Obamas send chills through DNC attendees
by Trinity Kinslow Howard University News Service
Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama invigorated a packed United Convention Center in Chicago with back-to-back closing speeches on the second night of the Democratic National Convention. The Obamas threw their full support behind Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The beloved former First Lady used her formidable political power to zero in on Donald Trump, using his controversial and viral campaign line against him and inciting roaring applause from the audience.
“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs?’” she asked.
Following his wife’s lead, Barack Obama encouraged Democrats to set aside their differences for the sake of gaining votes.
“We start thinking that the only way to win is to scold and shame and out-yell the other side,” Obama said. “That approach may work for the politicians who just want attention and thrive on division. But it won’t work for us.”
What excited convention attendees almost more than the Obamas’ inspiring speeches was the reminder of hope and time passed by seeing them together.
Alia Jawando, 13, remembers seeing the Obamas as a young child. Today, she is attending the DNC with her father, Will Jawando, a council member in Montgomery County, Maryland.
“Seeing them on stage, I had chills,” Jawando said. “I saw them when I was little a long time ago and seeing them now just made me [realize], ‘Oh wow, I’m grown up now.’ It was beautiful to see.”
Other attendees, like Renee Carson, were inspired by their union and reminded of the importance of this election by their participation.
“It gave me chills,” Carson said. “Just seeing them shows the intensity of this election.”
“I love seeing them together in unity,” she added. “It united the crowd, and that’s what this election is about — uniting us back together.”
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