Michelle Obama Appears In Clinton Ad: Hillary’s New Secret Weapon?

The latest TV spot for the Hillary Clinton campaign is live and features a special guest who appears in the Clinton ad in an effort to win more voters. The ad was announced Tuesday night, prior to Clinton’s Wednesday campaign stop in Pennsylvania.

None other than Michelle Obama herself appears in the ad, speaking out for the candidate. This shouldn’t be surprising as both of the Obamas have appeared on the campaign trail for Hillary in recent months.

You can see the 30-second ad below. It’s running in addition to a radio ad that is broadcasting in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida. With the election right around the corner, this ad shows a strong effort to win over voters who haven’t quite made up their minds.

In her appearance in the Clinton ad, the First Lady says, “Hillary will be a president our kids can look up to. A president who believes in our kids and will fight for them every day. That’s why I believe in her.” This is the first TV ad Michelle has appeared in so far, but she has made other live appearances in support of Hillary.

During the 2008 and 2012 elections, Barack Obama was largely supported by African Americans, young people, and women, so the Obamas are working the campaign trail and having Michelle appear in Clinton ads to hopefully get that same following for Hillary.

So far, RealClearPolitics reports Clinton’s favorability is averaging about 40 percent and Trump’s favorability is averaging about 37 percent — making both candidates not a clear popular choice. According to a Gallup Poll, the First Lady does have that appeal and it makes sense for the campaign to cash in on Michelle’s popularity by having her appear in the Clinton ad.

The Clinton campaign will further its efforts by having President Obama appear in Clinton ads and other advertising as well as on the campaign trail. So far, Obama has been seen at two campaign stops for Clinton and is said to be making more time in his schedule to play a more active role.

The new ad is really simple and to the point. Michelle Obama appears in the Clinton ad alone and begins right away with “our children watch everything we do.” The sentence instantly gets the attention of parents. The ad includes quick clips of Hillary with children (likely on campaign stops) and the claim that Clinton has worked her “entire career” for children. Since Michelle Obama has a large fan base, the ad will likely go over well with her supporters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7CRP-S3FIs

It’s no secret that Secretary Clinton’s campaign has been largely centered around the “think of the children” appeal. They have dealt major blows to opponent Donald Trump in TV ads attacking his image. Perhaps the most impactful one is where small children appear in the Clinton ad watching Trump on television as he uses profanity, insults, and threats to talk about certain situations he has encountered and his opinions on terrorism. The Clinton ad concludes with simple rhetoric: our children need someone they can be proud of. Clinton is suggesting here that she is the better choice for president if you think solely of who would be a better role model for the children.

Whether you like Hillary or not, having the First Lady appear in the Clinton ad is a good political move and could help win over voters who love Michelle Obama. One thing is for sure: Americans will be seeing a lot more of ads like this in the coming months as Election Day quickly approaches.

[Featured Image by Mel Evans/AP Images]