I thought Michelle did an excellent job. She told the story of her family in a humble way. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to be impressed with her, but by the end of her speech, I had tears in my eyes.
Sen. Kennedy's speech was also very moving, but for me, Michelle was the highlight of the night. I loved seeing the girls onstage with her. They should be so proud of their mom!

I almost cried listening to her, but I feel like the only person who thinks the girls on stage grabbing the microphone was over the top. Everyone, that is msnbc, seemed charmed by it.

colleen, CNN seems to be quite charmed by it too. I wonder what Fox is saying?
It was kinda silly. Especially since Barack didn't seem to be able to hear them very well. Although it was cute that Michelle had Sasha tease her dad about his spinal tap moment (saying the wrong city). I was more please to know that they were there and watched their mom give the speech.

The girls grabbing the mic, that's what little girls do. Msnbc did like it, didn't they?
Michelle was terrific, better than I expected.
And Teddy? Who knew...

How does Dan Rather look in person?

Loving your coverage Citizen girls! Can't wait to keep reading.

Thanks for your post Citizen Sugar! Highlights were definitely Michelle Obama's speech, then later followed by her two little girls joining her on stage and telling Senator Obama who appeared live that they love their daddy. Senator Ted Kennedy's courageous appearance brought tears to my eyes. I truly wish for his full recovery and that he will get to fulfill his dream of legislating affordable healthcare for all with President Obama!

EK's speech was incredibly moving. Nice job, dems!

Michelle's speech had me tearing up at a couple of points. I think she did absolutely marvelously, with the perfect combination of passion and poise, and I loved how easily and naturally she illuminated her and Obama's background, and framed their community service work and choice to opt out of higher-paying jobs for more community-oriented ones in terms of their families, upbringings,and values.

The perfect ending was the little girls telling their Daddy "I love you, Daddy" and he telling them to "sleep well!"

Lovely. I was very impressed.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed her speech. She was sincere, eloquent and succinct. She made it very clear that she has no ulterior motives and simply wants to support her husband and be a great wife and mother on the campaign trail. She's a very classy woman!

I raced home in time to walk in ten minutes before Ted Kennedy and I have to admit I could not fight back the tear that was dieing to escape. His appearance was exactly the inspiration the convention needed to get off the ground. His speech was great and he looked great. I think Brit Hume of FOX news got it right when he said Ted Kennedy is the kind of guy that can skewer you in a committee meeting and pat you on the back in the hall and mean it both times. He is the kind of politician that I wish we had more of today.

Michelle's segment and speech was fantastic although her delivery seemed scripted despite the fact that we all know it was scripted the delivery should have been more polished.

I did not like how President Carter was shuffled on and off pre prime time. His Presidency may have landed flat but his life as a diplomat and humanitarian has been nothing short of superior and it is simply foolish to hold his worth to four years in the late 70's when his life post Presidency has yielded opportunities for hundreds of millions. That is a life that is nothing to be embarrassed about and I can only be so lucky to have such a life.

I thought Michelle was wonderful and beautiful. I was tearing up hearing her speak. I was also charmed by her adorable girls !

I thought Michelle did awesome! I am very impressed with her.
I thought the kids were adorable, but colleenb you are not the only one who didn't like the little girls on stage. One of my SO's friends was here and he called the little girls "obnoxious"! I told him they aren't being "obnoxious" they are just being kids.... that's what little kids are like!

Anyways, I didn't get to see Ted Kennedy's speech and I am very dissappointed. Does anyone know where I can find it online? I'd appreciate it.

I thought the kids were the best part of the speech. That part didn't seemed rehearsed at all.

I am always impressed by Michelle Obama. It was great to see Ted Kennedy. The DNC is off to a great start so far.

It was great to see Senator Kennedy last night. The man had his brain operated on in June! He looked good and I loved the tribute they showed. I thought Michelle was fantastic. I really enjoyed her speech. I found myself tearing up as well. Then I noticed so many women at the convention were doing the same. The girls are lovely. If you spend any time around kids, you know that's just the way they are. They saw their dad and couldn't wait to say hi and tell him they loved him.

I hope to catch the speeches online at some point this evening or tomorrow night.

I love Michelle and the girls are adorable. I feel like this could possibly be the New Millenium's answer to Camelot.

Michelle hit it out of the park - FANTASTIC! It was great to see Senator Kennedy.

Ugh. I've been unimpressed with Michelle ever since her flip flopping on Larry King. Her speech last night not only seemed scripted, it looked like she took delivery pointers from Jeremiah Wright. It honestly reminded me of an evangelical preacher with her mannerisms and inflection. I turned it off.

