Michelle Obama tells Trump the presidency just may be a ‘Black job’
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Mrs Obama compared the energy in the Democratic National Convention and across the country for Harris to her husband’s 2008 presidential campaign.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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CHICAGO – Former first lady Michelle Obama tore into Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Aug 20 at the Democratic National Convention, criticising his character and racist attacks that have targeted her and her husband, Mr Barack Obama, in the past.
“His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black,” she said of Trump.
She also taunted Trump for his reference on the campaign trail to “Black jobs”, which he claims are being taken by migrants crossing into the US away from Black Americans.
“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs?’” Mrs Obama asked, drawing roars from the crowd.
The former first lady was speaking in support of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris
Mrs Obama also drew a contrast with Trump and most Americans who don’t grow up wealthy like Trump, whose father was a real estate investor.
“We will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth,” she said. “If we bankrupt a business... or choke in a crisis, we don’t get a second, third, or fourth chance,” she said. “If things don’t go our way, we don’t have the luxury of whining or cheating others to get further ahead.”
Trump, Republicans in Congress, right-wing activists and online trolls have smeared Ms Harris with racist and sexist attacks that have intensified since she began her presidential bid in July, after incumbent President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
Trump has also falsely questioned Ms Harris’ racial identity.
“It’s his same old con,” Mrs Obama said, speaking of Trump. “Doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better.”
Mrs Obama compared the energy in the DNC arena and across the country for Harris to her husband’s 2008 presidential campaign.
“Something wonderfully magical is in the air,” she said to the delegates and guests crowded into Chicago’s United Centre. “A familiar feeling that’s been buried too deep for far too long. It’s the contagious power of hope.
“Hope is making a comeback.”
Mr Obama’s 2008 campaign used the singular word “hope” as a slogan to launch him into the White House as the nation’s first Black president.
Mrs Obama said Ms Harris’ story is “your story. It’s my story. It’s the story of the vast majority of Americans trying to build a better life.”’
Still, she said the race between Ms Harris and Trump will be close and urged people to organise and mobilise voters.
“No matter how good we feel tonight or tomorrow or the next day, this is still going to be an uphill battle... so we cannot be our own worst enemies,” she said.
Before Mr Biden dropped out of the race in July, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that only Mrs Obama outperformed Mr Biden and led Trump 50 per cent to 39 per cent in a hypothetical match-up. The author of the best-selling 2018 memoir Becoming, Mrs Obama has said repeatedly she does not intend to run for president.
She famously called on Democrats in 2016 to go “high” in response to attacks from Republicans. REUTERS
