Former first lady's passionate plea to America

People applaud following former First Lady Michelle Obama's remarks at the Democratic National Convention. Source: Pool

Democrats kicked off their quadrennial convention on Monday evening, in a mostly virtual format, hoping to show that they have a broad coalition of backers in November — weaving together speeches that prosecuted the case against Trump, with stories from real people about the fatal toll of the pandemic and personal stories that were meant to provide a window into Biden's personal side.

Former first lady Michelle Obama, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo were among headliners for the first night of programming, which was emceed by actress Eva Longoria.

In case you missed it, here are some highlights from the night’s biggest moments: 

Watch some of the night's most memorable moments here.

Former first lady Michelle Obama wrote and practiced her speech to the Democratic National Committee over the last few weeks, said an Obama aide, who described the remarks as “immensely personal for her.”

A speechwriter helped Obama in writing the speech that capped off the first night of the convention, but the aide said that the former first lady knew clearly what she wanted to say, despite wishing to avoid dipping her toe back into politics.

“As she said, she hates politics so would and much rather not have had to do this, but she felt compelled by what’s at stake,” the aide added.

CNN's Van Jones and other panelists react to Michelle Obama's speech:

The gold-lettered VOTE necklace worn by Michelle Obama for her DNC speech was custom-commissioned by BYCHARI, a Black-owned, boutique jewelry business based on Los Angeles, a DNC source tells CNN.

The lettered necklace can be ordered via the company’s website. Depending on the size of the letters and length of the chain, similar necklaces by BYCHARI cost between $300-$400.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama. Source: Pool

Former first lady Michelle Obama continued her remarks at the Democratic National Convention Monday night by suggesting that her message wouldn't necessarily be accepted by everyone, but it is one of the utmost importance— and "if you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can."

"We live in a nation that is deeply divided, and I am a Black woman speaking at the Democratic Convention. But enough of you know me by now. You know that I tell you exactly what I’m feeling. You know I hate politics. But you also know that I care about this nation," Obama said.

"You know how much I care about all of our children. So if you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this: If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can; and they will if we don’t make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it," she continued.

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Former First Lady Michelle Obama. Source: Pool

Former first lady Michelle Obama said her message from her Democratic National Convention speech four years ago — “When they go low, we go high” — still stands. 

“We degrade ourselves, we degrade the very causes for which we fight. But let's be clear: Going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty,” Obama said. 

Obama said, “Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountaintop. Going high means standing fierce against hatred while remembering that we are one nation under God, and if we want to survive, we've got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences.”

“And going high means unlocking the shackles of lies mistrust with the only thing that can truly set us free: The cold hard truth," Obama said.

“So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”

Former First Lady Michelle Obama. Source: Pool

Michelle Obama accused President Donald Trump of "a total and utter lack of empathy" in a blistering condemnation of his actions in office.

"Right now, kids in this country are seeing what happens when we stop requiring empathy of one another. They’re looking around wondering if we’ve been lying to them this whole time about who we are and what we truly value," the former first lady said.

She pointed to "shouting in grocery stores" over wearing masks, the idea that "winning is everything," emboldening white supremacists, immigrant children being torn from their families and pepper spray being used to disperse peaceful protesters.

"And I know that regardless of our race, age, religion, or politics, when we close out the noise and the fear and truly open our hearts, we know that what’s going on in this country is just not right. This is not who we want to be," Obama added.

Former first lady Michelle Obama. Source: Pool

Former first lady Michelle Obama delivered a poignant political speech, taking a swipe at Trump's presidency and urging those who did not come out to vote in 2016 to make their vote count this upcoming election.

Obama said the country has been "living with the consequences" since the 2016 election results.

"Maybe they were fed up. Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn’t be close. Maybe the barriers felt too steep. Whatever the reason, in the end, those choices sent someone to the Oval Office who lost the national popular vote by nearly 3,000,000 votes," Obama continued.

"In one of the states that determined the outcome, the winning margin averaged out to just two votes per precinct—two votes. And we’ve all been living with the consequences," Obama said.

Former First Lady Michel Source: Pool

Michelle Obama lambasted Donald Trump as the “wrong” president for the United States in her speech to the Democratic National Convention on Monday.

In the straight-to-camera, pre-taped remarks, the former first lady said the White House is failing to provide “steadiness” and instead is only delivering “chaos, division, and a total and utter lack of empathy.”

Obama, the final speaker of the first night of the convention, laid out a litany of criticism of Trump’s first four years of office, slamming the support the President receives from white supremacists, his immigration policies and how he has handled recent protest about racial injustice.

“As I’ve said before, being president doesn’t change who you are; it reveals who you are. Well, a presidential election can reveal who we are, too,” Obama said. “And four years ago, too many people chose to believe that their votes didn’t matter. Maybe they were fed up. Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn’t be close. Maybe the barriers felt too steep. Whatever the reason, in the end, those choices sent someone to the Oval Office who lost the national popular vote by nearly 3,000,000 votes.”

Event organizers hope that the former first lady would provide a soaring end to the first night of the convention, much like she did for Hillary Clinton in 2016.

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Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Source: Pool

Bernie Sanders on Monday night offered his most forceful argument yet on behalf of former primary rival Joe Biden, beseeching his supporters to back the Democratic nominee in November or risk seeing “all the progress we have made” be thrown into doubt.

Sanders also took direct aim at Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the administration’s refusal to engage with Democrats seeking to extend ramped-up unemployment benefits and other aid to workers and hard-hit communities.

“Millions of working families are wondering how they will feed their kids, and they're worried that they will be evicted from their homes,” Sanders said. “And how has Trump responded? Instead of maintaining the $600 a week unemployment supplement that workers were receiving and the $1,200 emergency checks that many of you received, instead of helping small businesses, Trump concocted fraudulent executive orders that do virtually nothing to address the crisis while threatening the very future of Social Security and Medicare.”

Sanders also sprinkled in an uncharacteristic zinger.

“Nero fiddled while Rome burned,” the Vermont senator said. “Trump golfs.”

As he’s done throughout the campaign, and during his own, Sanders also expressed concern that Trump’s rise mirrored those of authoritarian leaders from the past.

“I and my family and many of yours know the insidious way authoritarianism destroys democracy, decency and humanity,” Sanders said. “As long as I am here, I will work with progressives, with moderates and, yes, with conservatives to preserve this nation from a threat that so many of our heroes fought and died to defeat.”

And in a final appeal to voters, Sanders asked Americans to “come together” to elect Biden – then considered the alternative.

“The price of failure,” he said, “is just too great.”

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