Michelle Obama, praising husband, urges young people in N.C. to vote

First Lady Michelle Obama continued to embrace her role as President Barack Obama’s chief character witness on Wednesday, telling thousands of young North Carolinians that her husband is an inclusive leader with compassion for all Americans.

“As president, you have to be driven by the struggles, hopes and dreams of all the people you serve,” Michelle Obama told the 3,100 gathered at a rally in Durham, emphasizing the word “all.”

 “As president, you truly need a strong inner compass, you know, a core commitment to your fellow citizens,” she said. ”That’s how you make the right decisions for this country.”

She went on to tell the crowd that the president “has been struggling with us. And together, slowly but surely, we have been pulling ourselves out of that hole we started in.”

The first lady did not mention GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney or Republicans during two rallies on college campuses in North Carolina.