The first lady referred to the Democratic nominee as ‘my girl’ and the two shared a big hug during their first campaign appearance together in North Carolina

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Hillary Clinton deployed the star power of Michelle Obama in North Carolina on Thursday, laying out the stakes in the presidential election and then turning the stage over to the popular first lady.

Gloria Allred: 'Many women contacted me even prior to the Trump tape' Read more

Appearing together for the first time on the campaign trail, Clinton and Obama shared a platform at a packed arena. Both warned sharply against voter apathy.

“Hillary doesn’t play,” Obama said, after ticking off the Democratic nominee’s professional accomplishments, a line that drew wild cheers from the 11,000 who came to see the joint appearance at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

“She has more experience and exposure to the presidency than any candidate in our lifetime – yes, more than Barack, more than Bill – so she is absolutely ready to be commander in chief on Day 1. And yes,” Obama paused for dramatic effect, “she happens to be a woman.”

In a speech that switched between the soaring rhetoric that has become her trademark and playful asides, Obama said the choice facing American voters was a moral one, between two competing visions.



Trump’s vision, she said, was “of hopelessness and despair, a vision of a country that is weak and divided, a country in chaos, where other citizens are a threat”.

“And then there’s Hillary’s vision,” she said, calling Clinton “my girl” as she spoke of “a vision of a nation that is powerful and vibrant and strong, big enough to have a place for all of us”.

Clinton, who spoke first, heaped praise on “our most amazing” first lady. She praised Obama’s accomplishments in the role – including her White House vegetable garden – and expressed sympathy over how tough the role can be.

She also expressed admiration for the first couple’s dance moves and said Obama had “dazzled the world” with her memorable speech at the Democratic national convention in July.

“Seriously, is there anyone more inspiring than Michelle Obama?” she said, in closing.

The women clasped each other. Taking the microphone, Obama said she was somewhat overwhelmed by Clinton’s “mini-tribute”.

“I know that there are some folks out there who have commented that it’s unprecedented for a sitting first lady to be so actively engaged in a campaign,” Obama said of her own forays into the campaign against Donald Trump. “That may be true. But this is truly an unprecedented election.”

The first lady has emerged as one of Clinton’s most potent surrogates in battleground states, delivering stirring speeches that have served both as cogent rebukes of Trump and powerful endorsements of Clinton, all in an optimistic tone counter to the vulgar tenor of this election cycle.

In terms of popularity, the first lady outshines either presidential nominee and even her husband. In August a Gallup poll found Michelle Obama to have a 64% approval rating, notably higher than either of her potential successors: Bill Clinton earned 49% and Melania Trump 38%. Obama’s approval rating rose six points after her convention speech.

Earlier this month, Obama used a speech in New Hampshire to denounce Trump’s treatment of women, after the release of 2005 recording in which the Republican nominee boasted about grabbing and kissing women without their consent. Since the emergence of the Access Hollywood tape, 12 women have accused Trump of inappropriate sexual behaviour.

North Carolina, which Clinton running mate Tim Kaine this week called the “checkmate state”, is among a handful of closely contested states that could blunt Trump’s path to the presidency and decide control of the Senate.

Battle for Florida: Trump and Clinton home in on crucial state as voting begins Read more

Barack Obama won North Carolina in 2008 and lost it in 2012. Polling has shown a competitive race for the state’s 15 electoral votes, though Clinton has maintained an edge since the first debate. She leads by two points, according to the RealClearPolitics.com polling average.

Obama pointed to her husband’s slim margin of victory in the state in 2008. “Barack won North Carolina by about 14,000 votes,” she said. “Now that may sound like a lot … but the difference between winning and losing this state was a little over two votes per precinct.”

Several people in the audience gasped. In 2012, she said, Obama lost the state by an average of 17 votes per precinct.

“Now Hillary has done her job,” she said in closing. “Now we need to do our job and get her elected. Because here’s where I want to get real. If Hillary Clinton does not get elected, it will be on us.

“Let’s get this done.”