Michelle Obama Media Reactions: Pundits Swoon Over First Lady's DNC Speech

[highplainsdem]

Source: Huffington Post

Members of the media immediately praised First Lady Michelle Obama's 2012 Democratic Convention speech on Tuesday night. Obama, who stunned in a custom Tracy Reese dress, took the stage just after 10:30 p.m. EST.

Across the cable news networks, pundits swooned over Obama's delivery. There seemed to be some mixed reviews over the strength of the speech itself, but the media seemed to agree that Obama nailed the performance.

-snip-

Over at MSNBC, Rachel Maddow responded simply to Obama's speech. "Oh my god," she said, immediately following the first lady's remarks. MSNBC's Steve Schmidt said the speech was "brilliantly written and brilliantly delivered." Chuck Todd, who was reporting live from the convention floor, said, "Michelle Obama owned this convention in a way that no speaker owned the floor of the convention in Tampa."

CNN's Anderson Cooper tweeted that he has "never heard such a well delivered speech by a first lady ever." CNN's Wolf Blitzer echoed these sentiments, calling the speech "a grand slam." John King noted that Obama's speech was going to be "hard to top." CNN's Donna Brazile summed up the feeling in the convention center, tweeting "Love is in the air." Ari Fleischer, sounding a bum note said, "some speeches are much more effective in a hall of zealots."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/04/michelle-obama-media-reactions-dnc-speech_n_1856453.html

[notadmblnd]

1. Anyone that heard it swooned

[calimary]

27. Well, I certainly did!

When I wasn't jumping to my feet and thrusting my fists into the air, that is.

I thought she KILLED! So did Deval Patrick! Hell, so did they ALL!

[CountAllVotes]

2. K&R for the First Lady

To Michelle Obama: I hope your 2nd term as First Lady is as good as the first one has been so far!

[JitterbugPerfume]

3. it was a thing of beauty

[glinda]

4. hehe...well said.

[msongs]

5. nice sexist opening, mentioning her dress. do they mention men's suits? nt

[efhmc]

10. Sorry, but this feminist said to her daughter feminist, "What a great dress."when MO stepped out on

the stage. Sometimes a pretty dress is a thing to be recognized. IMHO

[jillan]

16. And this feminist said to her daughter - OMG - Michelle looks stunning tonite.

[efhmc]

19. Is that really true? So funny and connecting.

[BattyDem]

24. And this feminist said to her mother ... "She looks gorgeous, doesn't she?"

And my mother replied, "Yes! I LOVE that dress!!"

[Justitia]

25. ditto - she did look stunning, that dress was amazing on her.

I also noticed she has the most graceful, elegant hands ever.
I kept thinking - "what is that nail polish? I love it!"
And, of course, I loved her speech, but I'm already in the "sure thing" category

[calimary]

28. And this feminist said to no one in particular - DAYUM. Those arms.

Sheee-it. Great dress, too. She looked like a million bucks! With shoes by J. Crew, I'm told.

[efhmc]

59. We commented on the arms also, as practicing what she preaches.

[juajen]

42. I have to agree. The dress was stunning and for a while,

her beauty was all I saw. That was truly an amazing outfit; and, then, she began to talk, and the rest is history. Good for her!

[Samantha]

17. Gotta confess -- when I saw her walk out in that dress, I said this speech is already a success!

THAT DRESS IS STUNNING AND PERFECT ON HER. And yes, when she began to speak, I listened intently. Perfect dress for the perfect speech from the perfect First Lady.

Sam
(also a feminist)

[JDPriestly]

34. What can be more feminist that wanting to look female?

Michelle Obama is beautiful. She radiates beauty from within her. That same dress on a woman with less love and less pride in her family would not have looked nearly as good.

[NYC Liberal]

15. If men's suits were as diverse as dresses are then

I have no doubt they would. The only reason men's suits aren't really mentioned is because they pretty much all look the same.

[highplainsdem]

21. +1,000

[Summer Hathaway]

36. And this old feminist says ...

My female forebears, who fought tirelessly for a woman's right to vote, a woman's right to own property, a woman's right to an education, a woman's right to a career, and a woman's right to choose did not do so in order for some women to tell other women that opining on a woman's attire, her grace, or her sense of style is somehow inappropriate.

