Michelle Obama says Trump is the ‘wrong president for our country’ at DNC
The former first lady spoke at the opening night of the virtual Democratic National Convention and criticized President Trump for his lack of empathy
Former first lady Michelle Obama was the keynote speaker at the opening night at the virtual Democratic National Convention and praised Joe Biden as a restorative figure who would bring America back closer to its ideals.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the pageantry of the typical DNC with cheering crowds, falling balloons, and politicos in attendance is not an option. However, the enthusiasm for the ticket Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris was still on display the first night of the shuttered convention.
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The former FLOTUS spoke highly of Biden who served as vice president during the two terms of Barack Obama’s presidency.
“I know Joe,” Mrs. Obama said. “He is a profound, decent man guided by faith.”
“[Biden] knows what it takes to rescue our economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country,” the former first lady said. “And he listens. He will tell the truth and trusts science. He will make smart plans and manage a good team, and he will govern as someone who has lived the life the rest of us can recognize.”
As Biden decided on who would be his running mate, Obama’s name was mentioned as a possible VP pick. She had no interest in the role but spoke as a character witness for Biden possibly becoming commander in chief.
“When he was a kid, Joe’s father lost his job. When he was a young senator, Joe lost his wife and his baby daughter, and when he was vice president, he lost his beloved son. So Joe knows the anguish of sitting at a table with an empty chair, which is why he gives his time so freely to grieving parents,” she said.
“Joe knows what it’s like to struggle, which is why he gives his personal phone number to kids overcoming a stutter of their own. His life is a testament to gettin’ back up. And he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up to help us heal and guide us forward.”
Obama noted that Trump lost the popular vote by 3 million votes and urged citizens to vote in the upcoming presidential election. She encouraged mail-in voting, voting early, and requesting mail-in ballots. Her necklace even spelled out ‘vote.’
“You simply cannot fake your way through this job,” Obama said of Trump.
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During the 2016 DNC held in Philadelphia on behalf of Hillary Clinton who was the party’s standard-bearer, Obama memorably declared that “when they go low, we go high.” She remained true to that refrain.
“Going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty,” she said, “Going high means unlocking the shackles of lies and mistrust with the only thing that can truly set us free: the cold hard truth.”
Obama addressed the president by his name and declared that he was not the person to lead this country at this pivotal moment.
“Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is,” Obama said.
She warned that the country could become more compromised should Trump remain in office.
“If you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this: if you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can, and they will if we don’t make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it,” the former first lady said.
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