Michelle Obama’s Artful Takedown of Donald Trump Earns Widespread Praise
Michelle Obama delivered a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention 2024, earning widespread praise for her critique of Donald Trump and his use of racial exploitation for political gain.
Michelle Obama is receiving significant acclaim for her impactful critique of Donald Trump during her speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
In a 20-minute address that captivated Democratic delegates in Chicago, her hometown, the former First Lady skillfully mocked and minimized Trump’s exploitation of race for political advantage.
Michelle Obama Criticizes Trump’s Narrow Worldview
“For years, Donald Trump has done everything he could to make people fear us. His limited, narrow perspective made him feel threatened by the presence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful Black individuals,” Obama said.
She referenced Trump’s well-known animosity towards her husband, former President Barack Obama, including promoting the false conspiracy that he was not born in the U.S.
Recently, Trump used the term “Black jobs” during a televised debate with Joe Biden in June, referring to the supposed economic threat illegal immigrants posed to African Americans.
“Who’s going to tell him?” Michelle Obama asked during her speech. “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s after might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?” The remark elicited prolonged cheers at the convention and widespread praise on social media.
Michelle Obama Reframes Affirmative Action in Critique of Trump
Obama did not stop there. She turned the concept of “affirmative action” on its head—a term often associated with government-mandated racial quotas, which is frequently criticized by right-wing Republicans.
Instead, she used it to reference Trump’s inherited wealth from his father, a successful real estate magnate.
Speaking of Kamala Harris, she remarked, “She understands that most of us won’t ever be given the luxury of failing forward. We will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth.”
Subtle Jabs at Trump’s 2015 Presidential Campaign Launch
In a subtle jab, Obama appeared to parody Trump’s iconic 2015 descent down a golden escalator at Trump Tower, when he first announced his presidential bid. She highlighted the challenges many Black and other Americans face daily.
“When we see a mountain in front of us, we don’t expect an escalator to take us to the top,” she said.
She also referenced her famous “when they go low, we go high” statement from the 2016 Democratic Convention, positioning Trump as insignificant and criticizing his approach as “going small.”
“Going small is never the solution,” she said. “Small is petty, unhealthy, and, quite frankly, unpresidential.”
Media and Public Response to Michelle Obama’s Speech
The New York Times noted that Obama’s shift in tone represented a move from “When they go low, we go high” to “When they go low, we call it out.”
Rachel Maddow of MSNBC praised Obama’s speech as “one of the best convention speeches I’ve ever seen by anyone in any circumstance…because it was subtle, deep, thought-provoking, and surprising…A truly stunning speech.”
Commentators observed that Obama’s use of mockery and humor seemed designed to demystify the Republican candidate, aligning with Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz’s approach, who has labeled Trump and his fellow MAGA Republicans as “weird.”
This term has gained traction among pro-Harris campaigners, gradually replacing the Democrats’ earlier narrative of fear concerning the potential impact of a second Trump presidency on the country’s democratic institutions.
Politico described the approach taken by both Michelle and Barack Obama towards Trump as “making him small.”
In his speech following Michelle’s, Barack Obama delivered his own set of jabs, reminiscent of the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner where he famously mocked Trump—a moment often credited with motivating Trump to pursue the presidency.
“This is a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago,” the former president remarked.
Regarding the possibility of another Trump administration, he added, “We don’t need four more years of bluster, babbling, and chaos; we’ve seen that movie before—and we all know the sequel’s usually worse.”
“Trump, in this portrayal, is less of a diabolical mastermind and more of an annoying, grievance-obsessed buffoon,” wrote John Harris in Politico.