It was lovely, wasn't it! Nothing will impact the knuckledraggers out there but, to the human beings amongst us, this was a good moment.

I was watching on PBS, and the commentators kept mentioning that Michele had an image problem. None of them mentioned that was due to RW smear artists, not to anything true about Michele. Sad that PBS, of all places, is unable to make that connection.

Besides Obama's sister, I wish everyone else was as eloquent as Michelle.

I thought it was cute when Obama's daughter asked him what city he was in, because he initially said he was in St. Louis.

They are a deserving family for the White House. Michelle was able to project herself as both professional and family oriented - Brava.

The Obamas aren't quite the typical American family; they are what the typical American family aspires to be on its best days. Hell, even us 'others' want to be them. Truth be told, I bet the McCains wish they were them.

I suspect the original goal of Michelle's speech was to help humanize her husband, but she ended up going much further, telling an amazing American story, and one hopes, erasing any doubts about her love of country.

Erasing doubts about her patriotism was, I think, the primary purpose of the speech. Successfully depicting two healthy, loving families--both her family of origin and her current family--that reflect the same values and want the same things skittish voters do was just lagniappe.

I thought the biggest, and cutest, ham of the night was Sasha Obama. I agree the speech was great and the family moments after lovely.

And Michael7843853 I think you're exactly right.

Karl Rove's tactics of accusing the other guy of Rove's candidate's short comings just won't work when Truth is widely disseminated (as on the WWW). American's are just sick and tired of smears, lies, spin and negative politics. Wouldn't this be a change. The age of one sided TV propaganda is nearly over. Thank the gods!

I thought her speech Michelle Obama's speech was just what it needed to be. Human. My only issue, and maybe it's just me, is that I felt like some of her hand/arm gestures seemed rigid.

Great speech. And she did it w/o any mention of sniper fire. Oh, and McAce used the POW baloney again on Leno. What a sad sack he's turned into.

Biden's got another good one to use: Noun, verb, POW

Michelle being 'bitter,'...

She from Pennsylvania?

Took a lot of courage to do what she did. The close camera shots belie what a lonely place that podium is.

It was very touching. Only criticism is about her rhetoric that Obama is going to solve all of these great social and economic problems. I think that most of us who will vote for Obama have much more realistic expectations. Obama will do well to start putting us on the right track.

Only criticism is about her rhetoric that Obama is going to solve all of these great social and economic problems. -lou

I don't think Michelle intended to set up unrealistic expectations; I think she just wants us to know what their motivation is and that they think it's about damned time someone tried to do something, anything to work on some of those issues.

With all of the attacks that have been leveled at Michelle Obama by the right wing, I don't understand why no-one mentions the fact that if Cindy McCain were first lady, we would have a drug stealer in the White House. Not to mention John McCain's adultery, the Keating 5, his conduct as a POW (as evidenced by the Viet Nam veterans against McCain. If videos were made of some of this stuff, people would think differently about McCain, also why are they keeping the fact quiet that his son is now a little bit involved in a present day banking failure.

Good observation, lou.

Michelle is a loving wife who thinks her husband can do anything, but the truth is Barack doesn't have to be superman. He just has to point the way.

In the cold light of day, I remain convinced that Michelle's speech was outstanding. It put an American face on her and her family. They can relate to our hardships.

At this point the ball passes to McCain. Can he and Cindy relate to Americans and American problems? They have to sell themselves. So far they haven't even tried.

The speech was perfect in both content and delivery. Michelle was poised, sensitive, caring, and inspiring.

Many complain about the lack of attacks on McCain. First of all, CNN didn't even carry Pelosi or McCaskill, both of whom pointed out the very clear differences between Obama and McCain. Secondly, this convention will have an arc that starts with an introduction, builds the attacks on Bush and McCain, and climaxes at the stadium. It makes perfect sense.

Ron asked: "Can he and Cindy relate to Americans and American problems?"

Heck no, they're too busy solving the world's problems. Why, even now, Cindy is humbly flying to Georgia to . . . to . . . I don't know - how about show how presumptuous Michele was for speaking before such a large and enthusiastic crowd instead on intervening in international politics.

The word that kept coming to my mind was "authentic." Michelle Obama, besides being intelligent, attractive, accomplished and a loving wife and mother, seems like she could be one of my neighbors (yes, I DO live an integrated neighborhood). And Sasha and Malia were beyond adorable.

