Former US First Lady Michelle Obama speaks on the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 20, 2024. Vice President Kamala Harris will formally accept the party's nomination for president at the DNC which runs from August 19-22 in Chicago. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
The Obama couple reaffirmed their unwavering support for the Democratic candidate in the U.S. presidential election. On Tuesday, Michelle Obama rallied thousands of Democratic supporters by enthusiastically declaring, « Hope is back. » This statement instantly recalls one of Barack Obama’s iconic slogans from his first presidential campaign in 2008.
During the Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama also sharply criticized Republican candidate Donald Trump. She targeted not only his personality but also his past racist attacks against her and her husband. « His narrow view of the world has led him to feel threatened by the existence of two successful and highly educated people who also happen to be Black, » she stated, directly addressing Trump.
Michelle Obama also mocked Trump for his controversial comments about « jobs held by Black people, » suggesting that immigrants were to blame for the loss of these jobs. She sarcastically asked, « Who will tell him that the job he is seeking might very well be one of those jobs held by Black people? » This remark was met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
Trump has strongly rejected the accusations of racism against him and his campaign. It’s worth noting that Trump began his political career with baseless and racist attacks, questioning Barack Obama’s birthplace in the United States and, consequently, his American citizenship, before also targeting Kamala Harris.
In her memoir « Becoming, » published in 2018, Michelle Obama had already expressed that these attacks questioning Barack Obama’s citizenship endangered her family’s safety and revealed a « blindness and hatred towards outsiders. »
Michelle Obama spoke in support of Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate who will officially receive the party’s nomination for the presidency during this convention. If Harris succeeds in the election, she will make history by becoming the first Black and South Asian president of the United States.
