Michelle Obama Has Crowd Chanting Kamala’s Mom Instruction, “Do Something!”

Photo: Reuters Brendan Mcdermid

India-West News Desk

CHICAGO, IL – Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama delivered a one-two punch at the Democratic National Convention on August 20 night, urging Americans to back Kamala Harris in her 11th-hour presidential bid against Republican Donald Trump.

After Hillary Clinton on August 19, Michelle Obama also paralleled her story with Harris by comparing their two mothers. She said she mourns the recent loss of her mother Marianne, Shyamala Gopalan, who immigrated to the US from India, at 19, exceled academically and built a career as a medical researcher has also passed – in 2009. The former First Lady said, “She taught Kamala about justice, about our obligation to lift others up, about our responsibility to give more than we take.”

And, she said, Shyamala Gopalan often told her daughter, “Don’t sit around and complain about things, do something!” Michelle Obama soon had the Democrats

chanting in glee, “Do something!”

Michelle Obama often tops Democrats’ wish list as a future president and the love she got on stage was clear. But she focused on the practical and spoke to a crowd that has despaired over the continuing influence of Trump in politics. “America, hope is making a comeback,” Michelle Obama said, in a nod to Obama’s first presidential campaign in 2008.

Barack Obama, a historic figure himself, followed with another rousing speech and has thrown his considerable political capital behind Harris as she seeks to make history herself as the first woman and first Black and South Asian person to be elected president.

“We do not need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos. We have seen that movie before, and we all know that the sequel is usually worse,” Obama told delegates. “America is ready for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story. We are ready for a President Kamala Harris.”

He took aim at Trump, the Republican who followed him into the White House in 2017 and praised President Joe Biden. “History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger. I am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend,” Obama said, eliciting chants of “We love Joe.”

Harris, 59, has ridden a historic whirlwind in which her campaign has broken records for fundraising and packed arenas with supporters.

Harris and her vice-presidential pick, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz joined virtually from a campaign rally in Milwaukee. Delegates in Chicago raised signs saying “FREEDOM” that mirrored those raised by supporters at her Wisconsin rally.

It was the same venue as last month’s Republican National Convention, where Trump formally received his party’s nod. (with Reuters input)