Posted on 09/17/2008 5:44:58 AM PDT by markomalley
She wasn't the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention, but millions of supporters noted her with keen interest on the first night in Denver. Michelle Obama delivered a remarkable speech that made the audience shed tears of joy, and gave a smile of hope with her firm support for her husband, Barack Obama. The leading lady of the first day of the convention, Obama tried to connect with the common American through her personal story. She shared her moments of pains and gains to let everyone know she was not different, but one of them.
Throughout her speech, Michelle Obama made a personal connection with the people. She didn't stand there like a celebrity but as any other American woman who had her share of good and bad times in life, just as the Obama campaign wanted her to appear.
"I come here today as a sister," Obama said, "as a wife who loves my husband and believes he will be an extraordinary president...as a Mom whose girls are the heart of my heart and the center of my world...as a daughter - raised on the South Side of Chicago by a father who was a blue collar city worker, and a mother who stayed at home with my brother and me." Her rhetoric was clear. She wanted people to know her family values and commitment, moreover, her faith in her husband. She also mentioned Barack Obama's childhood, how he was raised by his grandparents and a single mother who struggled to pay the bills. Michelle Obama wanted people to know about their struggle and their aspirations that brought them to where they stand today. She wanted people to feel they would know the challenges a common citizen faces to survive. She was trying to connect to people through their story and tell them they knew what they were talking about and would do their best to change the dire situations for millions of people; she did it with all her elan and elegance. Michelle Obama also had to connect to the white voters in places like Ohio where they're still oblivious to who the Obamas really are. According to the Gallup Poll (Sept. 1-7), only 39 percent of non-Hispanic whites support Obama, 14 percent lower than McCain. Thus, one of Michelle Obama's missions was to let people know of their background; she had to reflect on her values and upbringing and be a storyteller. She surely did a good job.
So, what place does Michelle Obama hold in her husband's campaign? Would her speech make any difference to the voters? The answer is yes. According to the latest Gallup Poll, over half of Americans say a presidential candidate's spouse is an important factor in their vote. Over the summer, another Gallop Poll showed her favorable ratings increased among the voters; only 22 percent of Americans had never heard of her or didn't know much about her. However, she is better known than the Republican candidate John McCain's spouse, Cindy McCain. In Denver, Michelle Obama also had to answer to critics who had been nudging her when she said, "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country." Many tried to misconstrue she was never proud of her country. However, she hit the right notes at the convention speaking on the American dream she has lived, and will continue to strive as her fellow Americans.
But not everyone seemed happy with her speech, especially some hardheaded Republicans.
Ben Stein, a political and entertainment personality, seemed utterly unhappy with Michelle Obama's speech.
"Well, I though that Mrs. Obama's speech was a - just a mass of cliches," Stein said while talking to Larry King on CNN. "I don't get what's so impressive about her."
He said Michelle Obama presented herself as a loyal wife at the convention, and "she did anything much more than do what any wife is supposed to do."
But what more was she supposed to do? Was she obligated to deliver her four-year plan when she becomes the first lady? That wouldn't have done any good because she would then be representing her power and status, which would have failed to connect with people. Her intention was just to connect with people, and that's what she did.
Michelle Obama is no political figure, and she has no obligation to present herself in such a position. She is a mother and a wife who firmly supports her husband to be the next president of the United States. She is one of America's citizens who knows what it's like to grow up in poverty and struggle for success. All she wanted was to let people acknowledge her by her roles as a determined woman and to realize her husband could be the change.
In Denver, Michelle Obama stood for her husband and millions of people whose lives he would change. She was there, as herself, to speak her mind. She spoke and definitely conquered the hearts and minds of many.
So is "Texas Christian University" a Christian institution, in the spirit of Georgetown being a Catholic institution?
For you TCU alums, you may wish to keep this type of thing in mind the next time they ask for donations...
Yeah, her and Louis Farrakhan.
My wife doesn’t connect with somebody who accepts a 100% raise when her husband makes the senate.
“She spoke and definitely conquered the hearts and minds of many.”
Marketing and philosophy majors might conclude this is an ineffective sales pitch, as it is not logically constructed.
M. Obama was quite rightly nailed in that Atlantic Monthly cover, she is the radical with the Ak-47 slung on her back.
Ironically, under Obama’s plans, she could not legally purchase such a rifle legally in the US...
“My wife doesn’t connect with somebody who accepts a 100% raise when her husband makes the senate”
She went from a Temporary worker...to full time with a promotion. Happens everyday /s
Was this article written by a Muslim?
The unofficial school motto at TCU is "Don't let that middle name fool you."
That said, the Skiff is a student-run newspaper with journalism students as editors, reporters, columnists, etc. The faculty at TCU is probably about 80% to 90% liberal democrat and 10% to 20% market conservative -- mostly in the School of Business.
Michelle gave Obama a lock on the women-who-make-$300,000+ a year-because-their-husbands-are-well-connected-with-the-corrupt-Chicago-political-machine vote.
I’m an everyday Reagan conservative American. I find Mrs. Obamma lamma ding dong a complaining whiny pushy broad who I would never care to have a beer with or go moose hunting with. And as for her hsuband berry? What a putz.
Now Sarah Palin? I’d love to have a beer after moose hunting with her and her husband.
And just where has she been lately? (See tagline.) Is she in burqah? Getting the kiddies ready for the Halloween holidays that grow ever more elaborate each year? (Do Obamas give gifts?)
They seek her here, they seek her there,
The freepers seek her everywhere.
Is she at home, is she in hospital (vice president for external affairs, her annual salary increased from $121,910 to $316,962)
That Dem, elusive **** Michelle.
These people are so out of touch that it's amazing.
” She shared her moments of pains and gains...”
Wish I could sit in a hospital making 300 grand (gains) cutting out paragraphs from newspapers that offend my skin (pains).
No wonder we pay $15 for an aspirin at liberal hospitals.
Who in life has EVER gotten a 300% raise???
Anyone?
Who?
There used to be a Michelle Obama on TV a lot. If I remember correctly, she didn’t like America very much.
Biden's wife is accompanying Obama on the campaign trail today sans Michelle.
Not only would you like to have a beer with Todd and Sarah, but Holy Moly!—her running mate’s wife is a beer distributor! ;-)
What the h*ll? Yeah, she’s in touch all right. Why didn’t she go to the 911 anniversary commemoration? Cindy McCain was there.
“Downright mean” Americans, no doubt.
If you attempt to accurately describe her the Mod deletes you. But who cares! She’s a mean, vicious, loud-mouth, racist anti-American far-left radical social-climber who will allow racists and terrorists into the White House.
Gee when was the last time Michelle bought her kids school clothes at J.C. Penney, shopped for personal items like make-up at Target or worried about her household budget? Why don’t her kids attend a public school? When was the last time she actively participated in her kid’s extra curricular activities by fund raising, coaching etc.? Michelle is about as far removed from average middle America as you can get.
Lot to be said for a lady who owns a beer distributorship.
Unless it is a Carling Black llabel or a Blatz or maybe a brew 52. Brew 52 was a brewery that took its water from the L.A. wash.
Wasn’t that Brew 102? Not 52...
It appears like Bibek...licked the Horned Frog.
Yes, I think you are correct.
Seems..I recall the brewery was right off the "5" FRWY.
Had a big sign...."Brew 102"
So young, so naive, so ignorant.
Yep.
Hard to believe the antithesis of say bush or Coors where they tout their mountain spring clear clean water. As opposed to brew 102 getting theirs from L.A.s gutter.
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