Near the beginning of her 25-minute speech this afternoon at La Salle University, first lady Michelle Obama called out the LGBT community while describing the legacy her husband has built during his two terms in the White House.
Obama said the president has shown dignity and achieved progress.
“Progress like health reform, passing health care,” she said, according to a transcript of her remarks from her staff. “Creating millions of jobs. Slashing the unemployment rate. Lifting millions of people out of poverty. Expanding LGBT rights so marriage equality is now the law of the land.”
The crowd applauded.
Through the rest of her speech, Obama described the high stakes in the November election that pits Democrat Hillary Clinton against Republican Donald Trump.
Obama said Clinton has seen the job of president “from every angle” as first lady, senator and secretary of state. She made the case that Clinton would be the best candidate to protect and continue President Barak Obama’s work.
In 2012, Obama said the president won Pennsylvania by 300,000 votes, which came out to a win by just 17 votes per precinct.
“Each of you could swing an entire precinct and win this election for Hillary just by getting yourselves, your family, your classmates out to vote,” Obama said toward the end of her speech. “… But you could also help swing an entire precinct for Hillary’s opponent with a protest vote or by staying home out of frustration…And the stakes are far too high to take that chance, too high.”