CHARLOTTE, N.C – First Lady Michelle Obama gave a highly emotional and personal speech on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention last night.
She moved flawlessly from stories about how she and the President came from humble beginnings to prominence, tying in these stories of personal hardship with policies her husband’s administration enacted.
But while the First Lady was undoubtedly poised and polished on stage and gave a glowing report of just who Barack Obama is, she slyly avoided the pathetic record and empty promises of her husband’s first term.
“When we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage,” Michelle said. “We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.”
After a brief chuckle by the audience who seemed to resonate with her young, indebted lovers anecdote, she swiftly pivoted to policy.
“That’s why Barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates down,” she said, referencing the legislation her husband signed to force college loan interest rates to remain at 3.4 percent. “Because he wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend college without a mountain of debt.”
But she failed to mention that despite her husband’s good intentions, tuition rates have risen dramatically under his watch.
And of course, mentioning the truth about unaffordable higher education would surely make the president look bad. So in order to sell him once again to the American people, because his record as president certainly isn’t a selling point, she honed in on his likeable image.
“When it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago,” she said. “That’s the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him. The letter from the father struggling to pay his bills… “
But the man struggling to pay his bills, might just be one of the 23 million unemployed in this dismal economy – he might be one of the 8.3 percent of Americans suffering from high unemployment during this administration.
The First Lady also made a clear endorsement of gay marriage, but failed to mention that her husband’s position on gay marriage is perhaps the clearest example of how he has recently “flip-flopped” in order to get votes.
“If proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love, then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream,” she said to a roaring crowd.
With high unemployment, rising college tuition rates, a changed position on a controversial social issues and $16 trillion in debt, the First Lady’s nice guy account of the president just isn’t going to cut it when American s go to the polls in November.
Red Alert contributor Katie McHugh contributed to this piece.
