Politics

Krauthammer on Michelle Obama’s ‘brilliant’ speech: ‘I didn’t buy a line of it’ [VIDEO]

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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On Fox News Channel’s coverage of the first night of the Democratic National Convention from Charlotte, N.C., syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer said first lady Michelle Obama’s widely praised address was not convincing.

Krauthammer told the coverage anchored by Megyn Kelly and Bret Baier he was growing tired of hearing political speeches that involved person hardships early in life.

“If I hear one more story of people walking eight miles in the snow, without shoes, uphill both ways, I’m going to start longing for a little Clint Eastwood spontaneity out here,” Krauthammer said. “And I mean it’s not only scripted in the sense of how the speeches are arranged, having the video but the stories are the same except that sometimes it has a Hispanic tinge, African-American tinge and a slant to it. But that is what everybody suspects that and that is what you get.”

But as for her performance on the stage in Charlotte, he said it was “brilliant,” despite being predictable.

“Nonetheless I would say within that, and despite the repetition that have, Michelle Obama’s speech I thought was a brilliant speech, and brilliantly delivered,” he said. “I read a few of those, I have written a couple myself, and I thought what was smart about it is that you start with all that personal stuff, very effective stuff — her side of the family, his side of the family and it then evolves into a speech about why Obama does what he does. All of the other speakers would talk about what Obama does — the achievement and legislation and whatever, and the political implications. Her whole task was to say why, her answer was, ‘Why? Because essentially he’s a saint. Because of his upbringing and because of his emotions and because of his humanity he does this because he cares and the brilliance of it is this.’ It drained Obama of any ideological motivation or any having to do with self-interest or ambition, which I think is sort of more plausible explanation.”

Krauthammer went on to say that despite of his high marks for the performance, the substance was not believable.

“Looking at the scene, looking at how he’s conducted himself if the presidency and particularly campaign, with ruthlessness and determination and drive it’s not quite a plausible story,” Krauthammer said. “I’m sure in the arena it was a plausible story. I saw the tears but I’m afraid, I thought it’s a great speech but I didn’t buy a line of it.”

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Jeff Poor