I watched her speech with my husband and two daughters, who are also three years apart, although they are now college age. When she said she thinks of them first thing in the morning and last thing at night, my two turned to me and asked, "Do you think of us that way, Mom?" I proudly said I do (with a quick reassurance to the spouse that I think of him, too).

What a wonderful first family they will be in the White House.

lou, Michelle is allowed to be idealistic. If she doesn't believe in her husband, who will?

Michelle knocked it out of the ballpark. She gave a very personal story that really told us what she thought of being an American. Her speech did exactly what it needed to do. It was the perfect capstone to the evening.

I have read a bit of negativity about the night, people wondering when they were going to go at McCain, being overly critical of some of the speakers, Carville saying what's the message (asshole-- that word is getting a workout by me these days. There seem to be just so many of them!). The point of the evening was not to be negative about Republicans. The point was to talk about the possibilities of America, to talk about values that everyone in America can identify with, and to celebrate what the left side of the aisle has brought to us. I think the tone was pitch perfect from Pelosi through Michelle. We can nitpick about delivery or oratory styles, but at the end of the night, we felt good about who we were.

It really was a very good speech and nicely delivered. I was touched. That and Ted Kennedy were the highlights of the evening.

It is staggering how hard the media is working to create conflict and tension here.

Marian Robinson for President!

After looking at several different comments on the convention itself, Michelle Obama's speech, Rep. McCaskill's speech, Nancy Pelosi's speech - the consensus is there is no consensus.

It was so beautiful without the comments. Just to watch it and draw my own conclusion as a white 63 year old former farm girl from Indiana. I thank God I had a family like hers and a mother who taught me so much and who died so young. She brought all that back to me last night and made me proud of my family and her family. For those who didn't get it. Sorry... this was a great post and I need to stick to them!

I hate conventions, and I hate most speeches at conventions, but both my wife and myself were very impressed with the speech. As my wife said "what the hell is Cindy McCain going to talk about? I wouldn't want to follow that."

Dems should be both proud and grateful

No---AMERICANS should be both proud and grateful to have such an individual be on her way to the position of First Lady, unlike "that other individual" who thinks it's cool to jet-set around with that barbecue-stuffed dolt of a husband she's got. What was it that Windy Cindy said about America? "Always being proud of it?"

Proud of the poverty, Cindy---or just proud of the fact that the poorer someone else is, the richer she can be?

Proud of the homelessness, Cindy---or just proud of the fact that the more homelessness their is, the more properties available for her to own?

Proud of those without healthcare, Cindy---or just proud of the fact that they're barred from your doctor's office?

Proud of the downtrodden, Cindy---or just proud of the fact that their collective misery further entices them to drink the swamp-swill she calls "beer?"

Americans---whether Democrats, or Republicans, or Independents, or even those affiliated with any other political group or no group at all---all have both an individual and a collective right to be proud of Michelle Obama.

Cindy McCain? I wouldn't bet on it....

It is staggering how hard the media is working to create conflict and tension here.
Posted by: Patrick

There was a hard fought primary campaign between an old guard candidate and a new wave candidate, both with passionate backers. There's a philosophical battle between old guard blacks and the new wave, to the point that one wants to cut the nuts off of the other. Any pretenses at total happy-happy joy-joy are clearly BS, and the media knows it and wants to get off the script. Same thing will happen at the Repub one.

It was a terrific speech. And Jesse Jackson, Jr. was also really very good.

lou wrote: "Only criticism is about her rhetoric that Obama is going to solve all of these great social and economic problems."

I have come to believe that Barack Obama has the genuine potential to become an effective leader.

As an effective leader Obama doesn't "solve all of these great social and economic problems" single-handedly, from the top down.

On the contrary, as an effective leader Obama mobilizes and inspires the American people to "solve all of these great social and economic problems" cooperatively, from the bottom up.

It is precisely Obama's talent for mobilizing and inspiring people that makes me think he could be a successful and effective president.

If elected, Obama's biggest challenge will be the entrenched, ultra-wealthy, and politically powerful interests who are profiting enormously from "all of these great social and economic problems" and are standing in the way of the solutions.