I do wish I had seen Senator Kennedy though. I might have to find that video online.

Of course Michelle Obama's script was scripted and rehearsed - did you expect her to get up and wing it?

I think Michelle did a great job. Although a little scripted, I feel her delivery was great and I like the focus on their family story. From here on out, I'm expecting the Dems to step it up a notch and start driving the message of change harder and how different the two candidates are.

It's interesting though reading comments that criticize Michelle's speech for sounding like a preacher. As someone who grew up in Black Baptist churches, her delivery was not at all preachy.

Good point Stephley.

I thought Michelle Obama did well, but it was like a drinking game! All the same old phrases...

"Community Organizer on the South Side of Chicago"

"Left a high paying law firm job to enter public service"

"American Story"

And I feel bad for saying this but I was so distracted by that weird flower on her dress.

The kids were cute, but Malia looked uncomfortable, she didn't know where to stand, what to say.

Does anybody know if Cindy McCain is speaking at the republican convention? I would tune in to watch that speech.

I'd like to see Cindy McCain speak too. I've only seen snippets of interviews with her.

I think Michelle did an amazing job. I think she was very sincere and very genuine with what she had to say. I really liked how she made the comparison that Obama seemed odd to her at first with his crazy background! But then when she got to know him, they had the same values, the same type of family financial struggles, the same sense of belief in community.

She seemed very poised, gracious, and gentle to me. I thought the kids were really cute, and you can tell they have a very loving relationship with their dad.

I am confused about the "scripted" part...major addresses are never done off the cuff, and compared to most pros even, she was very fluid. I have seen much worse line readings at the Oscars!!!

I have been watching Obama for four years, but I am not a hard core supporter, because I am Classically Liberal.

Michelle did a superb job. She is a natural speaker and while some of the phrases were typical buzzwords from this campaign, she did a great job. I have watched every convention (Dem and Republican) since I was a little girl and her prospective first lady speech was by far better than most.

On a shallow note: I am embarrassed to have been mesmerized by her shiny hair and that amazing lip gloss.

sldc - I'll admit to noticing how amazing her hair looked too! It was was so shiny and had a lot of body. She has a wonderful stylist.

sldc, her hair was the first thing my mother noticed. She said, "Her hair looks great." Then we watched the speech and got teary.

One thing that she said really struck me. She said something like:

(not exact quote)"When Barack was working as a community organizer after the steel mills shut down, the people didn't want a hand out. They wanted a job."

It reminded me of what Obama said at Saddleback, something like he realized over the years that the core of welfare should be work and jobs.

I think this is very important in regards to our economy. Right now, job creation is what is so important, and this is an issue that Obama has been working on for decades now. That is reflected in his very comprehensive and brilliant plans for energy and education...he ties a lot of troublesome areas together in a way that would create so many jobs and opportunities! I just wish more people knew about these policy ideas.

PS

No mention of seeing Caroline? She looked amazing and it was nice to see her speak. Politically, I am not a fan boy of the Kennedys, but they are fun to watch. I dare any career Congressman to bring me to tears by a speech.

Reagan at Goldwater's convention in 1964... now THAT is a speech.

Transcript for Reagan's speech "A time for Choosing": http://www.reaganlibrary.com/reagan/speeches/rendezvous.asp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt1fYSAChxs&feature=related

"Scripted" is the Fox News buzzword used to undermine how well Michelle did with her speech. I watched the Fox News commentary and that's was their analysis, so it's no wonder it's showing up now.

My visceral reaction to her speech, without listening to the commentary is that it was very touching. She's a very strong woman and I admire that in her.

She also has a great sense of style. I too was mesmerized by her shiny hair.

I didn't watch Fox News, and scripted was my immediate reaction. I didn't expect an off the cuff speech, but the parts I saw seemed a little awkward and uncomfortable. That is what I meant by scripted.

And when I said she sounded like a preacher it's not that she sounded 'preachy' in a 'do what i say' sort of way - she just had a tone that I've heard at evangelical churches - especially Black Baptist ones.

I'll grant that she may be a good speaker in general, I just thought she was trying too hard last night. I don't expect anyone to agree with me, but that is my honest reaction to it.

And the hair comments - totally true. I noticed how shiny and healthy it looked as soon as she came on.

That's extremely insulting. I'm sure the commenters who didn't care for Michelle's speech are intelligent enough to critique it on their own and are not just regurgitating what Fox commentators said.

