Story highlights Errol Louis: Michelle Obama's speech on Trump sexual issues a watershed moment in national conversation on gender equality

He says it recalled Anita Hill hearing, 25 years ago this week. It rocked the nation, changed norms on reporting sexual harassment

Errol Louis is the host of "Inside City Hall," a nightly political show on NY1, a New York all-news channel. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

(CNN) In the course of attacking Donald Trump on the campaign trail Thursday, first lady Michelle Obama created a watershed moment in the national conversation about gender equality -- one with effects that will surely last long after the votes are counted on November 8.

Michelle Obama, stumping for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, launched a devastating attack on the brazen, scandalous words and behavior of Donald Trump, especially his foul-mouthed boasts about sexually attacking women.

The speech will be remembered for its powerful condemnation of the abuse and harassment that women endure on streets and in the workplace -- in a speech delivered, fittingly, almost exactly 25 years from the date another talented black attorney, Anita Hill, testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee about having been harassed by Clarence Thomas, who had been nominated for the Supreme Court.

Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – First lady Michelle Obama celebrates her 50th birthday on Friday, January 17. Click through the gallery to see photos from her life. Hide Caption 1 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Obama was born Michelle LaVaughn Robinson in Chicago. Here, she is seen as a baby with her father, Fraser Robinson III; her mother, Marian; and her brother, Craig, in 1964. Hide Caption 2 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Obama attended Bryn Mawr Elementary School in Chicago from 1970-1977. Hide Caption 3 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Obama's 1980 yearbook photo from Whitney Young High School in Chicago. The magnet school was far from her home on the south side of the city, however, and her round-trip commute was three hours. Hide Caption 4 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – "I was a pretty serious student," Obama said in a November interview with BET's "106 & Park." "One of the things I wanted to make sure was that I didn't peak in high school. ... So I focused on school. I was really clear that I wanted to go to college. So I needed to have myself together, go to my classes, be on point, be involved in the school." Hide Caption 5 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Obama, seen here in her 1981 yearbook photo, was salutatorian of her high school's senior class. Hide Caption 6 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Obama attends prom in 1982 with her first boyfriend, David Upchurch. Hide Caption 7 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Obama graduated from Princeton University in 1985. She received a bachelor's degree in sociology and minored in African-American studies. Hide Caption 8 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – She met Barack Obama when she was assigned to be his mentor at Sidley & Austin, a Chicago law firm. Here, the two pose for a photo in Hawaii in 1989. Hide Caption 9 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – The couple married on October 3, 1992. Hide Caption 10 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – The Obamas have dinner in 2000 with their first child, Malia. Malia was born on July 4, 1998. Hide Caption 11 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – The Obamas are seen in March 2000, when Barack Obama, then an Illinois state senator, was running for the U.S. House of Representatives. He lost the Democratic primary to four-term incumbent Bobby Rush. Hide Caption 12 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – The Obamas are seen with daughters Malia and Sasha at Sasha's christening. Sasha was born on June 7, 2001. Hide Caption 13 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – The Obamas check in with poll workers in Chicago in November 2004. Barack Obama would go on to win a U.S. Senate seat. Hide Caption 14 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – The Obamas celebrate during a victory party in Chicago on November 2, 2004. Hide Caption 15 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Barack Obama gives his wife a playful kiss as they tour the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, in August 2007. Obama was campaigning at the time for the Democratic presidential nomination. Hide Caption 16 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Michelle Obama has breakfast at Pamela's Diner in Pittsburgh in April 2008. Hide Caption 17 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Michelle Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention on August 25, 2008. Hide Caption 18 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – During his inauguration ceremony in Washington, Barack Obama takes the oath of office as his wife holds the Lincoln Bible. Hide Caption 19 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – The first lady meets with former South African President Nelson Mandela in June 2011. Hide Caption 20 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Michelle Obama exits a Target department store in Alexandria, Virginia, after doing some shopping in September 2011. Hide Caption 21 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – The first lady kisses her husband during an inauguration reception at the National Building Museum in Washington in January 2013. Hide Caption 22 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Michelle Obama, via satellite, announces the Oscar for best picture at the end of the Academy Awards show in February. Hide Caption 23 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Michelle Obama dances with Jimmy Fallon on Fallon's late-night show in February. Hide Caption 24 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Michelle Obama plants the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn of the White House in April. To help her, she invited students from schools "that have made exceptional improvements to school lunches." It was part of the first lady's "Let's Move" campaign, which she launched in 2010 to reduce childhood obesity. Hide Caption 25 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – The first lady rides a bike while vacationing in Martha's Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts, in August. Hide Caption 26 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Michelle Obama dances alongside "Sesame Street" character Rosita at the White House in October, after it was announced that "Sesame Street" characters would promote and market fresh fruit and vegetables by Produce Marketing Association growers, suppliers and retailers. It was part of the first lady's "Let's Move" initiative. Hide Caption 27 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Michelle Obama reacts as Ashtyn Gardner, a 2-year-old from Mobile, Alabama, loses her balance while greeting Sunny, one of the Obamas' dogs, at a White House event in December. Hide Caption 28 of 29 Photos: Michelle Obama turns 50 Michelle Obama turns 50 – Michelle Obama listens as her husband speaks to members of the U.S. military and their families at a Christmas Day meal in Kaneohe, Hawaii, last month. Hide Caption 29 of 29

"This is not normal. This is not politics as usual," Michelle Obama said, her voice breaking with emotion. "This is disgraceful. It is intolerable. And it doesn't matter what party you belong to -- Democrat, Republican, independent -- no woman deserves to be treated this way. None of us deserves this kind of abuse." She implored the crowd to "stop this madness" by voting for Hillary Clinton.

Madness is an apt term for the torrent of insults, lies, conspiracy theories and hopeless rage that Trump bellows from every podium as his campaign implodes.

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