Michelle Obama’s return to Chicago revived the message of “hope” that defined her husband Barack Obama’s historic presidential campaign as she took aim at the political wrecking ball who has worked to make the country “fear” them.
The former first lady — who remains a massively influential voice in the Democratic Party but a reluctant campaigner — delivered a forceful rebuke of Donald Trump’s agenda at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night.
She appeared on stage to roars from the crowd to deliver the penultimate speech at the United Center ahead of her former president husband.
In one especially powerful moment, Obama eviscerated Trump’s now-infamous comments about so-called “Black jobs” – warning him that the role of commander-in-chief is very well one such job.
“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?” she said, to laughter in the room.
“It’s his same old con — doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lives as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better.”
Back in June, Trump sparked outrage for claiming immigrants were taking away “Black jobs” during the CNN debate with President Joe Biden.
Since then, he has been confronted with demands to define what exactly a “Black job” is and has been trolled by prominent Americans of color including Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles.
Obama opened her roarous speech with other barely-veiled digs at Trump, and an urgent call to “overwhelm” the polls to vote for Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz.
“For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us,” she said.
The Obamas have been at the center of the division that Trump has exploited in his political rise, from amplifying “birther” conspiracy theories, refusing to beat back the racism brewing in his party, and leaning into “Barack Hussein Obama.”
“See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who happened to be Black,” she said.
She told attendees that Harris “has shown her allegiance to this nation, not by spewing anger and bitterness, but by living a life of service and always pushing the doors of opportunity open to others.”
Harris understands that most Americans “will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth,” Obama said, in another reference to Trump.
“No, we don’t get to change the rules, so we always win. If we see a mountain in front of us, we don’t expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top,” she said.
While her husband heaped praise on Biden in his speech, Obama made no mention of the president at any point in her 20-plus minute long speech – despite spending four years working closely with him and First lady Jill Biden during the Obama administration.
Her remarks about Harris, meanwhile, were met with thunderous applause from Democrats, who have exhibited renewed enthusiasm for this election since Biden announced that he would be standing down from the race and throwing his support behind the vice president.
But Obama warned the convention that electing Harris was “still going to be an uphill battle” and cautioned Democrats against being “our own worst enemies” by succumbing to fear and complacency.
The former First Lady praised Harris as “more than ready for this moment” and called her “one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency”.
Obama also made poignant reference to the loss of her mother, Marian Robinson, a Chicago native, who died in May, and Kamala’s late mother.
“It’s up to us to remember what Kamala’s mother told her: Don’t just sit around and complain — do something!” Obama said.