Michelle Miller gushed over Michelle Obama and her seven and a half years as first lady on Monday's CBS Evening News. Miller trumpeted Mrs. Obama as "her husband's biggest advocate; a mother fiercely protective of her daughter's privacy; champion for healthy eating and staying fit — using her bare arms to redefine fashion; and her voice to comfort the country." Miler later spotlighted how the first lady's "climb has not always been up a crystal stair," but also played up how "now, with an approval rating of 68 percent — higher than her husband's — you'll see more of her personality." [video below]
Anchor Scott Pelley set the tone with his tease for the correspondent's report: "Coming up next: Michelle Obama — my, how she has changed." Pelley also led into the segment by noting that "Michelle Obama addresses these delegates tonight [at the Democratic National Convention], and she has come a long way since her 2008 convention debut." Miller first touted how "America had never seen a first lady like her. But now, after seven and a half years, they know her well." She continued with her "husband's biggest advocate" and subsequent labels for Mrs. Obama.
The CBS journalist then underlined that "the climb has not always been up a crystal stair. In April of 2008, only 22 percent of Americans had a favorable view of her. Three months later, this satirical New Yorker magazine cover would stoke the flames of her critics well beyond Election Day." She played a soundbite from Essence magazine's editor in chief, Vanessa De Luca, who asserted that "people were trying to portray her as a very divisive person; as someone who was an angry black woman. And that is the furthest from the truth."
After playing another clip from De Luca, who claimed that "as she's grown in the role, she [Mrs. Obama] realizes that what she has to say carries great weight," Miller ended her report by stating, "Tonight should be no different."
Back in 2014, the correspondent highlighted how liberal union activist Dolores Huerta's "rallying cry...would later come to define the presidential campaign of Barack Obama." Miller emphasized that "Huerta barely stands 5 feet tall. But she's been a giant in the fight against inequality for more than 50 years."
The full transcript of Michelle Miller's report from the July 25, 2016 edition of CBS Evening News:
SCOTT PELLEY: Michelle Obama addresses these delegates tonight, and she has come a long way since her 2008 convention debut.
Here's Michelle Miller.
MICHELLE MILLER (voice-over): America had never seen a first lady like her. But now, after seven and a half years, they know her well.
MICHELLE OBAMA (from speech at 2008 Democratic National Convention): And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values.
MILLER: Her husband's biggest advocate; a mother fiercely protective of her daughter's privacy; champion for healthy eating.
OBAMA (from PBS's Sesame Street): I'd like to have a healthy lunch at Hooper's Store.
MILLER: And staying fit — using her bare arms to redefine fashion; and her voice to comfort the country, like she did after the Orlando shootings.
OBAMA: It's time for us to come together; to love each other; to support each other.
MILLER: But the climb has not always been up a crystal stair. In April of 2008, only 22 percent of Americans had a favorable view of her. Three months later, this satirical New Yorker magazine cover would stoke the flames of her critics well beyond Election Day.
[CBS News Graphic: "CBS News/New York Times Poll, April 2008; Favorable View: 22%; Margin of error: 3 Pts."]
OBAMA: Cable news charmingly referred to me as Obama's baby mama. (audience laughs)
MILLER (from commencement address at Tuskegee University): Essence magazine editor-in-chief, Vanessa De Luca.
VANESSA DE LUCA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ESSENCE: People were trying to portray her as a very divisive person; as someone who was an angry black woman. And that is the furthest from the truth.
MILLER: And now, with an approval rating of 68 percent — higher than her husband's (clip of Mrs. Obama dancing on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show") — you'll see more of her personality — dunking on the Miami Heat; and even doing 'Carpool Karaoke' around the White House.
DE LUCA: I think that, as she's grown in the role, she realizes that what she has to say carries great weight.
MILLER: Tonight should be no different. Michelle Miller, CBS News, New York.
