Amazing. She just finished and I had no idea she was so eloquent. I've read her writing before but never heard her speak and I was blown away. True, it was scripted to the max but when she was talking about her personal, family life it was extremely touching, almost tear jerking. I love her. Love love love her.

She is a really excellent speaker.

I really wish I could be excited about this candidacy, but I'm just not feelin' it. I don't want a lecture about how I should feel thankful and indebted to Obama for not being a Republican or outright hateful and/or discriminatory toward me, just an ounce of understanding that he really DOESN'T support what would be in my best interest as one of his constituents and that I have a right to be upset by that.

Her speech was completely wonderful, and their children are adorable. Really, I don't think that could have gone better. She's an excellent speaker, and is extremely personable.

I have to say, I liked her speech as well, although I thought that the whole presentation focused too much on her role as mother of Barack Obama's children rather than her own formidable work & intelligence. She's incredibly articulate even when giving a speech which is lacking in any great substance. But what I found a little disturbing was the fact that they played "Isn't She Lovely" at the end of her speech, and Barack Obama's comment "And you looked very cute!" as he spoke to Michelle and the crowd via uplink. Why can't we enjoy the fact that we might have a new Eleanor Roosevelt as First Lady without trying to call attention to the fact that she's attractive? I think her power and eloquence should really be enough.

She's a great speaker. I thought it was a fantastic speech.

I could do without the political theater with the kids and such, but then again, I could do without another Republican presidency...If that nonsense is going to help, I guess I'll swallow the pill.

Tomorrow's Fox News Headline:
"Obama Campaign Pimps Out Daughters"

she did a fabulous job. i think she really connected--i hope people who aren't as familiar with her were watching tonight. i agree that the focus on her family life was kind of limited, but i think that's what she needed to talk about. obviously she's an accomplished person in her own right, but i'm keeping my eyes on the prize.

also, cutest kids ever, seriously.

Loved it. Like Keith Olbermann said, you couldn't construct in your mind a better way for it to have gone. (Except for the whole 'Isn't She Lovely' afterwards. Seriously, wtf?) Her intonation and overall authenticity reminded me of Barack's speech at the convention in 2004. It was moving, if only for its hope and reminders of possibility.

By the way, has anyone else noticed PAT BUCHANAN as one of the commentators on MSNBC? Sitting next to RACHEL MADDOW no less? God, if I were Rachel I would be so uncomfortable. *Shudder.* He interrupts every other commentator - two women and a black man - at every chance. And, he just complained that Michelle made no mention of the Christian religion. (And then Chris Matthews said, "Well, it's not the Christian Democrats convention. Rick Warren isn't here." Awesome.)

I loved her speech she really hit all the right notes I'm so impressed that she not only wrote this speech but delivered it in such a strong but not overly done manner...I love how she connected Senator Clinton's contribution and how this week is a cross anniversary...I'm glad she allowed us to see her accomplishments as well as pointing out Senator Obama's. I loved at the end the children going for the mike to say hi to their dad...and Obama's obvious pride and support of his wife...I'm loving these two...and their kids...

I cried during her speech. What an energizing, empowering, inclusive message. But I think it would have been even more effective if they hadn't done that stunt with the children at the end - my family and I thought it was really contrived. I was also uncomfortable with the focus on her being a wife and mother above all else.

it was a truly beautiful speech.

I especially loved the way she connected her current success with the civil rights pioneers, both for black rights and women's rights, that went before her.

I think she's a great symbol for a new, more inclusive feminism, like the kind that we practice here at feministing, that connects women's issues with all civil rights issues.

I thought the speech was pretty good. I thought it very well balanced her own successful career & the hard work she's put into raising her own family...kinda made her out as a real Supermom. "Isn't She Lovely" didn't bother me, it is one of Stevie's greatest songs. And why shouldn't we think she's lovely? Eloquent, forceful, smart & graceful. How couldn't you love a package like that?

I really like her. She's got such a powerful stage presence, which shone today, and it was clear from that presence that she's an intelligent, passionate, important individual apart from her husband. I just wish they didn't have to emphasize her role as a wife and mother so much, and good god, that song??, but you have to pick your feminist battles, I guess.
Her brother kind of rocked too, btw.

First of all, I hope this isn't bad etiquette but I just posted on my own blog about one part of the speech that stood out to me.

