Barack and Michelle Obama electrify Democrats but warn of tough competition

Michelle and Barack Obama gave Kamala Harris endorsements Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention, urging party supporters across the US to get out and vote to defeat Donald Trump in November.

“Hope is coming back,” Mrs Obama told crowds at the DNC in Chicago, echoing her husband’s campaign promise of “hope and change”.

In their back-to-back speeches, the Democratic Party’s most prominent figures praised Ms Harris, while praising Trump – whose presidency has been known for “chaos and chaos”, in Mr Obama’s words.

But the couple also warned their party not to lose sight of the still-tight race amid the fervor of Ms Harris’s campaign. They stressed that the election will be decided in a few key states.

“Make no mistake, it’s going to be a fight,” said 63-year-old former president Mr Obama.

Michelle Obama, 60, reiterated this point. “We have to vote with numbers that clear doubts,” he said. “We need to overcome all efforts to suppress us.”

Mr. Obama emphasized America’s readiness for a “new chapter”, adding: “We are ready for President Kamala Harris. And Kamala Harris is ready for the job.”

The Obamas’ appeal to Democrats to come out in November revealed the party’s deep concern about the narrow race between Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump, who has a strong hold on his loyal supporters across the country.

Ms Harris has a narrow lead in national polls but pollsters warn the race remains close in several battleground states that will ultimately decide who wins under the US electoral college system.

Although Ms. Harris is the front-runner, she has described herself and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, as the underdogs in the race.

The Obamas also praised a renewed sense of enthusiasm in the group since Ms Harris took over from President Joe Biden following his withdrawal from the race – echoing the enthusiasm that gave Mr Obama his 2008 presidential victory.

“Hope is coming back,” Mrs Obama told crowds at the DNC in Chicago, echoing her husband’s campaign promise of “hope and change”.

But Mrs Obama, whose memorable line in her last convention speech in 2016 was, “when they go down, we go up”, did nothing to lower the temperature of the fiery political rhetoric that has divided the country for the past decade.

He attacked Donald Trump for attacking his family and continuing to push “vile, insulting, racist lies instead of real ideas and solutions that will improve people’s lives”.

In a late-night rant, he mocked Trump for using the term “black jobs” on the campaign trail.

“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s looking for right now might be one of those black people?” she said referring to her husband’s presidency.

Earlier in the evening, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, the husband of Ms. Harris, shared his stories about the vice president, including how he was once stopped by one of his clients in 2013.

He spoke of their “big, beautiful, close-knit family”, referring to his son, Cole, and daughter, Ella, from his first marriage. He described Ms Harris as a “happy warrior” and a supportive parent who put her family first over the demands of her career.

Mrs. Harris, who was flying back from a campaign rally in Milwaukee when her husband spoke, kept Air Force Two in the air so she could watch his speech live, the White House said.

Mr Emhoff said the two would celebrate 10 years on Thursday night, when Ms Harris officially accepted the party’s nomination in the first speech.

“Kamala was the right person for me at an important time in my life,” he said. “And at this time in our nation’s history, he is the right president.”

Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance have been holding rallies and events at throwbacks as Democrats gather in Chicago.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mr Vance used a news conference in neighboring Wisconsin to attack Ms Harris for the “failure” of her vice president.

He tackled crime and public safety, and the economy — two areas where Republicans see danger.

Speaking about the protests in the city of Kenosha after the police shooting of a black man, Jacob Blake, in 2020, he said: “Wisconsin has suffered if you don’t have good, smart, community-based security and leadership, and that’s what Donald Trump wants to bring back to the White House.”

In Chicago, the convention’s second day also featured an exciting and star-studded roll call, with delegates from each state – and US territories – voting for Ms. Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on the floor.

Although the vice president officially won his party’s nomination earlier this month, the symbolic gesture quickly turned into a dance party.

Lil Jon performed Turn Down For What before Georgia announced her vote. Actor Sean Astin spoke during Indiana, a nod to his role in the classic American football movie Rudy, which is set in the state.

A DJ on stage spun songs from each state as guests, standing on their feet and wearing red and white glittery bracelets, gave short speeches about why they supported Ms. Harris and Mr. Walz.

The vice president then addressed a crowd at a campaign rally in Milwaukee — 90 miles away — at the same venue where Trump accepted his party’s nomination four weeks ago.

“We are very honored to be your nominees,” he said of himself and Mr. Walz. “I’ll see you in two days, Chicago.”