By Michael Aron
Chief Political Correspondent
There were four major speakers at the end of last night’s session — Sen. Cory Booker, Michelle Obama, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
Booker summoned up energy and aimed high.
“King pointed to the mountain top. Kennedy pointed to the moon from Seneca Falls to those who stood at Stonewall Inn, giants before us said in a chorus of conviction, America, we will rise,” he said.
Michelle Obama’s theme was raising her daughters in the White House, and she was stirring.
“I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves and I watch my daughters, two beautiful intelligent black young women playing with their dogs on the White House Lawn and because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters — and all our sons and daughters — now take for granted that a woman can now become president of the United States,” she said.
Elizabeth Warren took on the sins of Donald Trump.
“What kind of a man cheats students? Cheats investors? Cheats workers? Well I’ll tell you what kind of a man — a man who must never be president of the United States,” she said.
And Bernie Sanders did what some say he had to do and most Democrats wanted to see him do.
“By these measures, any objective observer will conclude that based on her ideas and her leadership, Hillary Clinton must become the next president of the United States,” he said.
At this morning’s New Jersey delegation breakfast, we asked people for their favorites.
“No question in my mind, I think Michelle Obama was the real powerhouse of the evening. I think she was elegant, she was smart, I think she did a tremendous job out there. Number two, almost like, you know, a tinker to evers to chance, you know Bernie Sanders did what he had to do. I think in some ways he was a Democrat last night like never before,” said At-Large Alternate Delegate Joey Novick.
“All of the speeches were excellent. I thought Sen. Booker ended up triumphantly and really got the crowd on its feet. Warren was very logical explaining why people could not vote for Trump. Bernie Sanders was exceedingly logical, like a summation. But Michelle Obama stole the show and she touched people’s souls,” said District 16 Delegate Joseph Hayden.
“Well, I thought Cory was great until I heard Michelle Obama. She knocked it out of the park. She should run for president,” said Sen. Ray Lesniak.
“By far First Lady Obama’s speech was the one that was the best. Not only the speech to start off the convention but I think the message that this country has heard in years,” said At-Large Delegate Milly Silva.
“Sen. Booker was awesome. But First Lady Michelle Obama was a dream come true for me. I’m on a high right now, I’m inspired. She talked about our children and what this election meant to their futures. So, I’m motivated to continue to stomp and I’m with her,” said Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, District 18 delegate.
“I mean, touched me? I would say Michelle Obama because you know she’s the most fantastic First Lady since Eleanor Roosevelt,” said CWA NJ Director Hetty Rosenstein.
So our random survey of New Jersey Democrats turned up a lot of praise for Michelle Obama and Cory Booker. It prompted one person to concoct a ticket: Booker-Obama 2024.