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Michelle Obama Picks Trump Apart in Gripping DNC Speech

Michelle Obama Picks Trump Apart in Gripping DNC Speech
folder_openUnited States access_time3 years ago
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By Staff, Agencies

Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama eviscerated US President Donald Trump during her keynote speech at the opening night of the virtual Democratic National Convention [DNC], accusing him of being the “wrong president for our country” and “clearly in over his head”.

In her most political address and her most pointed criticism of Trump to date, Obama called on Americans to “vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it” in the November election.

“Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” she said.

“He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”

The phrase echoed Trump’s own words earlier this month, who, when asked about the United States’ staggering death toll from coronavirus, responded: “is what it is.”

Liberals, progressives, moderates and some Republicans came together at the virtual event on Monday night to warn of the threats four more years of a Trump administration pose, and promote visions for a better future.

In her address, Michelle Obama specifically referenced her words at the 2016 convention, in which she told Democrats: “When they go low, we go high.” Obama said tonight, “Going high is the only thing that works.”

She then added: “But let’s be clear: going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty. Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountain top.”

Nearly four years after leaving the White House, the former first lady remains hugely popular figure within the party, and among Black women in particular, as well as with some of those outside the party.

In recent years, she published a best-selling memoir called Becoming, traveled the country on a book tour that was later made into a documentary, helped found a new voting rights organization, and recently launched a podcast.

“You know I hate politics,” she said in her speech, repeating a truism that has always disappointed her most ardent supporters, some of whom attempted to draft her into the 2020 primary race.

But it appeared to make her an even more powerful character witness, as she sharply contrasted Joe Biden’s personality record with Trump’s, calling the former vice-president, who served under her husband president Barack Obama, a “profoundly decent man” who will “tell the truth and trust science”.

“He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country,” she said.

Trump succeeded Barack Obama in 2017 and promptly set out to undo many of Obama’s achievements on health care, the environment and foreign policy, among others. Trump also routinely criticizes Obama’s job performance.

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