Melania Trump to advocate for women and children as first lady

For the first time since she delivered a partially plagiarised convention speech, Melania Trump has hit the presidential campaign trail, speaking to voters in suburban Pennsylvania.

Melania Trump campaigning

Melania Trump's first campaign speech, delivered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. Source: Sarah Abo

Since her husband entered the political stage, Melania Trump has shied away from the spotlight.

As Donald Trump made his way through the primaries, eventually winning the Republican candidacy, it became clear that she would need to have a greater presence.

But after a disastrous speech at the Republican National Convention, in which she plagiarised sections of Michelle Obama's 2008 speech, Melania Trump has rarely been seen.

Five days before election day, though, the Trump campaign decided to play her card.

Her task in the blue state, was to attract middle class women, a vital voter bloc if her husband is to win the presidency.
"America meant if you could dream it, you could become it."
Rolling her out in front of a suburban crowd in Pennsylvania was a strategic move. It was aimed at attracting middle class, college educated mothers who are potentially wary of her husband, but who are needed if he is to win the presidency.

After speaking about her role as a mother, Mrs Trump expressed the love she has for America after migrating from Slovenia.

"As an immigrant, and let me tell you that nobody values the freedoms and opportunity of America more than me," she said.

"America meant if you could dream it, you could become it."
Mrs Trump outlined that she would be "an advocate for women and children", if she became America's first lady.

"Technology has changed our universe. But like anything that is powerful, it can have a bad side. We have seen this already. As adults, we are able to handle mean words, even lies. Children and teenagers can be fragile."

Analysts though, were quick to point out that her husband has relentlessly used Twitter to attack and condemn political foes, celebrities and journalists throughout the campaign. Including offending Ted Cruz and his wife, and a flurry of 3am tweets targeting former Miss Universe Alicia Machado.

Mrs Trump tried to smooth her husband's rough edges.

"He loves this country," she told Trump supporters gathered at a Berwyn sporting centre.

"And he knows how to get things done, not just talk... He certainly knows how to shake things up, doesn't he?"

Pennsylvania is a state that the Republican party wants to flip red.

It was also in surburban Pennsylvania where Ivanka Trump helped to roll out her father's child care plan.

But they will have a hard time making up their losses where it counts. A Quinnipac University study shows Hillary Clinton leads the demographic of women in the state by 20 percentage points.

Among the Trump supporters listening to Melania Trump's first speech, were women who compared her to Jackie Kennedy.

"I think she's really beautiful, I think she spoke her heart. And it was a really nice message, especially for kids about bullying and texting," Adrianne Catona told SBS.

But the most important thing for Ms Catona, was that Mrs Trump supports her husband's bid for the White House.

"I would like to see her more out there."

Martha Salgado praised Mrs Trump's role as a mother.

"She is a good mother, she has spent the whole time with her child."

Carrie Christman drove down from Buffalo, New York with her husband.

"I told Tony that I wanted to see Mrs Trump speak, because I wanted to hear what she had to say."
Mrs Christman said she thought Melania Trump was a good role model for women.

"I felt she seemed very accomplished, professional, she carried herself like a lady."

But Pennsylvania native, Merraine Rein wasn't convinced.

"I felt it was a speech that she read, without any emotion or passion," she said.

She told SBS she doesn't think it'll have an impact on the women of Pennsylvania, or the country. 

"I don't think it'll sway anybody. I think they're talking to people who already support them."

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4 min read
Published 4 November 2016 10:04pm
Updated 4 November 2016 11:15pm
By Sarah Abo


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