optimism and openness. >> what you see later in the presidency is her being kind of honest about her views in a big, new, ambitious way. it had the feeling of michelle obama saying in public what she said in private which i think was not always true. >> she plugged into something so deep and transformative for her, that it became transformative for millions of americans. >> her passion was her platform. she spoke openly about civil rights and issues of racism. >> no longer can we be barred from a university or hotel or arrested for sitting at the front of the bus or forced to use a separate bathroom or water fountain because of the color of our skin. >> it shows a level of courage if you're an african-american person in public life, a lot of people tell you, lay off on the black stuff. you make people uncomfortable.