Schneider: America meets Michelle Obama

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/25/art.michelle0825.gi.jpg caption="Sen. Obama's wife, Michelle, was the headliner on Monday night."]
DENVER (CNN) - This is the first time most Americans are getting any sense of who Michelle Obama really is. She’s a very poised and accomplished speaker, a real professional. She’s talking about her personal background, her family life — not much about her career.

Watch: Michelle Obama says trailblazers like Sen. Clinton have helped Americans 'aim a little higher'

The stereotype was the picture on the cover of the New Yorker magazine, which portrayed her as a black radical. There’s very little reference to race in this speech - almost no racial themes. This is an unusually effective performance. She’s like a great actress — not that she’s acting. It’s just a very good performance, and a very sincere one. And it’s very gracious for her to mention Hillary Clinton.

I think the Democrats are looking at this speech and thinking: This is a future candidate.