Second, I think that was the least contrived family moment I've ever seen in politics. I don't understand how anyone could think that was contrived. It seemed like Michelle and Barack were content to just let their kids be themselves, and both acted as I would expect any kid of their ages to act in such a setting while their parents did grown-up stuff. If we want to talk about contrived, we should ask MSNBC why the audience seemed to consist of (as my husband astutely pointed out) 75% black women, 25% white women, and Joe Biden.

Third, I'm doing a little happy dance for the gushing the pundits did after she finished.

I believe Michelle Obama is a smart, powerful, and intelligent, new age women. She loves Barack dearly, but she stands on her own principles. Any person would be lucky to have a woman like her by their side.She is just as capalbe as her husband Barack, although I doubt she'll ever get into politics. Youtube more of her speeches and you'll be just as impress. The the U.S. could use a First Lady like her. Those silly conservatives pundits tried to make her look like some crazy, by saying she was a angry, and un-American. Those comments seem racist anyway because why does a black women that expresses what she believes and how she feels has to be angry. That's why she had to play up the family and loving American parts in her speech. Though she still is and will always be a powerful strong black women.

Obama '08

Sly-- agreed!
I think she's lovely!

I thought she was fantastic. I was thrilled to hear her talk about those who have come before. I think that's something we tend to forget, the battles that we fought for basic respect. Anyone who thinks those kids were stage managed by the way, apparently does not have kids. If you give a kid a microphone one of two things is going to happen. Either they're going to hide behind their mom or they're going to say anything they want. I've been impressed with the fact that the girls have been seen as little as they have been thus far. The full speech is available on my blog http://www.aftercancernowwhat.wordpress.com

Okay, I like Michelle Obama. And obviously I'm going to vote for Barack. And granted I didn't listen to the entire speech because I was making dinner at the same time, so maybe I missed important parts...

HOWEVER. I was pretty outraged that she could stand up there and say, over and over again, that the American Dream is alive and well — that if you just work hard enough you'll be able to make it. That is some bullshit. And the working class/low-income people who they're trying to appeal to KNOW it's bullshit. Meritocracy is a big fucking lie and i have no doubt that Michelle and Barack know it's a lie. I understand they have to cater to the mainstream traditional white American vote, but it's really nauseating to see the wife of the "change candidate" spouting off such lies. What happened to the Michelle Obama who said that Barack's candidacy was the first time she had ever been proud of America?

Hey. Did anyone know Michelle Obama is a wife, daughter and mother?

I'm so glad they mentioned it 20 times a minute or I might have forgot.

Political maneuvering aside, I thought it was great. Especially the second half and the last moments with the kids.

I enjoyed the speech, but due to the wonders of "horzontal disease," I fell asleep. I guess I will have to watch the rest of the speeches while sitting upright or standing.

Oh, and I 2nd the comment by dontboxsarah.

But unfortunately what I remember the most is my mother saying "Yay!" every few minutes in a sarcastic tone. She still thinks that the Obamas are a Muslim family. And while I do not think a candidate's religion would or should dissuade me from voting from for him, apparently for her a bunch of rumors will dictate her vote. And she thinks its all true because of some graphic Fox news posted on on of its broadcasts months ago. And this was before the bad pr came out about Obama's pastor. *sigh* Can I come over to one of you all's houses to watch the convention in peace?

Meritocracy is a big fucking lie and i have no doubt that Michelle and Barack know it's a lie.

dontboxsarah, I’m not sure I follow you. Michelle Obama is an African American woman from a working-class family in South Chicago growing up in the 60s and 70s (an era of much less tolerance than today) who made it through Princeton and Harvard law.

I’d have a hard time making up a better example of meritocracy and “The American Dream”. Why would she or Obama believe it’s a lie?

As for the family stuff and even Michelle’s emphasis on her role and a wife and mother, remember that this is a serious campaign; nothing – nothing – is done for no reason. The one remaining emotional issue that the McBush campaign has left is that the Black Obamas are some sort of alien, Muslim monster family. Last night was about making that almost impossibly difficult to stick.

Michelle is awesome. Oh, even I cannot excuse “Isn’t She Lovely”, but over-all a very sophisticated performance.

