Barack and Michelle Obama speak at Democratic National Convention
Former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama took the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday night as the party rallies around Vice President Kamala Harris as its presidential nominee.
Michelle Obama largely didn’t mention Donald Trump by name, but her references to him were clear. “She understands that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward,” she said while making the case for Harris. “We will never benefit from the affirmative action of generation or wealth.”
During Barack Obama’s speech, the former president warned of the danger the country faces if Trump is elected again. “We do not need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos,” he said. “We have seen that movie before, and we all know that the sequel is usually worse.”
In a very clear reminder of the message Michelle and Barack Obama are trying to deliver, delegates at the convention were handed signs that read: “Vote.”
And for those not on the convention floor, those signs were handed out remarkably fast, with attendees raising them as they cheered and applauded the former president during his remarks.
In their speeches, Barack and Michelle Obama tried to temper expectations after several weeks of elation within the Democratic Party. Both of them told the crowd that they expect it to be an extraordinarily close election, begging people to actually vote.
Barack Obama was one of the only people on Tuesday night to mention President Joe Biden: “My first big decision as your nominee turned out to be one of my best, and that was asking Joe Biden to serve by my side as vice president.”
He spoke about what he admired about Biden as his vice president and then as president. Biden did the “rarest” thing in politics, Barack Obama said, by stepping aside for the good of his party.
“History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger,” Barack Obama said. “I am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend.” The crowd started chanting “thank you Joe.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Delegates held a roll call, though it’s considered ceremonial after the vice president secured the nomination in a virtual roll call earlier this month.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff also delivered a speech, speaking about his relationship with Harris and adding that their tenth wedding anniversary is this Thursday – the night she is set to formally accept the Democratic Party nomination.
Harris was campaigning in Wisconsin on Tuesday evening, and she appeared at the Democratic convention via live stream from her rally in Milwaukee after the delegates pledged their support to her ticket.
She shared an image on X of her watching Emhoff deliver his speech while flying back to Chicago on Air Force Two.
Trump throughout the night posted dozens of times on Truth Social, but most of the posts bragged about his endorsed candidates winning in races, including in state legislative races in Florida. Trump told reporters on Tuesday night that he had respect for Barack Obama and his wife, and that he liked them.