The CheneyBush regime has been all about protecting and advancing the interests of that small group, a.k.a. "the top one percent", a.k.a. "Bush's base", a.k.a. America's Ultra-Rich Ruling Class, Inc., at the expense of and to the detriment of everyone else. And the political machine behind John McCain wants to keep it that way.

It will take a lot of "people power" to overcome that obstacle of reactionary power and wealth. Hopefully, Obama has what it takes to mobilize the power of the people to take America back from those who have stolen it.

I don't know why I torture myself, but I was checking out some of the right wing blogs/sites - man, the hate they spew while calling Michelle angry.

That was an amazing speech, it made me remember my own upbringing and family... There is always room for cynicism and skepticsm but at the deep core of what they were saying I think is that unity, loving your family, neighbours and doing your best in life is really at the heart of who Americans are...

Awesome speech, adorable family. They knocked it out of the park. Hell, it made me wish the Obamas would adopt me.

Cindy McCain can talk about her goodwill trip to Georgia as "Ms. Buffalo Chip", and relate stories about how much joy she brought to the people in Sturgis. Michelle is CLASS... Cindy, not so much.

And those two little girls - yeah that was classy bringing them in to the mix.

We can't all be Father of the Year like John McCain, bringing our young daughter to a biker rally.

You go, girl. Nobody will notice you are a plastic, manipulative person waving the flag and pandering to voters because Barack's PR people did focus groups on your "First time proud of America..." faux pas and similar unappealing presentations and personal attributes.

Thanks Luther for bringing the hatred of the right wing sites over to here! Nice work.

did anyone notice Michelle Obama had a very itchy nose. does she suffer from allergies?

"This is my Story...this is an American's story" I heard Joe Biden say this phrase on Saturday, and Claire McCaskill, said it, and Michelle repeated it.

I think I know how the Dems are going to neutralize McSame's POW 24/7schtick; everybody has a story, not just adulterous gigolos who end up in bad circumstances.

That was a game changing speech. WOW

Why the hell is Gidget (snaps to John Cole) in Georgia? Why aren't people laughing their asses off about this?

Michelle was great, but I don't see how it moves the campaign forward. So we've established that Barack and Michelle are really an all American Ozzie and Harriet family. What's that got to do with defeating the Republicans?

What's next? Hillary's catharsis? Then Bill's? And what will be the theme of Obama's night? A Kumbaya affair, a can't-we-all-just-get-along speech?

Or will he finally pick up on the wreckage of the Bush administration and how McCain plans to continue the wave of destruction? Well, one out of four ain't bad, I guess, if he rises to this level. If.

I don't have a good feeling about the Democrats at this point. I do have a wonderful feeling about Michelle.

I hope I'm having crow for breakfast on Friday.

hark: Different speeches are designed to do different kinds of work because various voters respond to various positive or negative messages. Michelle Obama's speech was intended to get the vision of her as an AK47-toting angry black militant out of the heads of people who haven't heard much about her other than the winger smears, and replace it with a picture of a normal, healthy woman from (and in) normal, healthy family...which wants the same thing for its children that other families want.

Onward to the heavy lifting you describe.

who knew our own hark was really James Carville :)

that was Carville's beef - that the convention seemed (1) slow and dull; (2) lacking a discernable, focused message; and (3) not rough enough on McCain and Bush.

i certainly hope we address some of those legitimate, if over-dramatized, concerns. but some of that was just commenters having to fill time with comments. Pelosi, for all of her faults as an orator, gave a great summary of all that the Class of 2006 has accomplished. Leach's speech was a powerful indictment of his own party. McCaskill did well, the Kennedy segment was powerful and Michelle hit it out of the park.

part of Day 1 was simply to show the diversity of voices in the party - liberals like Teddy, moderates like McCaskill and Klobuchar, blacks, hispanics, first time voters, older voters, etc. Much of it was to discuss how people are inspired by Obama and his message of Hope -- one that would we watered down if every other speaker were on attack.

the only thing that worries me is Bill's speech, otherwise I think all will be well viewed as a 4-day whole.

Steve:
"...should help undermine the couple from the Republicans' preferred attack"

Not 'undermine from' (wtf?) but 'immunize against'.