Looking beautiful as she took the stage is part of Michelle Obama's persona. It doesn't define who she is - but it doesn't detract from who she is either. She continually demonstrates that beauty, grace and style are not contrary to intelligent discourse - and displaying such are as much a woman's prerogative as any other right we have fought so hard to win, and will continue to fight to hold onto against all comers.

[BlueMTexpat]

56. +1000! Thanks for saying that.

And I loved everything about Michelle last night!

[efhmc]

60. So beautiful and so thoughtfully written. Thanks.

[calimary]

61. Hear hear!

[joshcryer]

37. They mentioned Al Gores.

I guess they only mention men's clothing if they want to make a controversy.

[goclark]

6. QueenAnnRmoney probably doesn't realize

that she was given a knock out punch by a real classy lady.

[Rozlee]

26. No, she probably doesn't realize it.

Ann Romney wouldn't know class if it slapped her silly. And anyone that would wear a shirt with dead popeyed fish gaping all over it doesn't know the meaning of class or fashion sense. Even I've got better fashion sense and I wear socks with sandals. Plus, seriously, going around saying "you people" to us great unwashed. You called it. No class.

[catbyte]

39. I thought it was a bird, lol. She's probably still convinced that it's "her turn"

[Patiod]

7. Typo: "some speeches are much more effective THAN a hall of zealots."

There. Fixed.

[lovemydog]

33. haha!

[tnvoter]

35. ROFLOL...

[Major Hogwash]

8. There is no doubt that Michelle is extremely intelligent, gorgeous, and an excellent speaker.

Her speech tonight will be a hallmark for years to come.

Now, where's that damned chair?

[robbob]

13. That's a GREAT idea!!!!

They should bring out someone to address an empty chair representing Romney. They could ask chair why he won't release his tax returns, how a record of trashing companies and destroying jobs at Bain qualifies him to run the country, how he could strap a dog to the roof of a car, etc. etc.

All tongue in cheek, of course, but in one short segment you could bring voters attention to all the slimy qualities that define the empty suit known as "Romney".

Maybe ask Robin Williams? I know he does a great Clint impression...

[6000eliot]

23. The chair should represent his missing tax returns.

[Trajan]

32. Chris Rock tweeted the other day

"Place an empty chair on the stage, and say it's Osama bin Laden's ...." (paraphrased)

[beac]

9. Ari Fleischer, sounding a bum note said, "some speeches are much more effective in a hall of zealots

:pike:

Well, you outta know ALL about that, Ari, between the poodle press you dealt w/in the White House and the zealots-only crowds Duhbya's handlers provided every time he opened his mouth in public.



Maybe Ari's still pissy that he he hasn't won the GOP Douchebag of the Year trophy in awhile?

[MurrayDelph]

20. Of course, Fleischer would

he IS a bum.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

11. One of the best lines from her speech.

"Once you are successful you don't shut the door behind. You help others succeed too."

Forgive if I don't have all the words correct.

[Liberalynn]

53. That was a great line

I also loved the one that "money is not the measure of success but how many people's lives you made a difference to."

[ProfessionalLeftist]

12. Andrew Sullivan...

"Stunning, brilliant, moving, passionate and right. Flawless. That was a speech a presidential nominee would be proud to have given. The best speech of the conventions so far. There was an emotional arc and steel to this that was as suffused with patriotism as it was with love. Yes, I'm gushing. But gushing is what I feel. And this is live-blogging. So sue me. I've never heard a speech from a First Lady anywhere close to this."

[calimary]

29. Spot on.

She was MAGNIFICENT! Made me proud to be an American woman. Made me proud of my First Lady. Made me proud to think THAT is the face of American women to the world.

[Cha]

45. Awwww, Sully does have a

with words that pull at the heart strings.

[DemKittyNC]

14. Well duh...

This is what you get when you put an intelligent, genuine, thoughtful, caring, loving and family oriented Woman in the spot light... An avalanche of awesome!


