"It Is What It Is" Michelle Obama Gives Unapologetic Speech During the Opening Night of the DNC

Monday was the first night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, which featured a diverse program of speakers and performances. However, the most notable and memorable speech was given by Michelle Obama as the event’s headliner.

For nearly twenty minutes, the former First Lady captivated a virtual audience as she eloquently yet candidly expressed the dire need for a significant voter turnout for the November presidential election. Holding true to her coined phrase of “When they go low, we go high,” Mrs. Obama did not directly attack Donald Trump in her speech; instead, she threw just enough subtle shade to make her points.

While explaining that Trump has proven to be unequipped, in both performance and character, for president, the “Becoming” author said, “It is what it is.” This statement appeared to be a jab at the 45th president as he used this same phrase last week when addressing the over 150,000 (now 170,000) deaths our country has seen due to COVID-19. In contrast, she attested to the more mature character and successful political track record of Joe Biden.

Photo by Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images

Some pointed out that the 56-year-old’s speech did not mention Biden’s newly announced VP running mate, Kamala Harris. However, her team clarified that the video was recorded prior to the announcement.

You can watch Michelle Obama’s full speech here.