August 21, 2024

"Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it?... A familiar feeling that has been buried too deep for far too long."

"You know what I’m talking about. It’s the contagious power of hope. The anticipation, the energy, the exhilaration of once again being on the cusp of a brighter day. The chance to vanquish the demons of fear, division and hate that have consumed us and continue pursuing the unfinished promise of this great nation, the dream that our parents and grandparents fought and died and sacrificed for. America, hope is making a comeback. Yeah. But, to be honest, I am realizing that, until recently, I have mourned the dimming of that hope. And maybe you’ve experienced the same feelings, that deep pit in my stomach, a palpable sense of dread about the future.... For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black..... Doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better..... We need to overwhelm any effort to suppress us..... Let us work like our lives depend on it, and let us keep moving our country forward and go higher, yes, always higher than we’ve ever gone before...."

Said Michelle Obama — I've edited it down — at the Democratic National Convention last night.

Watch the whole thing for yourself and form your own opinion:


How many times did she say "hope"? I counted: 7.

How many times did she say "Biden"? I counted: 0.  

She said "Kamala"17 times. And, by the way, she said "Harris" only 5 times, and each time, it was the full name "Kamala Harris." I think she (and her speechwriters) are showing us the preferred locution — say either the full name or the first name. "Kamala" is distinctive in a way that "Harris" is not. Ask the person on the street, "What do you think of Harris?" and I bet most people will express puzzlement: Who's Harris?

120 comments:

Holy Moly! said...

Share the video of people laughing about Trump’s micro penis.

RCOCEAN II said...

Using "Kamala" makes us feel like she's our Gal Pal. We'll have a friend, a mom, a friendly next door neighbor, in the White House. She's not some weird Indian-Canadian-Jamacian leftwing lawyer from SF who wants to change your life for the worse and put opponents in jail, she's joyous, smiling "Kamala". Good ol' Kam.

Holy Moly! said...

https://youtube.com/shorts/lytibiN4wtg?si=b2mDS9IRM3NYS7vU

RCOCEAN II said...

I never undestood the rightwing hate for the Obamas. As leftists go, they're somewhat tolerable and seem OK on a personal level.

Sebastian said...

O said: "Kamala was not born into privilege" WTF? Upper-class Indian, mom MD, dad PHD and Stanford prof.

Must be part of the "narratives" he's creating for Netflix for, what was it, $66M? Anyone seen any of the O shows, by the way, or was that just a corporate protection payment?

Holy Moly! said...

That’s why they hate them. Trump hates them because they make him feel stupid.

Holy Moly! said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Yancey Ward said...

Yeah, there is something in the air alright!

Yancey Ward said...

So, hands up for those surprised that Holy Moly has personal knowledge and interest about Trump's dick?

narciso said...

No we don't hate them enough, now as compared to Biden and Harris, he can put sentences together, they don't make any sense but I will grant him that,

narciso said...

60 million is what Bertelsman, gifted him, the most accurate representation of him was in Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman, where he collaborates with Sam Jackson,

Holy Moly! said...

It is well-established by many women who have seen it that it is micro. Clearly, that has twisted his personality.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

What I saw of the speech made me think of a parent trying to break it to the kids that Grammy might not be with us much longer. They are not confident that Kamala will win.

Aggie said...

Have you asked yourself: 'but.....how does Obama know?'

narciso said...

the genocidal tech billionaire, who has the same type of digs as Klaus Schwab,

Breezy said...

Weird. Biden-Harris have been driving the bus the last 3.5 years, so why is she advocating a change from them? I would think she’d be trying to convince us it’s all been grand.

Holy Moly! said...

Because there are many women who have seen Trump naked and have confirmed that it is micro.

Real American said...

is she proud of the country again?

Dave Begley said...

Why do we need hope? Harris has been in charge for the last 4 years! Are voters really that stupid? Haven't they been to the grocery story or gas pump in the last 4 years?

Yancey Ward said...

Probably explains your personality, too, right? Or is it a smelly vagina in your case?

RideSpaceMountain said...

Hope springs eternal when you anoint candidates instead of electing them.

Yancey Ward said...

See Holy Moly above- yes, they are that stupid.

FullMoon said...

Divisive, as usual

Kalli Davis said...

She's a dude. Puke-a lay-a

RideSpaceMountain said...

“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

- H.L. Mencken

Hope and their hearts desire, slaked at last.

john mosby said...

