Michelle pitches for Hillary; calls Trump 'thin-skinned'

First Lady Michelle Obama today endorsed "friend" Hillary Clinton as the only one "truly qualified" to be the next US President even as she lashed out at Republican Donald Trump of being "thin-skinned" and taking "snap decisions" in a veiled attack.

Michelle made a passionate plea for the former secretary of state in front of thousands of delegates and members of the Democratic Party at its national convention here and hailed the power that having a first female president would bring to the country.

"I watch my daughters, two beautiful, intelligent, black young women playing with their dogs on the White House lawn. And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters and all our sons and daughters now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States," she said.

"I am here tonight because in this election there is only one person who I trust with that responsibility, only one person who I believe is truly qualified to be president of the United States, and that is our friend Hillary Clinton."

The four-day convention, which began yesterday would nominate Clinton as its presidential candidate. The 68-year- old former secretary of state would deliver her acceptance speech on Thursday, thus, becoming America's first woman presidential candidate of a major political party.

If elected in the final race against Trump in November, she would be the first US woman president.

Without naming Trump, the First Lady appeared to be critical of the 70-year-old real estate tycoon who once questioned the birth of her husband and US President Barack Obama.

"Make no mistake about it, this November when we go to the polls that is what we're deciding, not Democrat or Republican, not left or right. No, in this election and every election is about who will have the power to shape our children for the next four or eight years of their lives," she said amid cheers and applause.

"We urge them to ignore those who question their father's citizenship or faith," she told delegates and a national television audience, in a clear reference to Trump's remarks targetting Obama.

"We insist that the hateful language they hear from public figures on TV does not represent the true spirit of this country," she said, apparently referring to the new kind of standards in terms of lingo set in this year's campaign unlike of a US election.

Having been a resident of the White House and seen Obama running the country for seven and half years, Michelle said when she thinks of "the kind of president that I want for my girls and all children," it's someone who takes the job seriously - "someone who understands that the issues a president faces are not black and white and cannot be boiled down to 140 characters", in an allusion to Trump's tweets.

"Because when you have the nuclear codes at your fingertips and the military in your command, you can't make snap decisions," she said, adding: "You can't have a thin skin or a tendency to lash out. You need to be steady and measured and well-informed."

Michelle said she wants a president with "a record of public service, someone whose life's work shows our children that we don't chase form and fortune for ourselves, we fight to give everyone a chance to succeed".

"I want a president who will teach our children that everyone in this country matters, a president who truly believes in the vision that our founders put forth all those years ago that we are all created equal, each a beloved part of the great American story," she added.

She said she trusts Clinton to lead this country because "she has seen her lifelong devotion to children, not just her own daughter, who she has raised to perfection, but every child who needs a champion, children who take the long way to school to avoid the gangs, children who wonder how they will ever afford college, kids whose parents don't speak a word of English, but dream of a better life, kids who look to us to determine who and what they can be".

"You see, Hillary has spent decades doing the relentless, thankless work to actually make a difference in their lives advocating for kids with disabilities as a young lawyer, fighting for children's health care as first lady, and for quality child care in the Senate. And when she didn't win the nomination eight years ago, she didn't get angry or disillusioned," she said.

The First Lady was referring to the 2008 presidential election when Obama defeated Clinton in the Democratic primaries.

"Hillary did not pack up and go home, because as a true public servant Hillary knows that this is so much bigger than her own desires and disappointments. So, she proudly stepped up to serve our country once again as secretary of state, travelling the globe to keep our kids safe," Michelle said.

"And look, there were plenty of moments when Hillary could have decided that this work was too hard, that the price of public service was too high, that she was tired of being picked apart for how she looks or how she talks or even how she laughs. But here's the thing.

"What I admire most about Hillary is that she never buckles under pressure. She never takes the easy way out. And Hillary Clinton has never quit on anything in her life," she argued.

Obama praised the First Lady for her impressive speech.

"Incredible speech by an incredible woman. Couldn't be more proud and our country has been blessed to have her as FLOTUS (First Lady Of The US). I love you, Michelle," he tweeted.