Michelle Obama Could Be Hillary Clinton's Secret Weapon

Michelle Obama is a Harvard-educated lawyer, mother of two, dedicated wife, good dancer, healthy-eating advocate, girls education champion, and one of the most popular political figures in America. She could also be Hillary Clinton's secret weapon in this election.

The first lady proved her value to the Clinton campaign when she powerfully endorsed Hillary at the DNC on Monday night. She spoke to a group of delegates who still feel the pain of a tough primary campaign. But during Michelle's speech, there were no chants from the "Bernie or Bust" delegates. There were no boos, like there were when Sarah Silverman encouraged people to vote for Hillary. For a few minutes everyone transfixed on the first lady, as she effectively made the case for Hillary and subtly jabbed Donald Trump. "Don't let anyone ever tell you that this country is not great," she told Americans sitting in Philadelphia and at home. "That somehow we need to make it great again. Because this right now is the greatest country on Earth."

Think about everything the first lady brings to Hillary's campaign. Michelle is scandal free. She rarely gets involved with partisan issues, which makes her endorsement more powerful. She's popular with all Democrats, and the party needs a unifying voice. She can motivate two important voting demographics: women and the black community. She connects with young Americans via pop culture. And she can communicate her message in an authentic way, be it on social media or in a major speech.

Calling on Michelle meant kicking off the DNC with a seasoned convention speaker. The first lady knows how to express the vision of progressive politics while also attracting everyday Americans who might tune in to see what she's wearing. (She wore Christian Siriano, for the record.) She's widely considered likable and authentic, two qualities Hillary might envy. Weston Lindeman, a 19-year-old Bernie Sanders delegate from Mississippi, told us that she also appeals to young people. "Being a millennial and being so young, that's the first first family I've seen. They're relatable people. Michelle Obama and the president — they both have such great personalities. They're good on TV. They're great speakers. Young people relate to them." Weston said he will be voting for Hillary in November ("anything to stop Donald Trump") and that Michelle could help bring other Bernie supporters around.

Johnnie Cunningham, a Bernie superdelegate from Mississippi and black woman, told us she'll vote for Hillary in November and that Michelle could help get others in her community on board. "Hillary has already identified with a lot of the black community. Michelle can actually get those who are still on the fence and bring them in for her. I hope that she will be a surrogate." Johnnie said people trust Michelle because of her background, because of her upbringing, and because of her focus. "She always was focused on education, bringing her children up properly, and supporting Barack Obama from day one. She has good family values." Mothers of any race may find common ground with Michelle when she speaks about raising her daughters, as she did last night in her speech.

Based on her DNC performance, it seems the first lady is ready to accept the job as Hillary surrogate. The Obama administration's legacy is now wrapped up in who voters choose in November. A Hillary loss could be seen as a rejection of his work. That gives the first lady — and her husband — reason to call on their proven political savvy.

Hillary's historic candidacy is also a chance to continue the progress made by having a black family in the White House, as Michelle pointed out: "So that today, I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves. And I watch my daughters — two beautiful intelligent black young women — play with the dog on the White House lawn. And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters and all of our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States."

The first lady called on Democrats to knock on every door, get out every vote, and "pour every last ounce of passion into electing Hillary Clinton." She said, "We cannot sit back and hope that everything works out for the best, we cannot afford to be tired or frustrated or cynical." If this first lady, who manages to be both electrifying and relatable, pours all her passion into electing Hillary, Donald Trump better watch out.