CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michelle Obama rarely mentions Mitt Romney by name. But everything she says during this presidential campaign is meant to draw a contrast between her husband and the Republican candidate.
She tells middle-class voters that President Barack Obama understands their economic struggles because he has struggled too. The implication is that Romney, who had a privileged upbringing, can't relate. When she says her husband's empathy will result in a second-term agenda focused on middle-class economic security, she's suggesting Romney would have other priorities.
The first lady will make her case to millions of Americans on Tuesday when she headlines the first night of the Democratic Party's convention. Her high-profile appearance underscores her role as the chief defender of the president's character.