I really think those PUMA people are either idiots or are republicans which I guess is the same thing. On PBS they boo hoo'd about Obama not caring about women and if they did not get Hillary the nomination they would vote for McCain.
Makes me wonder where they have been most of the last few years, when McCain was chuckling about a woman questioner who called Hillary a bitch, when he insulted Chelsea Clinton, when he called his wife nasty names (after ditching his first wife who had been in an accident), and of course that he will repeal Roe v Wade.

Let me just note that, having lived in in Kansas City for 30 of my 37 years, being called "St. Louis" is a pretty big insult 'round these here parts.

;-)

More seriously, it was a great speech, and I loved the family interaction at the end. Having a young kid, I know that it took huge guts to let their daughters on stage -- one never knows what the heck a kid will do or say (I sure as hell wouldn't let my son anywhere near such a scene).

Kudos to them for choosing to be honest and risk it. It paid off -- and will continue to, IMHO.

Let me just note that, having lived in in Kansas City for 30 of my 37 years, being called "St. Louis" is a pretty big insult 'round these here parts.

Ah, but having family galore in St. Louis, I can attest that the converse is true. Well, not so much an insult as a shrug: "Kansas what? Who?"

I made overall comments on the night on the "Leach Speech' thread, I'll just make a few here.

(Zeit, you were as staunch a Hillary supporter as i was an opponent, but I think we can agree her "I'm Hillary Clinton and I don't approve this message!" comment was brilliant.)

As for Michelle's speech, it couldn't have been done better, the whole scene didn't have a single jarring note, and the little touches "I looked up to him, he's 6 foot 6" about her brother -- and his "Go, Beavers!" to Obama's brilliant "Now you see why I kept asking her out after she turned me down five times. But then persistence is something you want in a President."

Two quick points. The smartest thing McCain has done in the entire campaign was to get cindy out of the country, because if he hadn't she would have been asked for her comments, and seeing her after Michelle would have been deadly.

And, for a moment imagine this was a movie, not real life. It would have been a political movie that would have rivaled MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON as the most upbeat, heroic, political movie of all time. But more importantly, the speech and aftermath would have been the climax. No need to write anything more, roll the credits, because at that point you know how it will come out.

The Obama Presidency began on Monday Night.

I really liked Michelle's speech. And I loved it when Sasha said " Hello Girardeu family."

Hark, and any others worried the tone is not sufficiently virulently anti-Bush and McCain. The theme of last night was "One Country" You don't spend most of an evening bashing if you're trying to promote unity throughout the country. Leach's speech was pretty perfect for that purpose.

Tonight is all about the economy and the historic nature of Hillary's run and the anniversary of women getting the franchise. Tonight there will be fireworks aimed at Republicans. Tom is about National Security. I would bet there will be many missiles launched towards Bush and McCain pointing to how less safe we are today under their policies.

Thursday will be a re-uniting event, The Hill Dem and the Obama Dems and in asking sane Republicans, conservatives and independants to join us and Obama into taking this country back. So perhaps less fire than Tues and Wed., but more broadsides and appeals to all of us working together to get back on track.

So hark, I do hope you are eating crow Friday, and I am not.

As for the PUMAs -- my cats are getting insulted by the name -- the best comment was by Chris Matthews, who interviewed a couple of really obnoxious ones and then said to the audience "You know insanity when you see and hear it."

I find it fascinating that the most long-winded Republican troll uses the very suitable name "Misanthropicus." Yes, Republicans DO hate people. I'm not sure whether it would be better to leave his comments and show how stupid they are, or to just wipe them, but a couple of comments are worth making.

There have been many of Obama's classmates and students and co-workers on the Harvard Law review interviewed. Yes, they have given glowing testimonials -- including stating how he did not impose his views on the articles he published.

I think Saul Alinsky is dead, but he's a true American hero. Obama and Ayres served on one committee, that's all. And as for Barney Frank -- (oh, gee, you didn't mention him because he's gay did you?) he's also one of the great political minds around and I can only hope Obama has been making use of his intelligence.

Pfleger was a priest -- not even a minister in Obama's denomination -- who occasionally gave services at Obama's church. (My wife described him as a 'stand-up comedian wannabe.') He gave one speech in which he criticized Hillary Clinton for seeing herself 'privileged.' Except for implying that part of her feeling of privilege was because she was white -- as is Pfleger -- the comment was no stronger than were many cartoons going back to Iowa -- including one showing Hillary in coronation robes, trying on her crown, while Obama was standing on her train giving a speech. Nonetheless, Obama immediately left the Church because of his speech. Hardly a 'spiritual advisor' as McCain referred to the seriously poisonous Parsley and Hagee.

