Former First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama concluded the second night of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday by urging voters at home to reject the politics of division and support Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
As the penultimate speaker of the evening, Michelle Obama took the stage and entertained the party-loving crowd at the United Center in Chicago with an observation on the current state of the presidential race.
“There is something wonderfully magical in the air… a familiar feeling that has been buried deep for too long. You know what I’m talking about – it’s the contagious power of hope,” Obama said.
“America, hope is returning,” she added.
“Hope” was the main theme of Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign in 2008. The enthusiasm of that campaign and the message of “hope” for a better country after eight years of President George W. Bush were instrumental in bringing Obama to the White House.
Michelle Obama continued her speech with numerous jabs at Donald Trump, the former president and current Republican presidential candidate.
The choice between Harris and Trump “couldn’t be more obvious,” Obama said. “Of the two major candidates in this race, only Kamala Harris truly understands the invisible work and unwavering commitment that has always made America great.”
Despite the enthusiasm for Harris that has been evident in recent days, Obama warned the crowd that Trump and his allies would try to distort the “truth” about her – and mentioned that he did so for years when her husband was president.
“For years, Donald Trump has done everything in his power to make people afraid of us. His narrow, parochial view of the world has led him to feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be black,” Obama said.
“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently looking for could be one of those ‘black jobs’?” she added, alluding to Trump’s false statements that immigrants are taking jobs away from black people.
“It’s still his old con: He’s relying on ugly, misogynistic and racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that would actually improve people’s lives,” said Michelle Obama, adding:
I don’t care what your political affiliation is – whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent, or neither. Now is the time to stand up for what we know in our hearts is right. Not just for our basic freedoms, but for decency and humanity, for basic respect and dignity and empathy, for the values that are the foundation of this democracy.
The crowd was full of energy during her speech, cheering loudly the entire time. Next up was her husband, Barack Obama, who received an equally enthusiastic response from the DNC delegates.
Twenty years ago, Obama first took the stage at a Democratic National Convention event and delivered a stirring speech as a candidate for the Illinois Senate that put him on the national political stage. Four years later, Obama ran for president.
“It’s good to be home,” said Obama, who previously lived in Chicago. “I don’t know about you, but I’m energized.”
Obama also alluded to the theme of “hope” in his speech and often incorporated humor into his message.
“I’m hopeful because this convention has always been good for kids with funny names in a country where anything is possible,” Obama said.
Obama said:
We have the chance to elect someone who has spent her entire life trying to give people the same opportunities that America gave her. Someone who sees you and hears you and who stands up and fights for you every day: the next President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris.
Obama also thanked President Joe Biden, describing him as compassionate and praising him for his difficult decision to drop out of the presidential campaign a month ago.
“History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great peril. I am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend,” Obama said.
“The torch has been passed. It is up to all of us to fight for the America we believe in. And make no mistake, it will be a fight. … This is still going to be a close race in a country that is deeply divided,” Obama said.
The former president also took swipes at Trump, claiming the Republican candidate does not care enough about the problems of the American people.
“The people who will decide this election are asking a very simple question: Who will fight for me? Who will think about my future, my children’s future – our future together?” Obama said. “One thing is certain: Donald Trump will not lose sleep over this question.”
Obama called Trump a “78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down a golden escalator nine years ago.” He derided Trump’s penchant for “childish nicknames” and spreading “conspiracy theories” as well as his “strange obsession with crowd sizes.”
“We don’t need four more years of noise and chaos. We’ve seen the movie – and we all know that the sequels are usually even worse,” Obama said. “America is ready for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story. We are ready for a President Kamala Harris.”
Obama said Harris was “ready for the job,” emphasizing even more the bona fide saying that Harris, unlike Trump, “will not focus on her own problems, but on yours.”
Obama also called on voters to reject the messages being spread by Trump, saying: “The other side knows it’s easy to play on people’s fears and cynicism.”
“That’s the easy way. We have a different job. Our job is to convince people that democracy can actually do something,” Obama said. “We can’t just point to what we’ve already accomplished or rely only on the ideas of the past. We have to find a new way forward to meet the challenges of today.”
Obama then called for more empathy and understanding in the country.
“Democracy is not just a bunch of abstract principles and dusty laws. It consists of the values we live by and the way we treat each other – including those who look different from us, pray differently from us or see the world differently from us,” he said.
“The vast majority of us do not want to live in a country where there is bitterness and division. We want something better. … The joy and enthusiasm we are experiencing in this election campaign shows us that we are not alone,” the former president added.
Obama concluded his speech by calling on Democrats to work to elect Harris as president.
“We will elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States and Tim Walz as the next Vice President of the United States. On every ballot, we will elect leaders who will fight for the hopeful, forward-looking America we believe in,” Obama said. “And together, we too will build a country that is safer and more just, more equal and more free.”
Defend the truth with us before it’s too late
The future of journalism is uncertain and the consequences of its loss are too grave to ignore. To ensure Truth stay fearless, tough and 100% independent. We need to raise $22,000 in the next 24 hours. Every dollar raised goes directly toward the costs of producing trustworthy news.
Please give what you can – because by supporting us with a tax-deductible donation, you are not only preserving a news source, you are helping to preserve what is left of our democracy.
