Michelle Obama took to the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, and rocked the house. Whether you're a fan or not, you'll find her speech was truly inspirational. As former RNC Chair Michael Steele said, "I thought the First Lady gave a hell of a speech. I know I'm supposed to be partisan, but I'm an American."
Here are 8 of her most inspiring quotes:
- If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire ... if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores ... if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote ... if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time ... if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream ... and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love ... then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.
- We learned about gratitude and humility -- that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean ... and we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone with respect.
- I have seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are -- it reveals who you are.
- Our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys ... Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at grandma’s house ... and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn’t stay awake for both.
- Barack and I were both raised by families who didn’t have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuable -- their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.
- [W]hen you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.
- And believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage. We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.
- If so many brave men and women could wear our country’s uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights ... then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights ... surely, we can get to the polls and make our voices heard on Election Day.
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Did you watch the First Lady's speech? What did you think of it?
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Comments 65
Great and inspiring speech, and rose above the partisan rancour.
Michelle is a great and classy lady Middle America can be proud of.
Meghan, you just hate anyone that supports their husband. Ann Romney is far from a stepford wife.
I really like and admire Michelle Obama but I have to say her speech really disappointed me. I hated all the "poor poor me" parts. Her speech was just like Ann Romney's only for the other side. Being we "know" her, I thought she'd talk for herself and not try and make BO look better. Does that make sense? I wish she'd have talked about the country or how things are more. Everyone threw Ann Romney under the bus so this post doesn't surprise me in any way. I knew it would be here when I got up.
How did he come to have 12 million dollars if they were so poor?
She said BO is not political. He doesn't believe in "sides." He only cares for America. Why then does he say "nobody will work with him?
Her poor dad struggled and struggled to go to work everyday while suffering from MS. He could hardly shave while holding his walker. Ann Romney has this struggle now every day and someone even accused her of using botox during her speech.
How come when Romney said being the mom is the most important job, everyone claimed "how can he know? How can he relate" but now I guess since BO said that about Michelle, that's different?
This not fair? Why did everyone attack Ann Romney one week ago and Michelle said most of the same things but she's an idol??? Why is that??
And, I really like her. It's just very unfair.
No politician writes their whole speech. But her beliefs, the content, the delivery, and the heart behind it can't be faked or taught.
Go Obama(s)!
Three or four working moms will have to get up and go to work every single day of their adult lives, and the total sum amount of taxes they pay over their entire working careers, lifetimes of toil for these women, will go just to pay the cost of Michelle's last vacation...
But, just so I am "on message", Michelle is an exception to the "hate them because they are rich" rule?
The platitudes are nice. I like Michelle, so I will reserve criticism of the... "factual errors" in the parts of the speech not mentioned in this article (jobs, economy, etc.) for the propagandists who wrote it.
I watched both speeches. I felt that Ann Romney came off as pretentious and condescending. I felt no connection with her at all. She didn't inspire me, nor give me the feeling of any sort of connection to her.
Michelle Obama's speech drew me near tears several times. You see, unlike JAFE, I did not feel like Michelle was saying poor, poor me. She was saying I get you. I've been there. I know what it's like.
She delievered it beautifully, probably because she had a hand in writing it. I'm not sure if Ann helped write any of hers or not, but I can assume she didn't because if she had she would have read it better.
I agree with Billsfan1104 that Michelle's speech was indeed partisan, but it was done in such a subtle way that it was never right in your face.
I walked away from that speech wanting to vote for her!
You're right Autumn. She is. So she should have used this time to talk about things they've done. The obesity problem, the gardening and working with the military. Instead she said most of the same things Ann Romney said one week ago but everyone here tore her apart. That's the part I don't get.
She has her own legs to stand on. She shouldn't have gone for the "pity" card. It was unattractive of her and her "stuttering" trying not to cry was really bothersome to me. She doesn't cry!