As perhaps the last Democrat who could do no wrong in the eyes of the American people, Michelle Obama brought a divided audience to their feet in Philadelphia by urging the country to vote for Hillary Clinton, speaking not just as the First Lady, but as a mother of two daughters who could not let a certain “bully” become president.

“Barack [Obama] 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,” she said. “How we urge them to ignore those who question their father’s citizenship or faith. 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 once 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.’ With every word we utter, with every action we take, we know our kids are watching us.”

Obama never mentioned Donald Trump by name. But as she spoke about the need to elect a president with whom they could entrust the future of their children, she heavily hinted that someone “angry or disillusioned,” who liked to swear and degrade people, could not be a role model to young Americans.

“I want someone with the proven strength to persevere,” she said. “Someone who knows this job and takes it seriously. Someone who understands that the issues a president faces are not black and white and cannot be boiled down to 140 characters. Because when you have the nuclear codes at your fingertips and the military in your command, you can’t make snap decisions. You can’t have a thin skin or tendency to lash out. You need to be steady and measured and well informed.

“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. 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.

“I wake up every morning in a house built by slaves, and I watch my daughters, two beautiful and intelligent black women, playing with their dogs on the White House lawn,” Obama said. “And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters, and all our sons and daughters, can take for granted that a woman can become president of the United States.

“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that this country isn’t great, that somehow we need to make America great again, because right now this is the greatest country on Earth,” she said. “And as my daughters prepare to set out into the world, I want the leader who is worthy of that truth.”

The speech earned a standing ovation. Somewhere else, an eager fan expressed his appreciation: