A Change of Heart

A Change of Heart
Michelle's opinion of politics didn't exactly improve as time went on.
In his role as a state senator, Barack was absent a lot.
Simply finding the time to enjoy a family dinner together was a rare treat.
In fact, Barack's absence became such an issue that they eventually entered couples counseling.
So when the idea of running for the US Senate was brought up, Michelle wasn't thrilled.
What Michelle didn't tell him at the time was that she truly doubted he would win.
After all, he'd lost a congressional primary not long before.
So Michelle did give her approval, but she made him promise that, if he lost, he would give up politics and find another way to make a difference in the world.
As fate would have it, this time his Republican opponent dropped out of the race!
As a US Senator, Barack was even busier and the lack of family time was a real issue.
He'd regularly call to say, “On my way” or “Almost home,” and Michelle had to learn to interpret these words.
What they really meant was that he'd likely end up in an hour-long chat with a colleague before he even got in the car to start the drive home.
But then came the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
Presidential candidate John Kerry asked Barack to make a keynote speech, which was a surprisingly risky move given that he was virtually unknown to most Americans outside of Illinois – and a novice when it came to using teleprompters or being on primetime television.
To say that 2004 was a lucky year for Barack would be an understatement.
In fact, it felt like there was some cosmic destiny at play.
The truth is that Barack had been preparing for the DNC speech for most of his life, and it's why that speech was so powerful.
Yes, he did have it memorized, but he was also speaking from the heart.
It wasn't such a surprising speech for Michelle to hear, since she already knew how amazing her husband was.
But now the rest of the nation knew, and he became an overnight sensation.
As NBC commentator Chris Matthews said after he heard the speech, “I've just seen the first Black president.”
And of course Barack did end up running for president in the next election.
When he announced his candidacy, Michelle was stunned to see 15,000 people show up to the event, even though it was a bitterly cold Illinois day.
It was as if her family had suddenly become a rock band!
At this moment, Michelle had a change of heart about politics.
She understood that these people were counting on them.
She began to feel a sense of commitment and responsibility; she had to show up for the Americans who regarded her husband as a beacon of hope.
Now she would need to play a big role in sharing his message and telling his story.
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A Change of Heart Michelle's opinion of politics didn't exactly improve as time went on. In his role as a state senator, Barack was absent a lot. Simply finding the time to enjoy a family dinner together was a rare treat. In fact, Barack's absence became such an issue that they eventually entered couples counseling. So when the idea of running for the US Senate was brought up, Michelle wasn't thrilled. What Michelle didn't tell him at the time was that she truly doubted he would win. After all, he'd lost a congressional primary not long before. So Michelle did give her approval, but she made him promise that, if he lost, he would give up politics and find another way to make a difference in the world. As fate would have it, this time his Republican opponent dropped out of the race! As a US Senator, Barack was even busier and the lack of family time was a real issue. He'd regularly call to say, “On my way” or “Almost home,” and Michelle had to learn to interpret these words. What they really meant was that he'd likely end up in an hour-long chat with a colleague before he even got in the car to start the drive home. But then came the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Presidential candidate John Kerry asked Barack to make a keynote speech, which was a surprisingly risky move given that he was virtually unknown to most Americans outside of Illinois – and a novice when it came to using teleprompters or being on primetime television. To say that 2004 was a lucky year for Barack would be an understatement. In fact, it felt like there was some cosmic destiny at play. The truth is that Barack had been preparing for the DNC speech for most of his life, and it's why that speech was so powerful. Yes, he did have it memorized, but he was also speaking from the heart. It wasn't such a surprising speech for Michelle to hear, since she already knew how amazing her husband was. But now the rest of the nation knew, and he became an overnight sensation. As NBC commentator Chris Matthews said after he heard the speech, “I've just seen the first Black president.” And of course Barack did end up running for president in the next election. When he announced his candidacy, Michelle was stunned to see 15,000 people show up to the event, even though it was a bitterly cold Illinois day. It was as if her family had suddenly become a rock band! At this moment, Michelle had a change of heart about politics. She understood that these people were counting on them. She began to feel a sense of commitment and responsibility; she had to show up for the Americans who regarded her husband as a beacon of hope. Now she would need to play a big role in sharing his message and telling his story.