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Monday, August 25, 2008

LIVE from Denver: A roaring welcome for Michelle Obama

We're about to hear from the future First Lady of the United States - Michelle Obama - who is being introduced by her brother, Craig Robinson, the men's basketball coach at Oregon State University.

"Tonight, I don't want to just introduce my sister, I want to introduce you to my sister," Robinson began. "The girl I grew up with. The poised young woman I saw her grow in to. The compassionate mother, aunt and sister-in-law she is. The passionate voice for women and children she has become."

"And the type of first lady she will be."

He went on to talk about his relationship with Michelle as a young person, reminiscing, "When we were young kids, our parents divided the bedroom we shared so we could each have our own room. Many nights we would talk when we were supposed to be sleeping. My sister always talked about who was getting picked on at school, or who was having a tough time at home."

"I didn't realize it then - but I realize it now - those were the people she was going to dedicate her life to: the people who were struggling with life's challenges," he concluded to applause.

Introducing his sister, he said, "Please join me in welcoming an impassioned public servant, a loving daughter, wife and mother, my little sister and our nation's next first lady: Michele Obama."

The roar in the convention hall was loud to welcome Michelle Obama. But it was nothing compared to the massive ovation she received when she finished her speech. Her remarks were emotional. Powerful. Captivating.

As Michelle spoke, relating her life's story, her values, her faith in the promise of America, the delegates grew more and more spirited.

Michelle Obama reached out to America tonight. And though I can't be in every household watching to witness the reaction of the millions tuned in, I believe she connected in a heartfelt way with the nation tonight.

Midway through her speech, she drew tremendous applause by praising Senator Hillary Clinton, whose campaign for the presidency was long and fierce.

"I stand here today at the crosscurrents of that history – knowing that my piece of the American Dream is a blessing hard won by those who came before me. All of them driven by the same conviction that drove my dad to get up an hour early each day to painstakingly dress himself for work."

"The same conviction that drives the men and women I've met all across this country...People like Hillary Clinton, who put those eighteen million cracks in the glass ceiling, so that our daughters – and sons – can dream a little bigger and aim a little higher."

The delegates responded with thunderous applause and cheers.

Later, as she talked of Barack's commitment to his daughters, the C-SPAN cameras showed delegates tearing up, touched by Michelle's openness.

"And in the end, after all that's happened these past 19 months, the Barack Obama I know today is the same man I fell in love with 19 years ago," Michelle said. "He's the same man who drove me and our new baby daughter home from the hospital ten years ago this summer, inching along at a snail's pace, peering anxiously at us in the rearview mirror, feeling the whole weight of her future in his hands, determined to give her everything he'd struggled so hard for himself, determined to give her what he never had: the affirming embrace of a father's love."

What a picture she painted with those words. It was so strong, so compelling, that I could see that moment in my own mind.

But she didn't stop there.

"And as I tuck that little girl and her little sister into bed at night, I think about how one day, they'll have families of their own."

"And one day, they – and your sons and daughters – will tell their own children about what we did together in this election. They'll tell them how this time, we listened to our hopes, instead of our fears. How this time, we decided to stop doubting and to start dreaming. How this time, in this great country – where a girl from the South Side of Chicago can go to college and law school, and the son of a single mother from Hawaii can go all the way to the White House – we committed ourselves to building the world as it should be."

This is the Michelle Obama I've come to know and love, watching her over the last year and a half on the campaign trail.

Michelle Obama is a wonderful, wonderful person. She showed that tonight. She showed the compassion she has for her family, her community, and her country.

And even after she had finished her speech, the magic wasn't over.

Her daughters joined her on stage, and as the song Isn't She Lovely played, they waved to the delegates. But then, the music faded out, and Barack Obama himself appeared on screen. In an unscripted moment, he had a conversation with his daughters in front of thousands of delegates and millions of Americans watching on television. It was beautiful to hear his daughters exclaim brightly, "Hello Daddy!", "I love you Daddy!", or "Where are you, Daddy?"

The Republicans will have nothing like this at their convention.

UPDATE: More than one caller to C-SPAN is saying they were swayed by Michelle Obama tonight and have made up their minds to vote for Barack.

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