Michelle Obama: Hillary Clinton will be a president who 'sees the dignity in all of us'

In front of thousands in Philadelphia on Monday night, First Lady Michelle Obama made her final case for electing Hillary Clinton, telling the crowd that the United States needs a leader who "sees the dignity in all of us" and views "our diversity not as a threat, but as a blessing."

The United States needs a leader who is "truly ready to be commander in chief on Day 1," she continued. "We deserve a leader who will ensure that our daughters are safe and respected and that our sons understand that truly strong men are compassionate and kind." Throughout her entire life, Clinton has helped others, including "kids in crumbling schools, families struggling to get by, women who need a voice. When the going gets tough, Hillary is the person we want on our side, because she never gives up, she never quits, she refuses to ever be knocked down, pushed around, or counted out."

The first lady also thanked the country for giving the Obamas the "extraordinary honor" of being First Family. "Thank you for your love, thank you for your prayers, thank you for welcoming us into your communities with open hearts," she said. Every day, Americans "inspire" the Obamas with their "courage" and "decency," and the Obamas "have tried to make you proud and live up to the standard of citizenship that you set, because we know that our words and actions are a reflection to the world of who we are as a nation, and more importantly, our actions are a reflection of what behavior we hope our children will emulate." Obama said she believes her and her husband have a "duty to ensure that this country is handed over to a leader we all can trust, a leader who takes this job seriously," and by voting for Clinton, "you can say that this country has always been great, that it is the greatest nation on Earth."

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Obama then introduced the president, telling the crowd she is proud of him for "not just what he has done, but how he has done it, getting a job done in the face of unimaginable challenges, always going high when they go low, showing us all what intelligence, dignity, and grace really look like, and never ever compromising his values or beliefs." Catherine Garcia