Michelle Obama: "I Still Pinch Myself"
On the 45th Anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Katie Couric spoke one-on-one with Michelle Obama, as her husband prepared to accept the Democratic Party nomination for president. Couric asked Obama what it means to her personally.
Michelle Obama: I've done two speeches, two or three today, and I've talked about this historic day, the 45th anniversary of Dr. King speaking at the Lincoln Memorial with his "I Have a Dream" speech. I mean, how amazing that these things are happening on the same night. It is moving. It's powerful. It's emotional. And I still pinch myself and think, "am I really a part of this?" I'm very proud of Barak. I'm proud of the man that he is. I'm proud of the race that he's run, but I'm proud of the fact that he is always thinking about how to include regular folks in this process.
Couric: Do you worry about the people who haven't moved forward, who don't judge people by the content of their character, but by the color of their skin?
Obama: You know, change is hard - for anyone. And sometimes people hold on to what they know, and they don't know whether it's right or wrong. They just know what they know. But I tend to focus on where we're going. It's that glass-half-full proposition. We are here today; Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee. And it happened because, not just from the people who are willing to hope and were already there, but people had to come to that place. They had to sort of listen to the message and understand that the challenges that we're facing now as a nation are really transcending race and gender and sexual orienitation, and they're starting to believe we can work together around a set of shared values.
Couric: What do you think about the notion of some of Hillary Clinton's supporters going over to John McCain?
Obama: My view is that we have to give people time to heal and to think about where they want the country to go. And I think that's what Sen. Clinton and President Clinton were saying - think about what's at stake. Think about why you did this in the first place. Did you do it for Hillary?
Couric: What did you think, since you mentioned Hillary Clinton, about her speech and about her husband's speech the next night?
Obama: They were both amazing. They were gracious and generous statesmen and -women. And Hillary Clinton, for one, has been nothing but gracious to me throughout this entire process - being available to answer questions, giving me advice about the girls, Chelsea offering to talk to the girls. You know, that's why it's just important to know that the Clintons understand what's at stake.
Couric: How are the girls doing with all of this?
Obama: You know, they went to the aquarium today. They have been having a ball. I don't think they know he was officially nominated. What's the roll call? They went to the zoo. We had a sleep-over with 15 kids in my room. That was the first thing Malia asked me when I finished my speech. She said, "Mom, I have something important to say. We need to have a sleepover tonight." I said, "tonight??"
Couric: Where did you find 15 kids?
Obama: We have all our friends, the Bidens - the Bbidens have brought a bunch of kids. Our kids have been playing together and we brought friends and family and cousin. There are a ton of kids here.
Couric: So it's big fun for the girls?
Obama They have a ball. They always have a ball. Wherever we are, they find a way to make fun and, sort of ditch the speeches.
Couric: Michelle Obama, thank you.
Obama: Thank you, Katie. It's good to see you again.
Couric: We appreciate it, thank you. No slumber parties tonight. Michelle obama said she insisted her daughters clear their social schedules and be with their parents at Invesco Field.