Michelle used the ever-more-popular phrase “generational wealth.”

In this specific context, she was comparing Trump’s cushion of generational wealth versus what the average POC has to fall back on (although she, Kommie, and Barack all had more - in Barack’s case, lots more - than the average).

But this phrase is bubbling around the black intelligentsia. In its least harmful form, it is a rallying cry for ‘nudge’ policies or just social norms that encourage blacks to own and pass down property.

In more activist circles, it is a rationale for reparations and other confiscatory policies. You see, whites have generational wealth, in the form of monetary profits from slavery and Jim Crow, higher real property values from redlining, professional wages they could earn because their segregated schools were better, etc. So it is only right to impose unrealized-gain taxes, inheritance taxes, reparations, and the like so that the lucky-sperm club doesn’t also give you an automatic financial windfall.

And they know they have only a narrow window to apply these types of policies before all the post-1965 minorities say “wepawashuns? I can’t even pwonouss wepawashuns! Wha bou’ you, Mr. Achmed?” “Inshallah, I shall never pay a reparation, Mr. Kim!”

So they are trying to seed the discourse with “generational wealth” the same way they seeded it with “institutional racism.”

JSM

Peachy said...

I so hope Kamala wins - she becomes as wealthy as the Obamas and the Bidens... and the Pelosi's.

HOPE!

Peachy said...

TrumpHate Cultist arrives.

Jamie said...

They've always had a bitter edge for me. Michelle's lack of any pride in her country until it did the right thing and elected her husband, Barack's arrogant rhetoric about the sea level beginning to fall, et cetera, plus of course the "their God and their guns"... And the palpable sense of oddly aggrieved elitism that comes off both of them. Not a fan.

My feelings are certainly amplified by the chorus of "the most brilliant person ever to hold the presidency," "the most intelligent First Lady we've ever had," the pants crease, the "what a fashion icon!" Why do the media do that? They could use appropriate praising language - "The first community organizer in the White House, bringing his Harvard Law credentials and hardscrabble Chicago politics experience to bear on the nation's issues..." "A successfully lawyer in her own right, Mrs. Obama is a worthy partner in her husband's administration..." But no, they have to be super-superlative. It just undermines the message.

Peachy said...

"Michelle Obama says her parents were "suspicious of folks who took more than they needed."

She has 3 houses and a $160 million dollar net worth."

rhhardin said...

She only has to convince women.

Jamie said...

Oh, yay. Another content-free lefty joins. Robert Cook, Rich, can you please weigh in and give us something worth countering?

Peachy said...
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Peachy said...
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Peachy said...
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Ann Althouse said...

To tighten up my edit:

"Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it?... Let us.... go higher, yes, always higher than we’ve ever gone before...."

Kakistocracy said...

Trump should be grateful he never had to debate Michelle Obama.

So refreshing to hear thoughtful compassionate people speaking about their personal experiences and ideas about America and politics. The level, the depth to their words and authenticity of their voices. Grateful that can still happen in our country.

Inga said...

Michelle hit upon almost everything Democrats, liberals and independents have been thinking/feeling for a long time now. It was so good to hear it spoken so succinctly and strongly. To think of the demonization received from the right, how could you people have been so wrong about so many things and people?

To hear Stephanie Grisham recount what she heard and observed while working in the Trump administration should make Trump supporters (he calls you basement dwellers) sit up and listen. She said she’s putting country before party, something Trump supporters might think about.

Rosalyn C. said...

When you realize that Michelle Obama is 60 years old and Kamala Harris is 59 years old, there’s something rather odd about the tone that Michelle Obama took in describing Harris. It was a kind of patronizing narrative of a young woman who’s worked her way up to this moment of accomplishment. Yes, she won various elections: district attorney, lieutenant governor, senator. But she was set up for all those positions by the Democratic machine. In California if the Democratic Party puts you up for election you’re gonna win.

Meanwhile IMO Michelle Obama could easily have won the Democratic nomination and probably had a stronger chance of winning the presidency than Kamala Harris. But Michelle Obama didn’t want it. They are already set financially. So what’s the point of bothering? Service? LOL

Inga said...

“We’re a failing nation right now. We’re a seriously failing nation. All over the world we were respected and we’re now laughed at. We’re like a bunch of stupid people.”

How proud is Trump of the country?

tommyesq said...

