Michelle Obama To Praise Joe Biden’s Character, Ability To Lead US From Crisis In DNC Speech

Former first lady Michelle Obama will praise presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s personal character and leadership skills Monday in her prerecorded address at the Democratic National Convention. Her speech is slated between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET.

“He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country,” Obama said in an advance excerpt of the speech. “He will make smart plans and manage a good team, and he will govern as someone who’s lived a life that the rest of us can recognize.”

Obama is also expected to speak about her personal relationship with Biden, describing him as down-to-earth.

“I know Joe,” Obama said. “He is a profoundly decent man, guided by faith.”

She has labeled Biden as "a testament to getting back up" due the personal tragedies he experienced in his life. Biden’s first wife and one-year-old daughter were killed in a car accident in 1972. His oldest son, Beau Biden, died in 2015 at the age of 46 after a battle with brain cancer.

Obama, 56, has made several prominent DNC speeches. In a 2016 address, she used the now-famous phrase “when they go low, we go high” in reference to personal attacks on her family.

In a 2008 DNC speech, she praised her husband ahead of his acceptance of the nomination.

“And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them, and even if you don't agree with them,” she said in the address.

During her tenure as first lady from 2009 to 2017, Obama promoted efforts to fight childhood obesity and advocated for military families. Obama's book, "Becoming," was released in November 2018. She is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School.