the power to move markets. They can start wars or broker peace. They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts. You simply cannot fake your way through this job.”
She preached how becoming the president “doesn’t change who you are,” but instead, “reveals who you are.” Later on, she unveiled the “cold, hard truth” about the current leader of the U.S.
“So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” says Obama. “He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us.”
Obama then added, “It is what it is.” Per Bloomberg, this was a reference to one of Trump’s interview when he confronted about the alarming death toll of the country due to COVID-19.
She then proceeded with expressing her endorsement to Joe Biden as the next President of the United States. Meanwhile, her husband, the former POTUS Barack Obama, is speaking on Day 2 of the digital convention.
Featured image courtesy of Debby Wong/Shutterstock