So Moochelle hated America right up until her husband was sworn in, and has hated it ever since he left office, including apparently the bulk of Biden's term. Yeah, let's go with her opinion on who should be coronated next.

Peachy said...

"Michelle Obama says her parents were "suspicious of folks who took more than they needed."

She and Barack own 3 luxury Mansions and have a $160 million dollar net worth.

/comments disappearing again

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

I agree somewhat with Jamie. I think much of the dislike for the Obamas derives from reaction to the beatification of the Obamas by the media.

I personally think Obama is a bitter old fruit who pretends to be magnanimous and fair but in reality he is filled with hatred for his opponents and will violate any law or standard to crush them.

I also blame him for the renewed racial animosity in the country. Right before his election, the US was close to fulfilling a colorblind society. Unfortunately, Obama decided to throw in with the faculty lounge and the anti-American crowd that forced upon us the "hands up; don't shoot" and Tray on Martin hoaxes.

Inga said...

Michelle’s sense of service is far superior to Melania’s. Compare Michelle and Melania’s roles as spouses of people who were/are running for president. Where has Melania been, why isn’t she supporting her husband, giving speeches? Oh yes, money, she is financially set. Screw service, eh Melania? But being married to who she is, it’s no wonder.

Michael K said...

Yes, Moly. How does he know ?

Michael K said...

Agree on Obama's hatred. I also blame him for the renewed racial animosity in the country. Right before his election, the US was close to fulfilling a colorblind society.

He was elected on a fraudulent platform, of racial healing.

tcrosse said...

It reminds me of the scene in Peter Pan where all the boys and girls are asked to applaud if they believe in fairies, in order to bring Tinkerbell back to life.

Michael K said...

The dullard does not understand that Trump is describing Biden-Harris land. Things were fine until the Chinese let loose the plague.

Michael K said...

I think "Rich" mat be having an orgasm as he types.

MadTownGuy said...

That's how Kamala Harris is advertised. In reality, she's Karen from the HOA.

n.n said...

Planned Parenthood and abortionists marching, Hamasidols and empathetic leftists following after, and Jews pushed to the back of a private lot. For the first time in my life....

Michael K said...

It sounds like she went for the big bucks from one of those lefty billionaires. I had to look her up to see who she was.

Michael K said...

The dullard thinks giving speeches is lady-like. Michelle is no lady.

Ann Althouse said...

"Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it?... Let us.... go higher, yes, always higher than we’ve ever gone before...."

Sounds like a character in a Tennessee Williams play — Blanche DuBois or somebody....

Kakistocracy said...

That was a master class from both of the Obamas.

Easy to see why Michael K is so triggered.

Ann Althouse said...

Or that old Jackie Wilson song, "Higher and Higher."

Aggie said...

Who farted?

Rosalyn C. said...

Actually I was suggesting that Michelle could have run for president and won, in case that wasn't clear. I would not agree that giving speeches for your spouse to get elected counts as public service. That was done for self advancement. Barack was stylish looking and poetically inspiring but Michelle has the juice and he needed her energy when he ran. Otherwise he too easily comes across as effeminate and posh. She has more T than he does, obviously, thus all the jokes calling her "Big Mike."
Again, neither Donald nor Melania need to be in political office for their own advancement or benefit. What Trump is doing is the ultimate service and sacrifice, something we don't see often. But instead of acknowledgement and appreciation Trump gets attacked by the Obama's for being a billionaire. It's so phoney because the Democrats want money as much as anyone else. As I said, the irony is hilarious because now that the Obama's are wealthy, Michelle would not be interested in "service" even if that meant being the first female president.

Kakistocracy said...

Overnight ratings for Night Two of the conventions. Seven networks combined:

DNC - 11.9 (10p-11:45p)

RNC - 7.7 (10-11:15p)

55% difference

mccullough said...

Michelle flunked the bar exam the same year Kamala flunked the bar exam. That was 17 years after Hillary flunked the bar exam.

The Flunkie Women

Kakistocracy said...

Kevin writes: “How can it not matter to you where that train will take you?”

4 years of Center Left administration is a small price to rid the party of the Trump cancer. No more sucking up to dictators. We’ll be legitimate conservatives with sane policy arguments again.

hombre said...

There were no Biden years. We will transmogrify from Trump tyranny to Kamala salvation.

Holy Moly! said...

That’s a weird stretch. There is nothing Blanche Dubois about Ms. Obama.

Kate said...

