Yes She Can

A quick report on Michelle Obama’s speech last night: I have no plans to watch much of the Democratic convention, but there are a few speeches I want to catch. I want to see Bill’s because it could be entertaining, but I want to see the Obamas’ because they actually matter in the voting decision. I think Michelle’s speech mattered because of the characterization of her that has been used as a tool against voting for Barack, and Barack himself made her speech important when he said recently that Michelle would be someone he relied on heavily in his administration.

Through her speech, I found Michelle believable, reasonable, intelligent, and passionate. She focused almost entirely on her family, both her family of origin and her immediate family. Based on her speech, her dad was one hell of a guy! And even without the White House she is certainly a success story. I can’t say there was "issue" substance in most of her speech, but when Barack says he would rely heavily on her I don’t think he meant he’s looking for tax specifics or ideas on responding to Russian aggression. I have wise friends that I rely on in many areas and not because they are subject matter experts but because they have similar values, have navigated life well, know my strengths and weaknesses and can help assure or direct my thinking. Thinking in that vein, I came away with the impression that Michelle knew Barack well, held the same values, and those values were integrity, love for family, fairness, and a vision of those same values for all people.

Near the end of her speech, Michelle also made obvious that she shares Barack’s passion and ability to motivate. Not quite the level of "Yes We Can," but definitely inspiring:

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.

Neither she nor the speech was perfect, of course. For example, I believe the above clip, though inspiring, lacks some historical context. Men from meager means have risen to the presidency in the past. Men have been elected president because of hope instead of fear in the past. And technically speaking, “a girl from the South Side of Chicago” went to Ivy League college and law school during the Reagan presidency. The message itself is better served aiming at more recent history, attempting to break from the Karl Rove and James Carville molds of playing on voter fears. I do think Barack understands this; for example, he drew unfair criticism for acknowledging Reagan’s accomplishments.

Bootstraps and hope may not be new, but there is one obvious first in Barack’s nomination and possible election. As thrilled as I am to see another barrier cracking in America, I am not capable of feeling its impact as deeply as those it directly affects. Immediately after her speech, award-winning writer and correspondent Juan Williams was pretty emotional in trying to describe for us the positive impact on African Americans of Michelle’s present position and attention, and the family portrait of the Obamas: http://www.wikio.com/video/397984

"I’m just thrilled. I mean, it’s almost emotional. … We’ve never seen anything like that. As a human being, as an African-American, it’s unbelievable. And then to have a family situation, given all the tension in Black America over families, and to see that positive image there for everybody to see. … Man, that’s just awesome."

If Michelle in any way enters into your vote, I encourage you to watch for yourself.