The Obamas sell Harris as hope making a comeback: ‘Yes she can’

Former President Barack Obama took to the stage at the Democratic National Convention in his hometown of Chicago on Tuesday night and turned “Yes we can” into “Yes she can.”

Obama used his address to make the case for Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, sharply contrasting her with former President Donald Trump.

“Here is a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago. There's the childish nicknames, the crazy conspiracy theories, this weird obsession with crowd sizes,” Obama said of Trump.

Obama also touted Harris’ record as a prosecutor, praised her stances on issues like health care and abortion, and portrayed the vice president as someone who could restore a sense of kindness and empathy to the country amid a period of historical political divisions.

“The vast majority of us don’t want to live in a country that’s bitter and divided. We want something better. And the joy and excitement we’re seeing around the Harris-Walz campaign tells us we’re not alone,” Obama said, also referring to Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Obama lauded Walz as the “type of person who should be in politics,” painting the Democratic vice presidential nominee – a former teacher and high school football coach – as a genuine, salt-of-the-Earth American.

“You can tell those flannel shirts he wears don’t come from some consultant. They come from his closet, and they’ve been through some stuff,” he said of Walz.

Good vibrations. The former president spoke after his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, who struck a similar tone. “Something wonderfully magical is in the air,” she said in her remarks. “It's the contagious power of hope.”

“America, hope is making a comeback!" she declared, leading the arena to erupt in approval.

The crowd in Chicago’s United Center seemed to hang on their every word – a sign of the enduring influence the Obamas have over the Democratic Party.

Though both Obamas riled up the convention with optimistic messages about the Harris campaign, they also warned that she faced a tight race — imploring Democrats not to be complacent.

“Now the torch has been passed. Now it's up to all of us to fight for the America we believe in. And make no mistake, it will be a fight,” the former president said.

Meanwhile, Bernie stayed on brand. Earlier in the night, Sen. Bernie Sanders urged voters to support Harris in November and praised the Biden administration’s handling of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the Vermont senator, perhaps the most prominent progressive in the country, primarily used his address to outline his economic vision for the country — railing against the “billionaire class.”

Sanders, who didn’t rush to endorse Harris after Biden dropped out, has long sought to push the Democratic Party further to the left and to embrace policies that will boost the working class. His Tuesday address was reminiscent of many of the campaign speeches Sanders gave while running for president in 2016 and 2020.

Sanders also touched on the war in Gaza, which has led to protests outside of the arena. “We must summon the courage to stand up to wealth and power and deliver justice for people at home and abroad,” Sanders said, “Abroad, we must end this horrific war in Gaza, bring home the hostages, and demand an immediate cease-fire.”

We’ll be watching to see if the backing of powerful figures like the Obamas and Sanders will be enough to help the Harris-Walz campaign sustain and build on its recent momentum in the 2024 race. Day 3 at the DNC will feature a highly anticipated speech from Walz – who was relatively unknown before being tapped by Harris earlier this month – and he’ll have an opportunity to sell himself to voters on the national stage.