Michelle never could understand that hobbits just want to grill.

Birches said...

This speech is AWFL bait. I don't think the rest of the voters believe this tripe anymore.

William said...

O = Ø

mccullough said...

There hasn’t been a conservative president since Coolidge. Reagan signed Amnesty and signed bills that tripled the Debt. He even signed the bill to coerce states to raise the drinking age to 21.

Conservatism is a pose. Trump isn’t conservative. But he accomplished more conservative goals in 5 minutes than Hollywood Reagan did in his 8 years as Poser in Chief.



Rosalyn C. said...

I listened to her speech at the DNC, I suspect she's at least as foolish now as she was in the past. The fact that she eagerly and publicly announces her lack of gratitude and her disloyalty is proof.
And remember, she hasn't been behind the scenes of Joe and Kamala, has she? Do you think they would ever hire her?

RCOCEAN II said...

Blanche DuBois "I'll tell you what I want. Magic! Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people. I misinterpret things to them. I don't tell the truth. I tell what ought to be truth. And if that is sinful, then let me be damned for it! - Don't turn the light on!”

Oso Negro said...

Such chocolatey goodness!

RNB said...

"We must go forward, not backward. Upward, not downward. And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom."

RCOCEAN II said...

Kamala - Dont turn that light on!

narciso said...

that was from the simpsons episode right,

Scott Patton said...

Ol' #32. Who else here remembers where they were when they watched the immaculate reception?

Temujin said...

Ugly, racist lies. With impunity and a large dose of self-righteousness, one side can get away with it.

Derve Swanson said...

Jussie. Smollet...

Go!

narciso said...

pipe down c thomas howell

Jupiter said...

You have to wonder what exactly Mikey O is "hopeful" about. Her hubby isn't going to get elected President again. They aren't going to get another waterfront mansion. She won't be getting another affirmative action bachelor's from Yale, or another no-show job at a Chicago hospital. Maybe her kids will stop being nepo stoners?

Tomcc said...

It's nice to have hope. It's better to have hope and mail-in ballots. Setting aside the convention speeches, I'd like to hear from both candidates how they plan to address the looming disaster that is our national debt.

FWBuff said...

When I heard the first part of Michelle Obama's speech last night (which Prof. Althouse quoted), I immediately thought, "Wow! She is throwing a lot of blame at Joe Biden for the country's anxious and divisive mood." I also notice that she never once mentioned Biden's name, which oddly reinforced her criticism of the current state of the country.

narciso said...

well she plans to crash the currency thats not in doubt
maybe some digital replacement, which will control what you can buy,
who can buy, a mark perhaps on a hand,

Michael K said...

"Rich" you are amusing. I stated my opinion of Obama before he was elected, in 2008. right here. I have never changed my mind.

Michael K said...

Then they will confiscate all that gold people are saving. Just like FDR did.

Joe Smith said...

Most evil bitch on the planet, possibly eclipsing Hillary for the title. She is ungodly wealthy and can only piss and moan about racism 24/7. Fuck her and the horse she rode in on.

Joe Smith said...

Obama has been long-known to be a frequent 'visitor' of gay bath houses in Chicago. Barack knows cock when he sees it.

Joe Smith said...

They got their $100M, and their attitude is fuck everyone else. 'You only need so much money,' Barack famously opined. They are wealthy Marxists and racists, the worst kind of hypocrites.

Iman said...

There’s a lot of hope, joy and gold in those aborted babies!

Can’tcha just feel it?

Iman said...

She wanna take ya highya…

Woo woo woo woo woo!

traditionalguy said...

We don’t hate the Obama’s. We just get tired of being tricked into white guilt surrendering to a smiling Marxist activist. It’s boring like Jews get bored hearing insane Antisemitic narratives calling for their murder.

So my message to Hussein Obama and his Iranian buddies is NEVER AGAIN.

Gunner said...

Sounds like she is saying that Biden gave her no hope.

Iman said...

She’s not much good at self-reflection. And the apple didn’t fall too far from that poisoned tree.

Gunner said...

Inga, Republican wives/first ladies aren't the Edith Wilson control freaks that Jill Biden and Michelle Obama try to emulate. Did Laura Bush or Cindy McCain do a lot of speechmaking?

Iman said...

So he did go fuck himself…

Marcus Bressler said...

I despise Obama. He damaged racial relations in this country in immeasurable ways. His comments about whites and the middle America, and his self-righteousness made me want to puke. She's just as bad.

