Every Tuesday and Friday, Ezra Klein invites you into a conversation about something that matters, like today’s episode on the Democratic National Convention. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
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The Obamas Strike Back
Could the former first couple’s convention speeches signal a return to Obamaism?EZRA KLEIN: From New York Times Opinion, this is “The Ezra Klein Show.”
It is Wednesday, Aug. 21. I spent last night at the second night of the Democratic National Convention, which was a night of heavy hitters in the Democratic Party. It was the night of Bernie Sanders, of Chuck Schumer, of JB Pritzker. It was a night of Doug Emhoff, who gave a truly lovely speech about Kamala Harris. But it was, above all, the night of the Obamas. We’ll talk about both of them here, but it was specifically, I would say, the night of Michelle Obama.
^ARCHIVED CLIP^ Announcer: Please welcome former first lady, Michelle Obama.
[CHEERS]
EZRA KLEIN: When she came out, the crowd roared for her in a way it roared for no one else that night. In a way I have not heard it roar at this convention. In a way it would not even roar for her husband a couple of minutes later.
^ARCHIVED CLIP^ Michelle Obama: Hello Chicago.
EZRA KLEIN: And the beginning of her speech was very different than the beginning of any other Democrat’s speech at this convention.