Michelle Obama electrified Democrats on the opening night of the party's national convention with a powerful and unashamedly personal speech in which she invoked the future of her own children as she made the personal and political case for her husband's re-election.
In an address that brought the 23,000-seat arena to its feet as delegates chanted "four more years", the first lady sought to persuade wavering voters that Barack Obama retained the same qualities that attracted them to him in 2008.
She deftly drew sharp contrasts with his Republican opponent Mitt Romney, avoiding attacking him directly but making clear her belief that he was deeply out of touch with ordinary people.
She described how both she and Obama had risen from modest beginnings, and said he was driven by a desire to see others get the same chance.
"He believes that when you've worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you," she said. "You reach back and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed."
Even before Mrs Obama took the stage, the convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, appeared to have more energy and enthusiasm than the Republican event in Tampa, Florida, last week. Buoyed by a series of strong speeches from the evening's earlier speakers, there was a boisterous, party atmosphere that contrasted with the relatively subdued mood in Tampa. » | Ewen MacAskill in Charlotte | Wednesday, September 05, 2012
