When Joe Biden was still the Democrats’ 2024 election candidate, early polls suggested he would lose to former POTUS Donald Trump. On July 21, the Pennsylvania native handed the baton off to his Vice President, Kamala Harris, who now holds a narrow lead over her Republican competitor in some swing states according to The Telegraph. Ahead of voting day (Nov. 5), the Democratic National Convention is unfolding at Chicago’s United Center this week. This star-studded event connects Americans to figures at the forefront of politics, such as Michelle Obama.
While she didn’t hold the position of President, she was married to Barack Obama during the eight years he served in the White House. As FLOTUS, the Becoming author saw first-hand how complicated things are, what decisions the most powerful person in the country faces every day and how it impacts them long after their time as an elected official is up. According to Michelle, “hope is making a comeback” now that Harris has her shot at becoming the first female president.
Michelle Obama’s Powerful DNC Speech Was Honest, and at Times, Comedic
Before Harris officially accepted the Democratic nomination on Tuesday, Obama spoke of something “wonderfully magical” in the air. The mother of two is confident that the aspiring left-wing leader is “more than ready for this moment,” adding that Harris is “one of the most qualified people ever to seek” presidency. “There is no choice other than Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” the Chicago native declared in her address at the DNC. Of course, Trump is running for the Republican Party with JD Vance, and third-party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Cornel West, Jill Stein and Chase Oliver will be on the ballot too.
Speaking of The Apprentice co-producer, Michelle Obama reminded the crowd of his history of “distorting” truth and making racially-charged comments about Black and POC politicians. “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’? the former FLOTUS quipped. “For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to make people fear us. His limited and narrow view of the word made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black,” Michelle observed of his perceived hate-train against her and Barack.
The 60-year-old continued, “Most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward, or benefit from the affirmative action of generation wealth,” seemingly pointing to Trump staying afloat despite his rocky past in business. At the same time, Obama condemned the New York native for his first term in office, when he “doubled down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies, gutted our healthcare, took away our freedom to control our bodies and banned our books.”
What Is ‘Goldilocks Complex’?
There’s been a lot to take in from the DNC so far, but one of the most interesting points made by Michelle Obama came as a reference to a classic children’s tale. As she was speaking to Americans who find themselves on the fence about voting for Harris, the Harvard Law grad cautioned them against developing a “Goldilocks complex.” As you may recall, in the original story by Robert Southey, a young girl breaks into the home of three bears where she snoops around, eats their porridge, tests out their chairs and gets comfortable in their beds.
While one bowl of porridge is “too hot” and the other “too cold,” Goldilocks decides the third option is “just right.” When she sits in their chairs, the blonde girl decides the first two are too big but the last one is “just right”; unfortunately, while she’s sitting in baby bear’s favorite spot, it breaks. This is a great illustration of the point Obama is trying to make, as Genspect explains. “Those with Goldilocks Syndrome believe that they, just like Goldilocks, have it ‘just right.’ They tend to believe that their group not only have the best understanding of the real issues, but they also offer the best approach to deal with it,” they write.
Americans who don’t agree with everything the Democratic Party promises might hold off on voting as they search for that “just right” candidate who better suits their wants/needs. To this, Obama says, “We cannot indulge our anxieties about whether this country will elect someone like Kamala instead of doing everything we can to get someone like Kamala elected. We cannot afford for anyone to sit on their hands and wait to be called upon. There is simply no time for that kind of foolishness.” As we move toward voting day in November, it’ll be interesting to see how messages shared at the DNC impact early projections about the 2024 presidency; tell us your predictions in the comments!
