And as I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he'd grown up all the way across the country, he'd been brought up just like me. You see, I've gotten to see up close and personal what being president really looks like. hide caption, First lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday. Alex Wong/Getty Images Serving as your First Lady is an honor and a privilege...but back when we first came together four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we'd begun. April 2011: The First and Second Lady announced their Joining Forces initiative. I've seen it in people who become heroes at a moment's notice, diving into harm's way to save others...flying across the country to put out a fire...driving for hours to bail out a flooded town. The second inaugural for President Barack Obama will take place on January 21st. , Inauguration Celebration: See All of Michelle Obama's Looks, Barack Obama Gushes About Michelle, Sasha, and Malia's "Badass Qualities", A Lesson in Class: Michelle Obama Asks Trump to Put His Ego Aside and Accept Election Results, Barack Obama Jokes That Michelle "Would Leave Me" If He Joined Joe Biden's White House Staff, Michelle Obama's Latest Tribute to Barack Reminds Us Why We Love Them, Jenna Bush Hager Reflected on Showing Obama's Daughters the "Secrets" of the White House, Michelle Obama Congratulates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on Their Victory: "I'm Beyond Thrilled". Beyonce sings the Star Spangled Banner at the second inauguration of President Barack Obama. Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country – the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle. President Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama led the group in the chant, "fired up, ready to go" that was carried over from the 2008 and 2012 election campaigns. 22 hours ago, by Amanda Prahl Michelle Obama Inauguration Dress | 2012 Inauguration Celebration: See All of Michelle Obama's Looks. We've got so much more to do.". And if so many brave men and women could wear our country's uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights...then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights...surely, we can get to the polls and make our voices heard on Election Day. But Mrs. Trump is the beneficiary of America’s silence. Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? But when Barack started telling me about his family – that's when I knew I had found a kindred spirit, someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine. And I say all of this tonight not just as First Lady...and not just as a wife. And as President, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people. We've rounded up Michelle Obama's best dresses throughout the years. I see the concern in his eyes...and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, "You won't believe what these folks are going through, Michelle...it's not right. Like so many of us, that was the measure of his success in life – being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to support his family. That's the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him. Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (* 17.Januar 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, als Michelle LaVaughn Robinson) ist eine US-amerikanische Rechtsanwältin und Autorin.Sie war als Ehefrau des 44. We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters...that you don't take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules...and success doesn't count unless you earn it fair and square. by Monica Sisavat And for years, men no more qualified than she was – men she had actually trained – were promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack's family continued to scrape by. 13 of 30. Former president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 2017. So in the end, for Barack, these issues aren't political – they're personal. And when my brother and I finally made it to college, nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants. I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he's going to do, even when it's hard – especially when it's hard. Photo: Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images. Saved by Ms. Intriguing. Every day, the people I meet inspire me...every day, they make me proud...every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth. You see, even though back then Barack was a Senator and a presidential candidate...to me, he was still the guy who'd picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out, I could actually see the pavement going by through a hole in the passenger side door...he was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he'd found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was half a size too small. But eventually we get there, we always do. He did it because he believes that here in America, our grandparents should be able to afford their medicine...our kids should be able to see a doctor when they're sick...and no one in this country should ever go broke because of an accident or illness. 21 hours ago, by Maggie Ryan And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us...if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon, and connect the world with the touch of a button...then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids. We’ve been following Michelle Obama’s fashion choices since early in the 2008 campaign, from her Narciso Rodriguez election night dress to her controversial Alexander McQueen gown to her many, many J.Crew outfits. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. The first inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. 2 hours ago, by Monica Sisavat You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still "mom-in-chief.". They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don't start out with much, if you work hard and do what you're supposed to do, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids. But today, I have none of those worries from four years ago about whether Barack and I were doing what's best for our girls. 1 day ago, by Kelsie Gibson Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, where their husbands accepted the nomination to run for a second term as president and vice president. If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire...if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores...if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote...if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time...if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream...and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love...then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream. I see how those stories – our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams – I see how that's what drives Barack Obama every single day. He's the same man who started his career by turning down high paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebuild those communities and get folks back to work...because for Barack, success isn't about how much money you make, it's about the difference you make in people's lives. event at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Katy Perry, Usher, and members of the cast of Glee honored military families in concert. Thank you so much, Elaine...we are so grateful for your family's service and sacrifice...and we will always have your back. Getty Images. And believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage. And I've seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families...in wounded warriors who tell me they're not just going to walk again, they're going to run, and they're going to run marathons...in the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, "...I'd give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still do.". That's how they raised us...that's what we learned from their example. Other celebrity participants included Mindless Behavior, Far East Movement, and Nick Cannon, who served as emcee for the event. And when he returned home after a long day's work, my brother and I would stand at the top of the stairs to our little apartment, patiently waiting to greet him...watching as he reached down to lift one leg, and then the other, to slowly climb his way into our arms. Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles. And he believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care...that's what my husband stands for. The letter from the father struggling to pay his bills...from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won't cover her care...from the young person with so much promise but so few opportunities. 6 hours ago, by Karenna Meredith So when it comes to rebuilding our economy, Barack is thinking about folks like my dad and like his grandmother. But every morning, I watched my father wake up with a smile, grab his walker, prop himself up against the bathroom sink, and slowly shave and button his uniform. Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward...with patience and wisdom, and courage and grace. View Gallery 30 Photos Getty Images. Senior White House officials said that Michelle Obama and Senior Adviser That's how he brought our economy from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again – jobs you can raise a family on, good jobs right here in the United States of America. Those are the values Barack and I – and so many of you – are trying to pass on to our own children. 3. And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we're all sweating it – when we're worried that the bill won't pass, and it seems like all is lost – Barack never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise. Michelle Obama bekam vor einem Jahr in einer denkwürdigen Geschenkübergabe ein Präsent von Melania Trump - erst jetzt hat sie verraten, was sich in der Schachtel befand. I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as "us" and "them" – he doesn't care whether you're a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above...he knows that we all love our country...and he's always ready to listen to good ideas...he's always looking for the very best in everyone he meets. Our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys...Saturdays at soccer games, Sundays at grandma's house...and a date night for Barack and me was either dinner or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn't stay awake for both. 21 hours ago, by Samantha Brodsky And the truth is, I loved the life we had built for our girls...I deeply loved the man I had built that life with...and I didn't want that to change if he became President. Share; Tweet; 279 Photos. Transcript of first lady Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention, as prepared for delivery: First lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Tuesday REUTERS/Gary Hershorn We get there because of folks like my Dad...folks like Barack's grandmother...men and women who said to themselves, "I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will...maybe my grandchildren will.". 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