Michelle Obama: 'My job is to remind people who my husband is'
theGRIO REPORT - As she prepared for her big speech on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, first lady Michelle Obama reflected on her husband's major accomplishments...
“Are we going to keep these reforms or watch them be repealed?” she asked.
Mrs. Obama, who is arguably the most popular member of the Obama campaign team, touted accomplishments she says have helped young people, including the Affordable Care Act’s provision allowing people up to age 26 to remain on her parents’ insurance. She recalled hearing that the Supreme Court had upheld the constitutionality f healthcare reform while traveling with her staff, “who know they won’t be working for the government forever” and would need to navigate the healthcare system themselves.
She said many of them breathed a sigh of relief because they had pre-existing conditions too, despite their youth.
“We erupted and cheered,” she said of her and her staff’s reaction to the decision. “And I went to call Barack … and typical of him his reaction was calm and level-headed,” because he understood the victory “wasn’t about him,” but rather was for the millions of Americans who would no longer have to worry about health insurers dropping their coverage at the time they need it most.
As for her job on stage at the convention tonight, the first lady acknowledged that she doesn’t need to close a “likeability gap” as Ann Romney was tasked to do during her convention speech one week ago today, when she spoke in personal terms about her husband, former Massachusetts governor Romney. Polls show Obama leading Romney by double digits on the question of who is more “likeable.”
“My job tonight is to remind people who my husband is,” Mrs. Obama said, “in terms of his values, his accomplishments and his character.”
For daily convention coverage, follow Joy Reid on Twitter at @thereidreport