One Fine Day said...

A master class of socialist dishonesty. No wonder Richy loved it so much. He's an Obama cultist.

Jim at said...

I never undestood the rightwing hate for the Obamas.

When someone says they hate me, I have the tendency to hate them back. That's why.

Unknown said...

Maybe Laura from Glass Menagerie

Jim at said...

How proud is Trump of the country?

Obesessed: preoccupy or fill the mind continually, intrusively, and to a troubling extent.

Jim at said...

Michelle’s sense of service is far superior to Melania’s. Compare Michelle and Melania’s roles as spouses of people who were/are running for president. Where has Melania been, why isn’t she supporting her husband, giving speeches? Oh yes, money, she is financially set. Screw service, eh Melania? But being married to who she is, it’s no wonder.

Obesessed: preoccupy or fill the mind continually, intrusively, and to a troubling extent

Disparity of Cult said...

Their sanctimony, plus Michelle nothing but sour.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Obama represents the largest cult of personality in modern political history. Even Althouse was sucked in.

Lazarus said...

I don't hate him, I don't think he was a terrible president, and I don't like the gossip and insults, but he's a vicious partisan and anything but a unifier, so I understand why people throw back at him what he throws at them.

Lazarus said...

I didn't know who Stephanie Grisham was, so I looked her up. Her life and record runs from dismal to disastrous. She's no moral paragon. I suspect she turned on Trump as a career move, rather than out of moral indignation.

Lazarus said...

Political conventions are like the circus. They may have been wonderful events for our grandparents or great-grandparents when they were children, but they're hard to tolerate now. The partisan angle -- yay us, boo them -- pervades everything so it's hard to take anything said at a convention seriously or at face value.

FunkyPhD said...

“See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black.”. Prove it, or shut your filthy mouth.

FullMoon said...

Sophistication, class, humor and racism all in one package.
Hey, remember when McCain was punished for using Barack's middle name?

B.O. be special..

Joe Bar said...

Hell, I was dumb enough to vote for him, the first time. He was sold as the great uniter. The ender of racial hate. I started to hate when he turned out to be the opposite. I was sold a bill of goods. Then Obamacare cemented it.

Michael K said...

I think it's four, counting Chicago which I don't think they have visited recently.

Michael K said...

A lot of us watched to see if Walz would be dropped.

mikee said...

Democratic Party confidence in the puissance of their mail-in ballot harvesting machine must be rock solid for them to be presenting such amazing, willful blindness to reality, and such Big Lie political posturing. I'm going to double my bet that the Dem wins this November. I originally bet, trying to lose, that the Dem candidate would take it. Pity, but I'll make a few $$ on a Harris win. And laugh and laugh at the Republicans who failed to have a better mail-in ballot harvesting system than the competition, because that's all that matters this election. Just like the last election.

Michael K said...

What you mean "we" white man ?

Narayanan said...

even with micro Trump produced 6'7" Barron = is that miracle

Big Mike said...

@RCOCEAN II, you have no BS detector? How do you get through life?

Michelle Obama says that her parents were "suspicious of folks who took more than they needed." Well, do she and her husband need four houses, three of them certifiable mansions? Her husband, campaigning in 2008, famously told a plumber -- a plumber! -- that "at a certain point you've made enough." I don't know who is supposed to establish what "enough" is for anybody, but one would think that the Obamas should be able to make do with only one mansion, and don't a whole lot need the other three domiciles.

Narayanan said...

interesting words to track

Michael Fitzgerald said...

"For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black..... Doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better"
This lying, racist rhetoric is indicative of the way Mooch and Hussein governed, and one of the reasons why I hate the Obamas. Whipping up the hatred for the candidate who got shot in the face a month ago. I fucking despise those two and so hope they meet a vicious violent end in public and soon.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

Circuses are awesome and it's only lib shits that don't like them, because they make the public happy.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

Speak for yourself. I hate the Obamas. They deserve the scorn.

Rusty said...

Hi. Is there an adult in your house we can talk to?

Rusty said...

Choom and the gang.

Bruce Hayden said...

“Michelle flunked the bar exam the same year Kamala flunked the bar exam. That was 17 years after Hillary flunked the bar exam.”

“The Flunkie Women”

How do you flunk the bar exam? My memory is that the first time pass rate is 75% or so. That means that they were in the bottom 1/4.