Following the highly anticipated DNC speech by First Lady Michelle Obama on Monday, CNN’s Anderson Cooper called out Political Commentator Van Jones for crying during the speech. “Well I mean, first of all, if you weren't moved by that, go see the doctor,” he responded. Jones continued by speaking glowingly about the speech, “She gave a clinic on how to connect to the American people,” and “It was her speaking as a mother.” The rest of the panelists did much of the same, they all praised her speech for different reasons.
CNN’s Senior Political Reporter Nia-Malika Henderson praised Hillary Clinton’s wisdom in selecting the first lady to speak on the first night of the convention. “I think the Clinton campaign smartly knew that this was going to be the headline of the night,” Henderson noted, before taking a swipe at Clinton’s primary rival, “They knew that most Americans weren't tuning in for Bernie Sanders, and no offense to Bernie Sanders, but they were tuning in for Michelle Obama.”
Henderson went on to gush over how Michelle used to be known as “the closer” during the 2008 campaign, because she was good at getting undecided voters to back her husband. “I think tonight, she proved why she got that nickname,” she said.
Radio host Michael Smerconish was impressed with how she closed out her speech, “she brought the house down with the line you referenced, where she said, this is the greatest country on Earth.” He compared it to her controversial statement from 2008, when she said it was the first time she was proud of America. He argued that she misspoke and the right wingers pounced, “Of course on the far right she was held accountable for that, and people wanted to read into it the fact she didn't love her country. Anybody who watched tonight knows exactly where she stands.”
Gloria Borger, CNN’s Chief Political Analyst, glowed about how the speech was a sophisticated dismantling of Donald Trump:
On so many levels, this was a takedown of Donald Trump in a nuanced way. You know, as a parent, saying we have to be a role model to our children. As a leader, she said, you need to be steady and measured and well informed. And also as a black woman.
Transcript below:
CNN
America’s Choice
July 25, 2016
10:20:41 PM EasternANDERSON COOPER: Van Jones, I got to call you out. I saw you crying during this.
VAN JONES: Well I mean, first of all, if you weren't moved by that, go see the doctor. I mean, every American has to appreciate what it means for a woman like her to have grown up in Chicago, dark skinned, not particular -- you know, not the classically, you know, beautiful woman according to the theme of that time. To be able to come out here, she gave a clinic on how to connect to the American people, how to talk. There are politicians, professional politicians who came up here tonight who did not connect with the crowd, and the very first time that Hillary Clinton's name was mentioned, with not one boo. The very first time Tim Kaine's name was mentioned, with not one boo. It was not professional politicians. It was her speaking as a mother.
…
NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON: I think the Clinton campaign smartly knew that this was going to be the headline of the night. They knew that most Americans weren't tuning in for Bernie Sanders, and no offense to Bernie Sanders, but they were tuning in for Michelle Obama. And this is the first time Mrs. Obama has talked at length about Hillary Clinton. During the campaign in 2008, she was known as the closer because she was so good at changing the minds of undecided voters and having them back her husband. I think tonight, she proved why she got that nickname.
DAVID AXELRON: Can I make one other point? One of the things that people say, whether they like Barack Obama or not, whether they like Michelle Obama or not, is that they're good role models. They're good parents. And this whole speech was built around the obligation that we have as parents and that the president of the United States has, and the first lady, to be good role models, and that was a very sharp, implicit attack on Donald Trump. And the Clinton campaign's running ads right now showing some of Trump's quotes with children watching the TV. And it's the same sort of message.
COOPER: Also personalized in a way that, I got to say, we did not really hear during the Republican convention.
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MICHAEL SMERCONISH: Well, I particularly liked the fact that at the end of the speech, she brought the house down with the line you referenced, where she said, this is the greatest country on Earth. What immediately triggered in my mind, was something she said awkwardly eight years ago. Which was to the effect of, “for the first time in my life, I'm proud of the country.” I think she meant to say, “I've never been more proud of my country.” Of course on the far right she was held accountable for that, and people wanted to read into it the fact she didn't love her country. Anybody who watched tonight knows exactly where she stands.
GLORIA BORGER: On so many levels, this was a takedown of Donald Trump in a nuanced way. You know, as a parent, saying we have to be a role model to our children. As a leader, she said, you need to be steady and measured and well informed. And also as a black woman. Living in that White House saying, “how dare you say we're a country of losers? Because I'm the first lady of the United States and I'm watching my children play on that lawn in a house that was built by slaves.”
JONES: It’s a deep kind of patriotism and the thing is, “when they go low, we go high.” That's the Obama’s.
