Former First Lady Michelle Obama spent her speaking time at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night talking about the importance of voting for former Vice President Joe Biden come November. According to Obama, Trump came out victorious in 2016 because Democrats failed to vote.
Her speech was meant to be an emotional appeal, one that would ignite party loyalists and progressives alike. But there's just one problem: her speech was filmed weeks ago. It's why there was no mention of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) being Biden's running mate. It's also why she said more than 150,000 Americans have died due to the Wuhan coronavirus. That number is now around 170,000.
If you’re wondering why there was no reference in @MichelleObama speech to @KamalaHarris, her speech was taped before Harris was selected to be Biden’s running mate, multiple aides to the Obamas tell CNN.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 18, 2020
Another sign this was taped a little while ago: the former First Lady also referred in her speech to “more than 150,000” in the US dead of COVID — we are at more than 170,000 dead now.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 18, 2020
According to news reports from The New York Times, CBS News, and CNN, the United States hit 150,000 Wuhan coronavirus deaths on July 29th, almost three weeks before her speech aired.
What was Michelle Obama doing over the last two-and-a-half to three weeks? What was she so busy doing that she couldn't film her speech – or even a new one – after Harris was announced as Biden's running mate? It's not like she's out on the campaign trail stumping for Joe.