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Supporters Turn Out to Greet Michelle Obama Stumping for Gov. Malloy in New Haven

Jeff Cohen
/
WNPR
Rachel Vereen-Bellamy waits for Michelle Obama.

A recent poll shows Governor Dannel Malloy, a Democrat, doing better among women than men. And he’s doing just fine with Rachel Vereen-Bellamy, who came to the gym at the Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven to see him. If we’re being honest, she really came to see Michelle Obama. 

"What brings you here today?" I asked Vereen-Bellamy.

"Well, to see the president’s wife," she said. "And our Michelle Obama. I’ve seen her on the TV before but I want to see her in person. I made sure I cleaned my glasses out very well so I could get a good look."

Listen below:

Later, Malloy came out to make his case. But, he knew people like Vereen-Bellamy had their priorities.

“Let me get out of the way. Let me get out of the way," the governor said. "I only ask that you don’t forget who I am on election day.”

Once she took the stage, Obama spent the better part of 20 minutes speaking about the governor and about the need to get out the vote. She also had to deal with some heckling.

“It’s about what is going on in your lives," she said, "what’s going on in your families; your communities." That's when the heckling began. "We love you, babe. We do," she said.

As Democrats tried to drown out the heckler, Obama stopped them.

"No, no. Understand this. Understand this," the First Lady said. "There is passion here, but see what we have to do is turn this passion into work.”

Obama later turned her attention to the governor. "I want you to just imagine, as he said, if he achieved so much in four years, in such times, just imagine what this man could do if you gave him another four years. Just imagine," she said.  

Throughout her speech, Obama had a lot of input from the crowd. "Voting couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is show up. So don’t be left out," she said, followed by a man shouting about how even the homeless can vote. She agreed.

"Even the homeless can vote," the First Lady said. "I love New Haven! I love it." Her husband, the president, visits Bridgeport on Sunday for another Malloy rally.

Jeff Cohen started in newspapers in 2001 and joined Connecticut Public in 2010, where he worked as a reporter and fill-in host. In 2017, he was named news director. Then, in 2022, he became a senior enterprise reporter.

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