This letter is associated with the following article:
Letters
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 12:00 AM

Isn't she lovely?

In her prime-time speech Monday, Michelle Obama foiled her harshest detractors and perhaps even won over Middle America.

Read other letters about this article

  • Tuesday, August 26, 2008 06:06 AM

    @ Xrandadu

    It wasn't a policy speech. It wasn't a speech about the focus of an Obama presidency. I know of absolutely no one who has changed their minds on who to vote for based on a speech made by their spouse.

    Speeches like this are pretty pointless to me and tend only to reenforce the views already held about a candidate. Those who already support Obama are going to listen to his wife's speech and have their positive feelings validated. Those who don't support him, or have questions about his qualifications for the office he is aspiring to probably aren't going to be swayed by his wife saying what a wonderful man he is. It's political theater - nothing more.

    Look at what happened with Teresa Heinz-Kerry - those who supported Kerry liked her outspokeness while Republicans painted her as a Hillary-type bitch. A political wife is expected to speak nicely in public, not give too much information about her own opinions and show unending support for their husbands. In that, Michelle Obama accomplished her objective. Still, in the end it really means very little.

Most Active Letters Threads

740

The commendably missing element from Obama's speech

There was no pretense that human rights is our goal, or the likely outcome, in escalating the war
393

Do Obama officials know what his Afghanistan plan is?

What explains the completely contradictory statements from key aides on a central plank of the war strategy?
388

America's regression

It's almost impossible to find a nation with as many torture advocates as the U.S. has.
309

Palin: Birthers have "fair question" about Obama

Of Obama birth, the ex-governor says, "the public is still, rightfully, making it an issue" (Updated)
211

The poster boy for progressive self-delusion

Read Hayden's 2008 Obama endorsement to remember the way the left sold our centrist president to itself

View all »

Letters Help

Currently in Salon