Michele Obama touts Clinton as best for children’s future

Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention focused on the importance of a president as a role model for children. It also attacked Trump without once saying his name, celebrated blackness, and expressed hope for the future.

The first lady’s speech in Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center included a personal touch, noting “I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves. And I watched my daughters, two beautiful intelligent black women, play with their dog on the White House lawn. And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters and all our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States.”

Michele Obama began with recollections of when Barack Obama was first elected and how their daughters, Malia and Sasha, grew up over the course of their father’s presidency. She also talked about the importance of words, saying “this election is about who will have the power to shape our children for the next 4 or 8 years of their lives.” She also told an anecdote about Barack meeting a young black boy who wanted to see if he had the same hair as Barack.

She called out the election for its bullying tone, and recalled how she had to teach her daughters to ignore hateful comments, including ones questioning their father’s citizenship during his election campaigns. However, she said her family’s motto is: “When they go low, we go high.”

She went on to say: “Barack and I take that same approach to our job as president and first lady because we know that our words and actions matter, not just to our girls, but the children across this country. Kids who tell us, I saw you on TV, I wrote a report on you for school.”

Given that this was a speech for the 2016 Democratic National Convention, and not those in 2008 or 2012 when her husband was running, Michele Obama then officially declared her support for Hillary Clinton, saying there is only one person “qualified to be president of the United States, and that is our friend, Hillary Clinton. That’s right.”

The first lady said: “There is only one person who I believe is truly qualified to be president of the United States and that is Hillary Clinton.” Although her support for Hillary was mostly met with applause, some boos were also heard.

Michele Obama once again added a personal touch saying: “And as my daughters prepare to set out into that world, I want a leader who is worthy of that truth.”

While many were moved by Michelle Obama’s words, not everyone was buying what she was selling.