Reporters and media pundits praised former first lady Michelle Obama’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) speech Monday evening, where she condemned President Donald Trump and urged Americans to vote.
Obama called Trump “the wrong president for our country” and issued a stark warning for citizens: “If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can.”
She said Americans have received “chaos, division, and a total and utter lack of empathy” from the White House and called former Vice President Joe Biden a “profoundly decent man” that viewers must “do everything” to elect.
Fox News anchor Chris Wallace said Monday evening that the former first lady “really flayed, sliced and diced” Trump. He called the speech “very effective” and reiterated comments that many viewed as her more moving talking points.
“It was a heck of a contribution,” Wallace said. “She really flayed, sliced and diced Donald Trump, talking about the chaos and confusion and lack of empathy – especially coming from this president and this White House. Spoke more about the deficits of Donald Trump than the pluses of Joe Biden, but did talk about especially, not so much policies, but especially his empathy and what he has been through and his care for average Americans.”
WATCH:
Here is how Fox News anchor Chris Wallace reacted to #MichelleObama speech last night #DNCConvention #DNC2020 pic.twitter.com/Ku3z5YCVWN
— Amaka Ubaka (@AmakaUbakaTV) August 18, 2020
Fox News’ Dana Perino also praised Obama for her speech, pointing out her “authenticity.” Perino, who was former President George W. Bush’s press secretary, added that Obama “has clarity,” pointing out the speech’s “call to action.”
“You got the sense when you talk about authenticity, she has it in spades. She has that voice, she has clarity, and she knows what she is out there wanting to do,” Perino explained. “She was trying to get everybody to really focus and then she had a call to action: Ask for your ballot tonight.”
“I think that the DNC, if they look over the course of the night, the first virtual convention of our history, I think they would say that Michelle Obama stuck the landing.” (RELATED: Michelle Obama’s 2020 DNC Speech Urges Americans To Vote Early, By Mail, And ‘In Person’ If Possible)
Journalist Dan Rather also praised the speech, calling it “one of the most stirring convention speeches” he has ever heard. The former CBS anchor lauded Obama’s comments as “tough” but “fair.”
Michelle Obama gives one of the most stirring convention speeches I have heard. Tough. Fair. But full of hope. The format makes it all the more personal She taps into the deep currents that are the best of American values.
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) August 18, 2020
“Something tells me Melania not gonna be cribbing @MichelleObama’s speech this year,” CNN political commentator Ana Navarro-Cárdenas tweeted. Washington Post’s conservative opinion writer Jennifer Rubin suggested the former first lady should deliver “all convention speeches” going forward.
“My favorite thing about Michelle Obama’s speech was how she reiterated the need to go high right before she unleashed the ‘it is what it is’ line. Stone cold killer,” MSNBC justice & security analyst Matthew Miller tweeted.
Michelle Obama just made one of the most compelling arguments I’ve ever heard in a convention speech turning the lack of a crowd into a personal appeal. But on the other hand next week Eric Trump is going to eat a cheeseburger over zoom while telling us how AOC will ban cows.
— Jon Lovett (@jonlovett) August 18, 2020
John Avlon, a senior political analyst for CNN, tweeted that Obama’s “speech – and especially her delivery – was the kind stuff they’ll teach in classes.”
NPR noted in a tweet that while the DNC “was absent of a live audience” it still “featured a standout speech from Michelle Obama.”
“She said, ‘I’ve been near the president, I’ve worked with Joe Biden. I’ve seen people who can do this. This man [Trump] can’t do it. And if he can’t do it, it’s gonna get much worse for all of us,'” MSNBC host Joy Reid said Monday evening.
“It is a really strong message. It helps Joe Biden … This is, ‘come with me if you want to live.'”