Michelle’s Gold

Michelle Obama’s remarks at the Democratic National Convention Monday night deserve an Olympic gold. Like most candidates’ wives, she is not an experienced politician. But if you compare her performance at the convention with the comparable remarks of every other first lady or candidate’s wife in recent history, she wins by a landslide.

Think of Pat Nixon, Kitty Dukakis, Barbara and Laura Bush, Teresa Heinz Kerry, even popular media figures like Jacqueline Kennedy and Nancy Reagan — and Michelle Obama’s speech was remarkable. Only Eleanor Roosevelt comes to mind as a first lady with such substance, intellect and inspiration.

Michelle Obama managed to merge her common roles of wife and mother that the American public demands of first ladies with first-class, inspirational and forensic skills.

One press account called Michelle Obama’s Monday night performance “the most closely managed spousal rollout in presidential campaign history.” But the best professional media managers cannot manufacture as real and impressive a performance as she pulled off. She is the legitimate item: a resource of her own to Sen. Obama’s candidacy.

Having a first lady like Michelle Obama is one reason to elect her husband.

Did I say I really liked the speech?