Just wanted to add that I am so proud to be a Dem Woman tonight

[svip]

18. If someone got video of the reactions ..

.. would love to see it posted on YouTube. Would especially be interested in seeing the reactions of those on MSNBC as I missed it. I went to watch the collective air being taken out of the room after Michelle's speech on FAUX News.

[calimary]

30. Welcome to DU, svip!

How was that vibe over at Pox Noise? Great to have you here! We need you!




Now roll up those sleeves!

[6000eliot]

22. Every word was like another slap in the face to the Romneys,

yet she didn't even mention their name. It was fabulous!

[dogday]

31. Probably the best speech ever delivered by a First Lady

Blew me away!

[goclark]

40. you may be right....

Can't think of any 1st lady that ever
knocked out a speech like that...it had power ..sweetness ..
Compassion...wow!

[catbyte]

38. Ari Fleischer gave a typical douchebaggy response. sour grapes much?

[babylonsister]

41. Ari, hahahaha! It sux to be you! nt

[Cha]

44. Brawawaawaaa, babylonsistah!

Ari. just can't help his gutterballs.

[Cha]

43. I read that cbs reported that Michelle wrote her own

speech..working on it for a month.

Our brilliant First Lady~



More pics @ http://theobamadiary.com/2012/09/05/michelle/

[drynberg]

46. MICHELLE HIT IT

This is what a Grand Slam looks like! Forget Ari the partisan trying to hit below the belt, he's just bitter and jealous, forget him.

[skeewee08]

47. Loved

her speech & the dress.... FLOTUS is one CLASSY Woman!!!!!

[tanyev]

48. Oh, Ari. Forgot to watch what you say, watch what you do?

[magical thyme]

49. Shields first word "genius."

She brilliantly created a stark contrast between Obama's experience-based judgement versus Romney's (Gecko) ideological-based judgement without once mention the Romney's by name or even veiled reference. Simply a brilliant narrative arc that pulled everything together. I couldn't help but note the difference between her family's experience with MS versus the Romney's experience with it. Everything wrong about the Romney's was like the elephant in the room. She never had to mention it. It just was there. And her dress was simply gorgeous, perfect on her and a perfect color for tv.

I thought all the speakers were great. Strickland cracked me up. Deval Patrick simply floored me.

Another stark contrast that left it almost as if they had a fly on the wall in Romney's campaign. The heavy inclusion of the military, versus Romney never even mentioning the military.

I almost felt sorry for Brooks last night. Almost. He was left pretty speechless. Lame criticism; he kept repeating was how there was nothing about the deficit. All people care about is the deficit.

BS. Nearly every speech included the deficit. And there is always a subtext: get people back to work at jobs that pay well and tax revenues will increase without having to raise taxes on working people, simply by increasing the base of payers. Combine that with raising taxes/closing loopholes on the wealthy and the deficits will magically recede. That's what happened between 1992 and 2000.

I had planned to work on a personal project while listening last night. Instead, I sat there and cried.

[DavidL]

50. In case anyone wants to watch it again, here's the link

I got so much more out of it by watching it the second time this morning!

[CrispyQ]

51. CNN determined that Ann & Michelle were equal.

They had different goals for their speeches & they both pulled it off nicely.

Fair & balanced is such bullshit.

on edit: This was a discussion between Gergan & Borger & someone else was sitting there - Cooper?

[Liberalynn]

52. I wanted to go out right then and there and start knocking on doors

to relect the President.

Michelle was brilliant. How can the American people not want to put this family back in office?

She is amazing! I cried!with pride!

[hue]

54. Michelle is brilliant!! Her speech is brilliant!!! K&R

[NCarolinawoman]

55. Over at Fox, Brit Hume and Chris Wallace loved the speech!

Rove changed the subject.

[LishaD35]

57. My first thought after her speech:

I bet Ann Romney is pissed! Who could compare to that?

[Scuba]

58. Ari Fleischer is turd blossom's mouth. No class.

[rqsulfates]

62. Spam deleted by CaliforniaPeggy (MIR Team)

[rqsulfates]

62. Spam deleted by CaliforniaPeggy (MIR Team)