Following the highly anticipated DNC speech by First Lady Michelle Obama on Monday, CNN’s Anderson Cooper called out Political Commentator Van Jones for crying during the speech. “Well I mean, first of all, if you weren't moved by that, go see the doctor,” he responded. Jones continued by speaking glowingly about the speech, “She gave a clinic on how to connect to the American people,” and “It was her speaking as a mother.” The rest of the panelists did much of the same, they all praised her speech for different reasons.
CNN’s Senior Political Reporter Nia-Malika Henderson praised Hillary Clinton’s wisdom in selecting the first lady to speak on the first night of the convention. “I think the Clinton campaign smartly knew that this was going to be the headline of the night,” Henderson noted, before taking a swipe at Clinton’s primary rival, “They knew that most Americans weren't tuning in for Bernie Sanders, and no offense to Bernie Sanders, but they were tuning in for Michelle Obama.”
Henderson went on to gush over how Michelle used to be known as “the closer” during the 2008 campaign, because she was good at getting undecided voters to back her husband. “I think tonight, she proved why she got that nickname,” she said.
Radio host Michael Smerconish was impressed with how she closed out her speech, “she brought the house down with the line you referenced, where she said, this is the greatest country on Earth.” He compared it to her controversial statement from 2008, when she said it was the first time she was proud of America. He argued that she misspoke and the right wingers pounced, “Of course on the far right she was held accountable for that, and people wanted to read into it the fact she didn't love her country. Anybody who watched tonight knows exactly where she stands.”
Gloria Borger, CNN’s Chief Political Analyst, glowed about how the speech was a sophisticated dismantling of Donald Trump:
On so many levels, this was a takedown of Donald Trump in a nuanced way. You know, as a parent, saying we have to be a role model to our children. As a leader, she said, you need to be steady and measured and well informed. And also as a black woman.