Michelle Obama Is the President's Secret Weapon

September 5, 2012 RSS Feed Print

And the winner is...Michelle Obama

They say behind every strong/smart/successful man there is a strong/smart/successful woman. It reminds me of a joke about a gas station attendant who is flirting with Hillary Clinton. Bill Clinton says to her, "He likes you, he really likes you....hey Hil, maybe you could've married him, huh?" And in true joke fashion, Mrs. Clinton responds, "If I married him Bill, he would have been president."

[See a collection of political cartoons on the 2012 campaign.]

Tuesday night, when first lady Michelle Obama spoke, the crowd was electrified. Talking about her relationship as a mom with her two daughters and with her husband, our president, the first lady did something that Mitt Romney has not been able to do—and even her own husband has not had highest poll numbers on—and that is being relatable.

This is a woman who bridged the gap between personal and political in one speech. She discussed women's bodies, healthcare, benefits for military families, education, date nights, the Fair Pay Act, the glass ceiling in the workplace, same sex marriage—all in one speech. And she did it in an educated, warm, funny, relatable manner.

[6 Things Michelle Obama Did Right]

Normally conventions are pep rallies for the faithful, whether they be Democrat or Republican. As November fast approaches and the two candidates continue to be neck in neck in the polls, every little bit helps, and so does every vote—especially among women. Women might actually decide the outcome of this election, and even though the president leads Mitt Romney with women, increasing that percentage lead could be the difference of four more years.

When you look at the reaction on Twitter to the first lady's speech, to say it was well received is putting it lightly. Women identified with her, trusted her—could they trust her enough to vote for her husband for four more years? Obviously only time will tell whether her passionate plea to women will actually translate into votes in November.

[See a slideshow of the most memorable political convention speeches.]

But for now, I think it's safe to say that Mrs Obama can trade in her "mom-in-chief" title for "the Obama campaign's secret weapon."