James and I have now installed ourselves in a bit of space at the Pepsi Centre in Denver. The stage is all set up, Obamabilia is being sold in the halls and musicians are warming up for the opening night of the Democratic National Convention. Tonight is, essentially, Michelle Obama’s coming-out party, a speech from the woman everyone has heard of but hardly anyone has heard from. The narrative about her is already being spun furiously: a working class Chicago girl unlike the super-rich Cindy McCain, A headstrong woman and devoted wife, as she puts it “I’m married to this guy Barack and that’s about it.” The spouse matters in American politics – think of the votes Laura Bush hauled in. Mrs Obama has to deliver.
She has serious repair work to do after her unscripted remark during a run of Obama victories in the primaries that “for the first time in my adult life I’m proud of my country”.

Michelle’s moment

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