A Great Woman Lives In The White House

July 26th, 2016 I woke up after a good night’s sleep with a smile in my heart. Only a few hours before, I witnessed one of the greatest speeches ever delivered and the thoughts of it still swirl in my head. There is an old saying ” Behind Every Great Man, Is A Great Woman”.   The past 7 years have turned that statement on it’s ear. They stand TOGETHER.

Of course, First Lady Michelle Obama had done this before. People often forget who was primarily responsible for President Barack Obama becoming a reality. I haven’t. It was early 2008. There was a controversy regarding comments made by Reverend Jeremiah Wright, retired pastor of the church the Obamas attended.

The attacks on Barack Obama and his family were withering. There was a daily barrage of questions asked of Barack as if HE had made the statements attributed to Rev. Wright. Up until that moment, the courage and tenacity of Barack Obama was a marvel for the world to see. But this was different.

Your faith is everything. When that is challenged, it can be unnerving.

The comments by so many in the nation, and Rev Wright himself, seemed wear Barack down. I remember going into the weekend before his historic speech “A More Perfect Union”, noticing the weariness in his eyes. I have never forgotten that moment. His shoulders drooped and for the only time before, during and since, he looked defeated. Your faith is everything. When that is challenged, it can be unnerving.

But most people missed one event that weekend. There was a news shot, although brief, that showed Michelle Obama talking quietly with her very attentive, yet sad, husband. It caught my eye. Every man who has a great woman and good partner has had that quiet talk.  There are things you can say to your friends and bravado you can bring to the public, but your partner sees through all that. She is the one that can tell you “your wrong” when no one else can. It rings true. She also can make you better when you hurt. That is what a great woman does.

A good partner knows when you are hurting and will apply the soothing tones necessary to lift you up. I saw it. I watched her put her arms around Barack and allow him to let go. By doing that all weekend, she helped Barack find the space to deliver the speech of his life. When people talk about the speech, they often laud (and rightly so) Barack for his eloquence and his insightful words. What is often missed is the great woman WHO made these words possible: Michelle Obama.

I have never forgotten that moment. My wife and I have talked about this moment often over the years. Since that time, we have watched Michelle on the world stage and marveled at her grace amid the many attacks leveled at her. These attacks  hurt ME and I’m not Michelle. We remember those who scorned Barack for sending “his wife” to speak instead of coming himself during his first campaign. We remember the many racist caricatures made of her physical stature as if she were an ugly woman. Through it all, she not only handled it with grace and dignity, she SHINED through it. Michelle made (and continues to do so) those who attacked her look like idiots.

When They Go Low, We Go High

Michelle did that for Hillary Clinton and the Democrats last night. When we found out she was going to be speaking, my wife and I could hardly contain our enthusiasm. We have seen her deliver great speeches often and of course looked forward to this one.  As she took to the podium, I have to say I was deeply saddened. It hit me that she and Barack will be leaving the White House at the end of the year. In a life filled with people scorning African American existence, this was a high point in our world journey. As she began, tears welled up in my eyes, recognizing another great moment was passing by. To turn that moment into triumph is the greatness of this lady. Yes, she did it again.

The events of the day did nothing to prepare the nation for what Michelle was going to say. The Democratic Party seemed to be in utter chaos with division between Bernie Sanders supporters and Hillary Clinton supporters. The theme of the convention “We Are Stronger Together” was being mocked by “HeWho Shall Not Be Named” (A Harry Potter reference…) . Demonstrations that should have been staged in Cleveland were being staged at the Democratic Convention.  (True civil disobedience FACES your oppressor) The DNC Convention Chairwoman had to resign because of inappropriate emails that had been uncovered. The media was covering this like a sporting event, looking for open fissures of blood anywhere they could find it. When Michelle went to take the stage, America was waiting with baited breath for what Bernie Sanders was going to say. It felt like a scene from a WWF match instead of a convention supposedly to bring people together.

But then Michelle Obama, Barack’s secret weapon and a great woman, took the stage. She talked about how the hateful language heard from public figures (you know who you are) does not represent America.

“when someone is cruel or acts like a bully, you don’t stoop to their level. No, our motto is, when they go low, we go high.”

I had forgotten to be sad. I became uplifted. She changed the energy of the room. She changed the protestors who started out attempting to drown her out, but you can’t DROWN OUT TRUTH. You must step aside and listen. What Michelle gave to the nation in that speech was something for EVERYONE.

“With every word we utter, with every action we take, we know our kids are watching us. We as parents are their most important role models. And let me tell you, Barack and I take that same approach to our jobs as president and first lady because we know that our words and actions matter, not just to our girls, but the children across this country, kids who tell us I saw you on TV, I wrote a report on you for school.”

She uplifted the room and everyone in it, but in true Michelle Obama fashion, she never lost sight of the goal: Reminding America that the Democrats must win in November and Hillary Clinton is the person to lead them.

For those of us who are not threatened by women in power, there was another great moment. A moment that must have been great because it almost brought MICHELLE  to tears. It was this:

And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters and all our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States.

You see, like Barack, Hillary had reached a possible low point with all the negative comments flying around as well as the email scandals. But Michelle was able to lift her up AND speak to the mother inside of her who wants the best for her girls. It was, and remains an astounding moment I shall never forget.

This is a GREAT woman. This is our President’s Partner. This is a woman that made it easier for me to get up this morning. This is a woman who inspired me to write today, with all the other work I must do. I took this time out because I need to tell you, if you haven’t seen the speech, go on Youtube. Find it. If reading is more your thing, read the transcript from the speech. Sit down with a cool drink and some popcorn and be inspired.

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will lose a great woman come January. It is my hope they will gain another one that same day. In an age where we hear so many atrocities against women and attacks on their human rights, it is powerful to see a woman who walks in greatness BESIDE her husband, not behind him. She is the example little girls the world over should see and emulate.

Thank you Michelle. Thanks for reminding America how great a teacher, speaker, attorney and professor you are. Thank you for yet again rescuing a nation in need of a healing. Thank you for walking along side your husband and nurturing your family. You help give some of us a reason to wake up in the morning.