And, in fact, there were colleagues from the legislature who spoke lasy night and gave him a true 'character reference.'

I didn't read all the posts here, so am not sure if this was mentioned. One of the best comments I heard from Keith O. was that the Obamas are representative of what the "right" is always criticizing the minority community of not being: They took responsibility for their own lives and success and are living the American Dream. They did not depend on subsidies and handouts, as so many in the minority community are "accused" of. So, what is the criticism of them? They did exactly what the right is demanding of the 'others'. They have proved beyond a shadow of doubt, at least in my mind, that they are leadership material and have whatever experience and expertise necessary to lead this country back to a place of greatness in the global community. They can attract whatever experience and expertise necessary to fulfill the Dream on Unity.

I am committed to Oneness through Justice and Transformation
peace,
st john

Looks like the cult worshipers of the Chosen One have arrived in force. I am following Kevin to Mother Jones. This place is like an echo chamber now.

You really think Michelle's speech was a home run?
More like she didn't look quite as angry as usual. Try watching her speech with the sound off. I think you will be surprised how many times the angry scowl comes back.

An empty suit and an angry black woman become the “entitlement� first family. I can hardly wait.

St. John:
Great quote -- wrong attribution. It wasn't Keith, but Chris Matthews -- and he repeated it several times earlier.

('Repeated earlier' -- tahellwitgrammar you know what I meant.)

I thought she was wonderful.

The bit I liked best was the need to strive (work, not just sit there and hope) for a "world as it should be, not a world as it is", because that's how I see things myself. Like her father's one button at a time and one step (with support) at a time, but always striving. We'd never move forward, if we gave up.

And, very definitely, this is the kind of family -- with their family values -- that we want in the White House, providing example. "Do as I tell you to, not as I do" has never been a valuable educational principle.

Amusingly, what convinced my husband (who'd had reservations about Michelle, having only heard about her "angry" aspects)was not just how good she was out there, but that both she and her brother went to Princeton (my DH got he PhD there and our son his undergraduate degree). That closed the deal for him :)

Michelle sound real good, articulate with just enough passion, making good points flawlessly, and so on. Even Brooksie had to give her some props, but of course griped about too much "messianic" stuff and not enough ordinary guy [won't put dirty socks away etc.] stuff which dextros are always griping about despite their interests. I felt good about watching her, and if she can keep up like that on the campaign trail it will give Barack an edge.

Go BO-Joe!

Ah, but having family galore in St. Louis, I can attest that the converse is true. Well, not so much an insult as a shrug: "Kansas what? Who?"

--shortstop

Touché ... :-)

As far as PUMA's go -- anyone who gives them any attention should doused with cold water in an effort to bring them back to reality.

PUMAs are nothing more than a small, yet very vocal, collection of cultists who care NOTHING about policy and everything about their egos.

There's probably some mental issues going on with them as well -- how the hell else could they vote against someone whose policies they allegedly support? They'd have to be clinically insane to do such a thing.

Looks like the cult worshipers of the Chosen One have arrived in force. I am following Kevin to Mother Jones. This place is like an echo chamber now.

You really think Michelle's speech was a home run?
More like she didn't look quite as angry as usual. Try watching her speech with the sound off. I think you will be surprised how many times the angry scowl comes back.

An empty suit and an angry black woman become the “entitlement� first family. I can hardly wait.

You won't be missed here and I certainly doubt they're missing you much over there. In fact, perhaps you should go where you truly belong-- where people think that black people are angry and scary-- like redstate or freerepublic.

Yes, it was fantastic. Michelle did great. She came off as confident, cool, loving, strong and a potential good first wife. Vote for Obama! Visit WHYOBAMA08.ORG!

Elections have nothing to do with American politics. They're just another sport where who wins or loses, has no effect on overall policy. A welcome break from monkeyball.

I thought Michelle Obama's speech was really touching. I liked how she talked about the working class and how some guys have to work extensively to support his sister so that she can recieve healthcare, while he recieves almost no sleep everynight. She really described what being an American is. It brought the convention a nice touch. :)