August 26, 2008

Part of the reason I love writing a blog is that I get to step slightly outside my reporter's realm and talk directly to people. My political leanings will always be a secret, but I am an avid follow of poltical life—and political people, love 'em or hate 'em, are fascinating. Another has entered that sphere in a big way: Mrs. Michelle Obama, the Democratic candidate's greatest asset.


Preceded by a moving video tribute narrated by her mother that highlighted the family's hard-scrabble roots and her big brother's warm introduction, the elegant— beautiful even—Mrs. Obama in emerald, delivered a rousing, emotional send-up for her husband. The boisterous hall, full of delegates, press, and special guests who'd braved the hours-long lines to enter the building, all fell silent.

Here, it would be so simple to slip back into reporter-mode and analyze the appeal she made to working class voters the Democrats need to win, but I'll leave that to others. I'll just speak as a woman. It was clear to this mother that the heart of that woman's life is her children and the man who she is still ridiculously in love with. Her controlled, confident demeanor wavered slightly when she told a story of her husband driving her first-born, Malia, home from the hospital ten years ago and how he kept looking back every so often. Haven't many of us seen that same picture? My semi-controlled, sometimes-confident demeanor did more than waver and I wasn't even speaking. Michelle Obama then brought her adorable girls on stage to speak to their father via satellite from Kansas City accompanied by riffs of Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" and 7-year-old Sasha Obama's smile that lacked a few teeth.

I can't remember the last time I was genuinely moved by a political speech (I didn't see Sen. Ted Kennedy's because of the aforementioned insufferable line) but Miss Michelle successfully summoned that common thread that connects so many of us—that seering love we have for our family that both mystifies and grounds us. I don't doubt for a minute Mrs. Obama's words were from the heart. 

 

 

 

NEXT POST: Finding a Happy Medium

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