Michelle Obama: Election Is 'About Who Will Have the Power to Shape Our Children'
Without calling him by name, first lady Michelle Obama knocked Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Monday night as unqualified to become the next president of the United States and declared that his rival, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, is the only person she would trust with that job.
Speaking to a crowd of fellow Democrats energized by her presence on the first night of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Obama said she believes this election is "about who will have the power to shape our children for the next four or eight years of their lives."
"I am here tonight because in this election there is only one person I trust with that responsibility, only one person who I believe is truly qualified to be president of the United States, and that is our friend, Hillary Clinton," said Obama.
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"See, I trust Hillary to lead this country because I've seen her lifelong devotion to our nation's children. Not just her own daughter, who she has raised to perfection, but every child who needs a champion. Kids who take the long way to school to avoid the gangs, kids who wonder how they'll ever afford college, kids whose parents don't speak a word of English but dream of a better life. Kids who look to us to determine who and what they can be," she said.
Obama who praised Clinton for her perseverance and record of public service throughout her speech then launched into a stealthy takedown of Trump, mocking his temperament and his reputation for using racially insensitive language on well-known social media platforms such as Twitter.
"When I think about the kind of president that I want for my girls, and all of the children, that's what I want. I want someone with the proven strength to persevere. Someone who knows this job and takes it seriously. Someone who understands that the issues the president faces are not black and white and cannot be boiled down to 140 characters," she said.
"Look, because ... because when you have the nuclear codes at your fingertips and the military in your command, you can't make snap decisions. You can't have a thin skin or a tendency to lash out. You need to be steady and measured and well informed," Obama continued.
"I want a president with a record of public service, someone whose life work shows us and shows our children that we don't chase fame and fortune for ourselves, we fight to give everyone a chance to succeed. And we give back, even when we're struggling ourselves, because we know that there's always someone worse off. And there but for the grace of God, go I," she added.
With Bill Clinton and other top Democratic figures cheering, Obama further noted that she wants the next president to be someone who can bring people together particularly in times of crisis.
"I want a president who will teach our children that everyone in this country matters. A president who truly believes in the vision that our founders put forth all those years ago, that we are all created equal, each a beloved part of the great American story. And when a crisis hits, we don't turn against each other. No, we listen to each other, we lean on each other. Because we are always stronger together," Obama said. "I am here tonight because I know that that is the kind of president that Hillary Clinton will be. And that's why in this election, I'm with her."
