Michelle Obama: I am you and you are me
DENVER -- Michelle Obama looks unlike any woman who has ever been this close to becoming the first lady of the United States.
But as she headlined the opening night of the convention primed to nominate her husband, Barack, for the presidency, she depicted herself as one of the nation's everywomen -- imbued with love of family and love of country and a product of the good, old-fashioned, you-can-make-it-if-you-try work ethic.
Introducing herself to some voters -- and seeking to end, for others, questions raised when she made her "first time in my adult life I am proud of my country” remark in February -- Obama stressed her adherence to values that Americans hold dear.
She mentioned the "American dream" twice. Casting both her own life story and that of her mate's as examples of "improbable journeys," she pointedly said: "That is why I love this country."
And she added: "And in my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much."
There was no hint of an edge emanating from Obama. There was little mention of the particulars of her professional career; much mention of her parents, her brother and especially her two children.
It was, in short, a speech that the most conventional, tradition-bound first lady of the past could have comfortably given -- no doubt exactly what her husband's message strategists had in mind.
The most replayed moment almost assuredly ...
... will be one stolen directly from the Republican handbook.
Ronald Reagan, just after wife Nancy had spoken, memorably appeared on a big screen in Dallas to send his regards at the 1984 convention that would renominate him.
So it was with the Obamas tonight, though two young, cute children were added to the mix -- including one, Sasha, who stole the show by engaging her father in a running dialogue.
-- Don Frederick
Photo credit: Associated Press
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Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
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She never said, "first time in my adult life I am proud of my country”. She said, ""first time in my adult life I am really proud of my country” - "really proud", not "proud". Please stop regurgitating this Fox-News false quote.
Posted by: Raffi Aidiniantz | August 25, 2008 at 10:00 PM
What a contrast.
Maybe the spouses will help decide the election.
An articulate Ivy League graduate that worked hard, was given very little and overcame poverty?
-or-
A trust fund Heiress that caused a man to leave his partially crippled, disfigured wife?
Are "Familiy values" in play in 2008?
Posted by: Republican NV Era Veteran | August 25, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Michele Obama was doing what any candidate's wife is expected to do ... she was trying to promote her husband in the best light possible. But when she tries to make people believe that the Obamas are just like the average citizen, she is really stretching the truth. The average citizen does not live in a 2 million dollar home which was purchased with the help of a convicted felon (Tony Rezko).
Posted by: s.kaye | August 25, 2008 at 10:27 PM
It's amazing how Republicans eat everything that is spoon fed to them. Do your research on Rezko and you will find nothing, on the other hand Google Keating 5 . I am still baffled as to why Obama won't go there.
Posted by: Ron | August 25, 2008 at 11:30 PM
If family values were an issue, it would be a clear win for the "trust fund Heiress" than the America hating down mean country Michelle Obama.
Senator McCain's first marriage was already broken when he met Cindy McCain, and she and Senator McCain did not attend a racist church for twenty years, and did not subject their children to listening to the sermons that Michelle and Barack Obama subjected their daughters to. I do not hold anything against Mrs. McCain being wealthy who is a philanthropist who goes around the world doing charity work for the needy. Mrs. McCain is also educated and worked as a teacher before she inherited her father's wealth.
Michelle Obama's salary more than doubled when Barack Obama became state senator in Illinois because he granted earmarks (taxpayers' money) to the hospital where she is employed. What a corrupt way of overcoming poverty. What a huge contrast!
Barack Obama, serving his first term as U.S. Senator won't mention Keating 5 because he has more skeletons in his closet than Senator McCain has had in his longer tenure as a U.S. Senator. Another huge contrast!
Posted by: Republican USAF Retiree from California | August 26, 2008 at 01:23 AM
Michelle Says.... Once you've had Barrack, you'll never go back !
Posted by: Ron | August 26, 2008 at 06:06 AM
MEMO TO PARTISAN HACKS:
Of course the Obamas are somewhat different than the rest of America with a Million-or-so-dollar house.
They are, however, just like everyone else in that they earned it themselves, from working class obscurity through the best educational institutions in America to earn that house.
However, when McCain decided to run for congress, his wife Cindy bought a house in the 1st congressional district (where I lived) *the day that incumbent John Jay Rhodes announced his retirement.
Look it up on Wikipedia, with references cited to a book by Robert Timberg: "John McCain: An American Odyssey"
So....partisan McCain hack: is this where you want to go? Back to "houses"? I'd like to run for office in that district...so go buy me a house? If they were just "Cindy's houses" then McCain could never have run for the congress in the first place.
Which one seems more unlike average Americans - the hard working, working class couple who earned the American dream, or the son and grandson of Admirals who married wealth and then bought a house when it became necessary to run in that district?
Posted by: SonOfHistoryProf | August 26, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Republican retiree wrote:
If family values were an issue, it would be a clear win for the "trust fund Heiress" than the America hating down mean country Michelle Obama.
Senator McCain's first marriage was already broken when he met Cindy McCain, and she and Senator McCain did not attend a racist church for twenty years, and did not subject their children to listening to the sermons that Michelle and Barack Obama subjected their daughters to. I do not hold anything against Mrs. McCain being wealthy who is a philanthropist who goes around the world doing charity work for the needy. Mrs. McCain is also educated and worked as a teacher before she inherited her father's wealth.
Michelle Obama's salary more than doubled when Barack Obama became state senator in Illinois because he granted earmarks (taxpayers' money) to the hospital where she is employed. What a corrupt way of overcoming poverty. What a huge contrast!
Barack Obama, serving his first term as U.S. Senator won't mention Keating 5 because he has more skeletons in his closet than Senator McCain has had in his longer tenure as a U.S. Senator. Another huge contrast!
-------------------------------------------------
First of all, trust me, the Keating 5 will get mentioned in the coming weeks.
John McCain has made this personal. I think he will come to regret that.
There are many reports that suggest that McCain actively cheated on his first wife when he returned. Apparently, Washington was well aware of it.
As far as 'subjecting' their children to Rev. Wright, I am caucasian and don't have an issue with Obama having attended church there. Do you have proof that he was ranting about America every week? Or are you just repeating the GOP sift-boating slander? DO you also have any problem with the anti-Catholic, anti-Semitic, anti-black pastors that McCain courted, and then distanced himself from when it became public. Their comments were a matter of public record when McCain tried to curry favor with them.
Something tells me it will be awfully hard for Cindy McCain to share the story about how the 2 of them met and fell in love. Without obscuring some truths, at any rate.
Posted by: scootmandubious | August 26, 2008 at 10:31 AM
scootmandubious says:
"As far as 'subjecting' their children to Rev. Wright, I am caucasian and don't have an issue with Obama having attended church there. Do you have proof that he was ranting about America every week?"
Stick to substance and you won't need to bring in the "I am a caucasian" line.
"proof" that he was ranting "every week"?
So, hateful speech needs to be repeated at least weekly in order to qualify as hateful?
You think that with logic like this you are HELPING Obama, but you'd help him a lot more by not commenting.
Posted by: gaston65 | August 26, 2008 at 04:15 PM
The Obama's will be exposed. They are corrupt like every other politician in Chicago. You all will regret voting for this man.
Posted by: Princess | January 13, 2009 at 08:49 PM