Michelle Obama to give a ‘personal view’ of Barack

DENVER — Michelle Obama will offer the personal side of her husband during a primetime speech Monday night, as the campaign hopes the country will learn more about the Democratic presidential candidate.

“The more America learns about this family, the more they’re going to want to send them to the White House,” the campaign of Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) said Monday.

{mosads}The campaign said the first night of the convention will also seek to introduce Michelle Obama to Americans. She will be introduced by family members in a video entitled "South Side Girl," which will highlight her family background and her "upbringing and the values that have shaped her as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, mentor and dedicated community service advocate."

The video will be narrated by Obama's mother, Marian Robinson, and Michelle Obama will be introduced by her brother, Craig Robinson, the head basketball coach at Oregon State University.

"Over the last 19 months, Mrs. Obama has demonstrated a unique ability to connect with people across the country on the campaign trail and share in their American experience," the campaign said Monday. "People have come away from her campaign events knowing that they will have a first lady who truly understands their challenges and is committed to helping women and families."

In introducing her husband, according to the campaign, Michelle Obama will talk about "the values that have driven him as a father, husband and public servant, and why she believes he will be an extraordinary president." 

"As the person who knows him best, there’s no one who can do a better job introducing Barack Obama to the country," the campaign said.   

The other goal of the speech seemed to be continuing the efforts of the Obama campaign to smooth over any lingering resentment women voters might feel after the contentious Democratic nomination battle between Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.). The opening day of the convention was rife with reports of Democratic disharmony, and Obama and Clinton officials were working feverishly to try and dismiss any talk of a divided party.

To that end, Michelle Obama’s speech, the campaign said, will address her role as a working mother of two small children.

"Like many moms, she’s learned to juggle the responsibilities of work and family," the Obama campaign said. "She knows what it’s like for millions of women who face the same challenges every day. She’s made a career of bringing people together and finding solutions to seemingly intractable problems in her community and that’s exactly what she’ll do as first lady."