Michelle Obama's opening of the
Democratic National Convention in Denver's Pepsi Center was met with
gushing praise as she painted her husband and presidential
nominee-in-waiting Senator Barack Obama as America's everyman.
Senator Ted Kennedy and openly gay author Andrew Tobias called Obama
the president for gay equality.
Michelle Obama, who could become the
first African-American first lady, was the opening act of the
Democrat's four-day 'Unity'-themed convention. She worked the crowd
with a sweeping portrait of an unlikely presidential candidate who
embodies American values. It was a conversation about Obama as
father, dreamer – “Too often we accept the distance between the
two [the world as it is and the world as it should be] and settle for
the world as it is” – and friend.
Senator Ted Kennedy and author Andrew
Tobias reminded the audience that Obama's promise includes GLBT
people.
Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer,
spoke shortly before Michelle Obama. “And I pledge to you that I
will be there – next January – on the floor of the United States
Senate, when we begin to write the next great chapter of American
progress.”
Kennedy, a long-time gay ally, did not
forget to include gay and lesbian friends: “For me, this is a
season of hope. ... Barack Obama will close the book on the old
politics of race against race, gender against gender, group against
group, and straight against gay. ... There is a new wave of change
all around us – and if we set our compass true, we will reach our
destination – not merely victory for our party, but renewal for our
nation.”
Openly gay author, journalist and DNC
treasurer Andrew Tobias was making his third address at the
convention since 2000. His thoughts – like his work – focused on
the economy.
“The fact is that the economy and the
stock market do better under Democratic administrations,” Tobias
told the crowd. “In just the last eight years, the Republicans
have cut the value of the U.S. dollar by almost half and added $4
trillion to our children's debt. ... As an investor, I yearn for a
president who looks to financial heroes, not corporate lobbyist, for
economic advice. As a gay man, I yearn for a president who believes
in equal rights for all Americans.”
The Democratic National Convention
concludes on Thursday.