Now ready for prime time: Michelle Obama

Admirers (and detractors) of Barack Obama have frequently described him as a rock star. Now Michelle Obama, his wife, is officially a headliner, too.

That's the word from the organizers of the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this month. They've just sent a news release announcing that she'll be the "headline prime-time speaker" on Monday, Aug. 25 -- the opening night of the Democrats' quadrennial funfest that will formally nominate her husband as the party's candidate for president of the United States.

Tuesday's headliner is Sen. Hillary Clinton, whom the release described as "a champion for working families and one of the most effective and empathetic voices in the country today." (Not surprisingly, there's no mention of the bitter primary contest between Clinton and Obama, or of the nearly 18 million votes she racked up between Jan. 3 and June 3.)

The vice presidential pick gets his/her turn in the convention spotlight Wednesday night. And Thursday, of course, is the Illinois senator's acceptance speech in front of more than 70,000 cheering fans at Invesco Field at Mile High, the home of the Denver Broncos. (The others have to make do with speaking before an in-person audience of 4,400 delegates and 15,000 members of the media at the Pepsi Center, where the NBA's Denver Nuggets play.)

While nominees' wives have addressed the convention in previous years (Hillary Clinton in 1996, Tipper Gore in 2000 and Teresa Heinz Kerry in 2004), this appears to be the first time that such a speech will be featured so prominently.

As this week progresses, convention organizers will be rolling out the names of other orators, perhaps making it easier to read the currently murky tea leaves swirling around the #2 slot on the ticket. Stay tuned.

-- Leslie Hoffecker

Photo credit: Cheryl Senter/Associated Press

Comments

[Leigh]

Michelle Obama is a highly intelligen, independent woman
who balances career, marriage and motherhood
with style and grace.

I look forward to her convention speech.

[Fairandbalanced]

Anyone (almost) but Michelle. She is not Paris Hilton, but anything she says will reflect on Barack and, judging from past remarks, that is not good.

[scott]

and not only do they use the word "fans" but they pick a very unflattering picture of her. This is a typical ploy when trying to discredit someone. Out of thousands of images of a public figure, they weed through to find this one. Ghosts of Rove past.

[Caswell Whiteside]

Rock Stars have hits. How many hits has Michelle racked up?

[Dean]

I thought we were suppose to leave his wife alone, and along with his children.

What a flip flop.

I hope somebody asks her now why she let her children listen to the posion of Rev. Wright. Fair question. Maybe she really hates American, and is not pround.

[Masuganer]

I hope she does as well as Teresa! Teresa went a long way to sink John Kerry. Maybe Michelle will do the same. Here is hoping!

[A face only a mother could love]

What does one read in that defying look and disdainfull
attitude ? Narcissism and Wrightism and farakhanism come to mind. The I wear the pants in this house, attitude
is also unmistakebble. Ultra black feminists and the GLBT
will no doubt express their joy.

[timothy]

Such nasty comments. Why? Ignorant people must spew garbage: keeps her in a box, hides her. Michelle Obama has spoken publically since the start of his campaign and audiences love her: she's smart, funny, very real and normal, what's not to like? Again, some people must just spew trash - maybe it makes them feel like they have a thought.

[rocky]

I have a feeling we all know who the real President will be if Obama get elected. What credentials does she have to speak and who would want to hear what she has to say. She is drek.

[toubled]

If Obama was as smart as the media make him up
to be he will leave Michelle Obama at home to take
care of his children that he will hardly ever see when
he becomes President.

[TrueFan1947]

The LA Times, like so many other large corporations, think the general public is too ignorant and too stupid to recognize when we are being patronized and insulted by them. "FANS"? What....elections are a sporting event? How condescending! Trivializing political debates, speeches and the entire electoral process is what these huge media corporations do. It's in their best interest to do so, but it certainly is NOT in the public's best interest! Government is the only entity potentially powerful enough to protect the public and its individual citizens from the consequences of rampant corporate irresponsibility! Trivializing government is a corporate agenda.

[troubled]

I hope in her speech she mentions how proud she
is of our Country now that Obama is the nominee.

[Dave]

Watching this convention is going to be like watching a floodlit train wreck!

[stacey]

She is a phoney like her husband. The democratics should be ashamed of themselves.

[Don Jones]

Keep it up Bro O on your way to suicide. Oh how we need an election for First Ladies. Yours even looks anti-American
Don Jones

[Saint Michael Traveler]

Mrs. Michelle Obama is a great speaker and a great lady all by her own account.

[diana raabe]

Michelle Obama has been holding her own for some time. Her intelligence and dignified presence are undeniable, and will serve the Senator (and the country) well.

[Mr. Skeptic]

The LA times makes a comeback with this incisive piece

/sarcasm off

[Al B]

Well, you guys did it again. Of all the file photos you could pick from your stock photo archive, you just had to pick the above photo of Michelle. You could have checked with the National Enquirer to see if they had one of her on the toilet or something even more unbecoming. You two fail to amaze... Could you have come up with anything just a tad more insulting? Hard to believe.

[Aleks]

Barack Obama is not a good debater, and John McCain does nothing but sneer, snarl and sleep. Let's have a First Ladies Debate, Cindy v. Michelle!

[Hominid]

Sure, Judy -

That bastion of Right-Wing hate, the LA Times, took a cheap shot at his fans -er - supporters...

Get a grip.

Benito seems to understand, though...

[Marcus]

Michele makes such a better 1st lady than Bill Clinton anyways. That man just thinks the Obamas are a fairy tale anyway. HA Hillary, you went down! In fact, Michele has more charisma and is much more honest than the Clintons anyway. Yo Yo bring on the applause for Michele Obama!!

They should have my man JayZ or PDiddy out there throwin it down for them, that'd be fresh.

Down with the Clintons, they are just mad cuz they got beat by someone with less time on the job then them.

[Juan]

Ready for prime time? The picture above seems to have caught her at a bad time!

Wow, I can't wait for her speech. Wonder if any anti-patriot stuff will slip out again. It's amazing how little control people have when they've been conditioned for 20 years.

[hcallaway]

Terrible picture. Better show her good side at the convention.

[Zack Centre]

The LA Times (aka Fox News)just continues with the cheap shots..."fans"...instead of supporters and this kind of stuff will continue until Murdoch buys the Times from Zell or hopefully the paper will just go away. It's become pretty worthless anyway.