I haven't seen the speech yet (I had to work last night and am at work again this morning), but as a general principle, even though all major speeches are scripted/pre-written (duh!), the delivery of some seems a lot more natural than the delivery of others. I'm sure the commenters who said that her speech seemed scripted realize that of course it's going to be pre-written, but thought that her delivery was less natural than it could have been. Obama himself gives scripted speeches all of the time, but they don't seem that way because his delivery style is natural. I cannot judge Michelle's delivery style yet, but I don't think that anyone here actually thought she would give a speech like this off the cuff, just making it up as she went along.

The insulting comment wasn't meant for you, Elizabeth! I just take too long to comment.

Careful, Elizabeth. I once mentioned that Barack Obama's speaking style reminded me of the Martin Luther King and I meant that he sounded preachy like MLK did. The comments after mine said that they found my comments "disturbing". Not sure what they meant by "disturbing" but it kind of felt like they were saying I was being racist. But honestly, who cares? He does sound like Martin Luther King IMHO.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and it is natural that people will have different impressions.

I didn't think her delivery was at all ANYTHING like a Baptist Preacher. It kind of blows my mind that we are talking about the same speech. IMO, she was very poised, and not loud or aggressive or as boisterous as a Baptist preacher. That was one of the most natural speeches I have seen from anyone this entire election year (including Clinton, McCain, etc).

Not that I think it is "wrong" that you think had a different impression, but it sure is interesting!

"And when I said she sounded like a preacher it's not that she sounded 'preachy' in a 'do what i say' sort of way - she just had a tone that I've heard at evangelical churches - especially Black Baptist ones."

Is that supposed to be a criticism or just a general observation? And if it is a criticism ... I don't understand what the problem is ... I think she spoke with passion and sincerity and like so many other female viewers, I was moved to tears. Of course it was scripted, as I'm sure everyone's speeches were, but I still feel she was speaking from the heart. My admiration for her grows every time I see her.

Ted Kennedy's clip, speech, and presence was inspirational to me. I had to hold back the tears.
Michelle Obama looked and sounded great, imo.

I agree with you to some extent, Piper. They do have similar speaking styles, which I see as a compliment to Obama.

YOu would think, right? I mean he was the most important civil rights leader of his time. Or any time IMO.

Why is (scripted) the attack word of the day today? Every network acknowledged it is a scripted event. Most of the Rep. & Sen. interviewed mentioned scripted. Hell even BBC mentioned scripted a few times, so it's scripted we all knew that going in so what the hell's the problem (I say lovingly)?

I liked her speech overall, but I also think that she was probably extremely nervous and that showed in her speaking. I've never heard her speak, so I don't know how often she does it, but I would imagine that getting up in front of an audience like that would be a little nerve-wracking.

As far as her mannerisms went, I think she seemed a little awkward, but so did my English professor today who's been lecturing for years and years and years. Some people are a little more naturally charismatic, and I think if Obama wins (and I obviously hope he does) that she will become more comfortable with it over time...So I'm giving her a pass on all of that and just focusing on the message, which I felt was fantastic.

I thought the speech itself was sort of cliched (like I said above) but I'm surprised people are saying she sounded "scripted" if they mean stiff, because I thought her delivery was really good. Sort of surprisingly good.

I went to the Fox website to watch the streaming video, and I did think it was interesting that they had an article up (before her speech started) about how crucial this speech was for her since most people know her best for the proud-of-America comment. I can't find it now, but it contrasted with what was up on cnn and msnbc. I don't know if that indicates a bias on fox's part for bringing it up and then devoting a long article to that gaffe or if it indicates a bias from the other networks for not rehashing it.

I see why they do it, but it seems weird to haver speak anyways. She's not an elected official or anything.

Scripted is a silly critique, IMO. I thought so when watching Fox and that's really the only place I've heard that. It's kind of like criticizing for the sake of it because there's nothing really there to critique. But that's just my honest opinion.

The Baptist preacher thing is funny too. WTF?

"she just had a tone that I've heard at evangelical churches - especially Black Baptist ones" - yes I gathered that's what you meant. All I was saying is that I disagree that she delivered her speech in this tone. I don't think she sounded like that at all.

I loved Michelle Obama's speech, it was so heartfelt and inspiring.

I care about 25% about Michelle Obama's "tone" and her ability to speak (albeit scripted... gasp! ). Of course many people would prefer to have a First Lady who can hold her own, and even look great while doing it. Great. She proved she can do that. Yay......

But what about the content of her speech?

Jude said it well:"I think she did absolutely marvelously, with the perfect combination of passion and poise, and I loved how easily and naturally she illuminated her and Obama's background, and framed their community service work and choice to opt out of higher-paying jobs for more community-oriented ones in terms of their families, upbringings,and values."

It was a good formal introduction to the American people. That's just what I needed from her. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I unfortunately missed her speech. But I caught Sen. Kennedy's and thought it was awesome. I too got teary.