Michelle Obama will make a personal plea for Joe Biden, describing the man she knows, as she keynotes the first night of the Democratic National Convention.
The former first lady’s speech, which was pre-taped at the Obamas’ Martha Vineyard home, is expected to be the second most-watched speech of the virtual convention, after Biden. It marks her first campaign appearance for her husband’s vice president.
‘I know Joe,’ she said in a clip of her addressed released by the party Monday afternoon.
‘He is a profoundly decent man guided by faith. He was a terrific vice president. He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country. And he listens.’
A Biden for president campaign sign is visible behind the former first lady.
Michelle Obama is the keynote speaker for Monday night’s Democratic National Convention; her speech was pretaped at the Obama family’s Martha’s Vineyard home
Michelle Obama will make a personal plea for Joe Biden, describing the man she knows – the former first lady and Biden are seen together above at March 2011 reception at the White House
Obama also said that Biden will ‘tell the truth’ and ‘trust science’ when it comes to handling the coronavirus pandemic, an area where voters give President Donald Trump low marks.
‘He will make smart plans and manage a good team,’ she said in the 33 second preview clip. ‘And he will govern as someone who’s lived a life that the rest of us can recognize.’
The teaser from her speech was released several hours before the DNC’s livestream would begin to air, but President Donald Trump already labeled the night’s program boring.
‘You want to go to a snooze?’ he asked supporters in Minnesota Monday.
He specifically mentioned Michelle Obama’s forthcoming address.
‘You know I noticed that their convention tonight, these are all taped speeches. Michelle Obama’s speech is taped,’ Trump told supporters Monday in Minnesota. ‘Why don’t they tell me that? I’ll tape my speech next week. It’s a lot easier.’
Trump will accept his party’s nomination next Thursday, a week after the Democratic National Convention concludes.
‘I’ll make sure it’s perfecto, every word will be perfect,’ the president went on.
Trump traveled to Minnesota and Wisconsin on Monday, with more trips planned for later next week, as part of his counter programming to Biden’s coronation as the party’s presidential nominee.
Democrats have largely scrapped an in-person convention and will instead produce two hours of programming for the next four nights that will culminate with Biden accepting the Democratic nomination in his adopted hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
Republicans also are planning a mostly virtual event when their convention begins next Monday.
Michelle Obama ends the first night of the Democrats’ online gathering where the theme will be ‘We the People.’
The evening’s speeches and program will address racial injustice with a speech from Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Democratic Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina; the COVID pandemic with a speech from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; and putting people over party with speeches from Republican politicians former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, former Congresswoman Susan Molinari, former Hewitt Packard CEO Meg Whitman and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Cuomo will attack Trump’s handling of the pandemic, which has infected more 5.42 million Americans and killed more than 170,000 people.
‘Americans’ eyes have been opened, and we have seen in this crisis the truth: that government matters and leadership matters. And it determines whether we thrive and grow, or whether we live or die,’ he will say according to his prepared remarks released by the party.
President Donald Trump mocked Michelle Obama for recording her speech ahead of time
But Obama got top billing on the first day of the gathering, which will also feature an eight minute-long speech from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Biden’s progressive primary rival.
Sanders will appeal for his progressive supporters and those who voted for Trump to come together behind Biden.
‘My friends, I say to you, and to everyone who supported other candidates in this primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election. The future of our democracy is at stake. The future of our economy is at stake. The future of our planet is at stake. We must come together, defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president. My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine,’ he will say according to his prepared remarks released by the party.
Obama’s husband, former President Barack Obama, is scheduled to speak on Wednesday evening.
The former first lady’s 2016 convention speech was a viral, motivating moment for the party, remembered for her words: ‘When they go low, we go high.’