I did not object to "Isn't She Lovely?", a song Stevie Wonder wrote for his daughter. Because lovely is not a pretty face. It is a person. It is why my mother, may she rest in peace, explained to me how Eleanor Roosevelt and Harriet Tubman, both women constantly referred to as "plain" or "unattractive" by sexist biographers, were in fact truly lovely women.

beautiful, tecolata, beautiful point... shoot, now that i think about it, maybe the song was about a new amerykah... oh, wait, different artist.

carty,

the reason it's hard to believe america is a meritocracy is that for every michelle obama there are hundreds of poor people, women and people of color who are working multiple jobs just to scrape by. i totally hear where you're coming from, but the struggle is far from over... and the danger lies in using these exceptional people (like michelle obama) as proof that america is on the right path... in fact, that's one of the more minor worries i have about what will happen after obama wins - that his success will be used as an argument that there is no such thing as institutional racism in america.

otherwise, i completely agree with you. it's critical that the reactionary vote be handled as deftly as possible and i can't think of any democrats better suited for that job than the obamas and their quite savvy team.

The "Isn't She Lovely" think squigged me out at first, but my husband pointed out that some of the racist shit she probably gets is that she isn't attractive because she's a WOC. So let the country see her as the strong, brilliant, caring AND beautiful woman that she is.

As for the cute comment...eh...its probably just their thing...I wake up every morning to a "Good Morning, gorgeous." If it were a stranger, that would be rude. But my husband has express permission to call me attractive at any time, day or night. Couples are weird in their habits, so I don't see any reason to criticize.

Carty, I think Michelle admitted as much in her speech. The part where she talked about the people who kiss their kids goodnight before leaving for their second job because kissing their kids goodnight was what kept them going - it seemed to me that she was saying, "Just because I made it doesn't mean it's possible for everyone, or even a lot of people, but it should be." It's not the difference between truth and a lie, it's the difference between reality and myth/fantasy. The myth/fantasy is that if you just work hard, you'll make it (and I'm pretty sure I remember her mentioning that too), while the reality is that for a lot of people (for most, I would say), no matter how hard they work, never make it.

dontboxsarah & puckalish,

Don't you think that sentiment was covered by the idea that there is a disparity between what America is and what America should be?

sure, kristen, that sentiment was "covered," but i was responding to the statement

I’d have a hard time making up a better example of meritocracy and “The American Dream”. Why would she or Obama believe it’s a lie?

i mean, just look at all of the statements surrounding her american dream comments... personally, i think obama did a great job... speaking about what makes america great is our ability to change it and make it better. she calls hers an "improbable journey" and i think that says more than enough.

also, while she talks about folks who work night shifts and such, her main narrative is about the family that came up from the working class to proper success... a narrative about hope. i'm not particularly surprised, as hope has been kind of the running theme in this campaign. what this narrative does, though, is suggest that the door is wide open for anyone who tries hard enough (working those double shifts and taking an hour to dress meticulously and so forth), which it most certainly is not. however, i don't blame her one bit... this wasn't her intended message - her intended message is that america is a land of possibilities and a good deal of those possibilities will never be realized until we take it upon ourselves to fix the problems inherent in the system. and i can't find much to disagree with there.

All of us driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won't do — that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be... That is why I love this country.

I still feel kind of irritated by the whole "Isn't She Lovely" thing,because once again it puts the focus on her appearance, whether intentionally or not. You knew as you listened to her speak that afterward everyone was going to be talking about her appearance, so that just kind of added to the irritation I felt. Can you imagine a man giving a speech and then as he left the stage someone starts singing "isn't he handsome..."? Everyone would be like,"what does that have to do with anything?" ...right, because it's the content of his speech that's important.

Re: the American Dream comments-

I noticed right away the ridiculousness of any comment that implied that the "American Dream" was even remotely a reality for most people. There was a lot of that going on in the speech, for sure; the fact that the Obamas have done so well, despite what are pretty poor odds, is inspiring, for sure. At first I thought they were arguing that the American Dream is alive and well, yadayada, same old song and dance.

However, after awhile I got the impression that she was trying to focus on how she was lucky [the whole improbable journeys thing] to have had the opportunity to get ahead and wants everyone to have that opportunity.

While she is a very gifted speaker and quite articulate I think the part that connected the two strains of thought--the American Dream is great/inspiring when it succeeds, but it doesn't as much as people want you to believe and we want to change that--wasn't as clear as perhaps it should have been.