8 Donald Trump digs from Michelle Obama’s DNC speech
First lady Michelle Obama delivered a rousing speech in Philadelphia Monday night, bringing a crowd of delegates to their feet after a chaotic first day at the Democratic National Convention.
Though she chose not to address the giant elephant left over from last week’s Republican convention— accusations that Melania Trump’s speech plagiarized lines from Obama’s 2008 DNC address — the first lady still managed to throw plenty of shade.
Without once mentioning him by name, Obama made several pointed attacks against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. In case you didn’t catch them, we’ve translated a few of Michelle’s most obvious digs.
“That is what Barack and I think about every day as we try to guide and protect our girls through the challenges of this unusual life in the spotlight — how we urge them to ignore those who question their father’s citizenship or faith.”
While mulling a presidential run back in 2011, Trump relentlessly questioned President Obama’s citizenship, helping to spark a firestorm that eventually prompted the president to release the long-form copy of his original birth certificate.
Over the years, Trump has also been openly skeptical about Obama’s faith, insinuating on several occasions that the president is overly sympathetic to Islam. More recently, Trump has taken his conspiracy theory a bit further, seeming to suggest that Obama’s loyalties might not be with the U.S. in the fight against the Islamic State.
“How we insist that the hateful language they hear from public figures on TV does not represent the true spirit of this country. How we explain that when someone is cruel or acts like a bully, you don’t stoop to their level. No, our motto is, ‘When they go low, we go high.‘”
By name-calling, mocking and taunting everyone in his path, whether it’s his Republican primary rivals, the protesters at his rallies or members of the press, Trump’s campaign tactics have earned him a few comparisons to the classic schoolyard bully.
“Someone who understands that the issues a president faces are not black and white and cannot be boiled down to 140 characters.”
Since long before he launched his presidential campaign, Trump had built a reputation for regularly tweeting insults at his political opponents and people criticizing him on TV.
“I want a president with a record of public service, someone whose life’s work shows our children that we don’t chase fame and fortune for ourselves, we fight to give everyone a chance to succeed — and we give back, even when we’re struggling ourselves, because we know that there is always someone worse off, and there but for the grace of God go I.”
Trump often touts his financial success as his leading qualification for the presidency. The line about giving back might also be a reference to Trump’s questionable record of contributing to charity. According to a recent Washington Post investigation into his past donations, the White House hopeful has a history of making generous promises with little evidence of follow-through.
“I want a president who will teach our children that everyone in this country matters — a president who truly believes in the vision that our founders put forth all those years ago: That we are all created equal, each a beloved part of the great American story.”
Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump has systematically ignited a series of national controversies about his comments or policy proposals about Mexican immigrants, women, Muslims, the disabled, African-Americans, prisoners of war and the media.
“And when crisis hits, we don’t turn against each other — no, we listen to each other. We lean on each other. Because we are always stronger together.”
The 2016 presidential election cycle has been marked by several deadly terror attacks both at home and abroad, leading Trump to propose a temporary ban on all Muslim travel to the U.S.
“Police officers and protesters in Dallas, who all desperately want to keep our children safe.”
Recent attacks on police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La., have heightened tensions between law enforcement officials and activists who protest against excessive police force. Trump seemed to make it pretty clear whose side he’s on during his speech at the Republican convention in Cleveland last week, when he promised to restore “safety” to America as the “law and order candidate.”
“So don’t let anyone ever tell you that this country isn’t great, that somehow we need to make it great again.”
This is obviously a reference to Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
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