First lady: President always does the ‘right thing,’ not the ‘easy thing’

{mosads}”When everyone’s urging you to do what’s easy or what polls best or what gets headlines, as president you need to … have a strong inner compass, a core commitment to your fellow citizens,” said Michelle Obama, speaking to grassroots supporters in Gainesville, Fla., at a rally she described as “my biggest event to date in this election cycle.”

She said she has watched the president make the hard choice every time during his presidency.

“That’s what it takes to be a leader,” she said.

Obama referred back to her speech to the Democratic National Convention earlier this month, pointing to President Obama’s support for policies including healthcare reform, the auto bailout and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

As she regularly does on the campaign trail, the first lady appealed specifically to female voters.

“Listen up, to the ladies: When I first met Barack, he had everything going for him,” she said. “He was handsome — still is! He was charming, talented and smart. But that is not why I married him. And fellas, this is where I want you to listen in. What truly made me fall in love with Barack Obama was his character. It was his decency, it was his honesty, his compassion, his conviction.”

She shared an extended narrative of falling in love with the future president as she watched the way he treated his mother and grandmother. 

“When it comes to understanding the rights of women … we know that my husband will always have our backs,” she said. “Barack knows from personal experience what it means for a family when women aren’t treated fairly in the workplace. … And today, trust me, as a father, he knows what it means to want our daughters to have the same freedoms and opportunities as our sons.”

Obama told the audience — which included many college students who cheered loudly when she made the “Gator Chomp” gesture recognizing the University of Florida football team — that they could “swing an entire precinct to Barack Obama” in November.

“Pretend I’m not the first lady; I’m like your mother,” she said, telling the audience she had gone “off script.” 

The campaign sent volunteers to the event specifically designated to help register people to vote.