The Big Show
Didja see? Whajya think?
I mentioned the Democratic National Convention yesterday, and how I was starting to let myself watch. Well, I soaked a bunch of it up and saw Walz and Harris and a bunch else, too. I bet several of you did as well.
So let’s go straight the obvious prompt: What’s sticking in your mind about it?
Big takeaway for me is, Harris killed. I don’t want to get too deep into the political theater criticism angle but I will say her great achievement was to simultaneously embody empathy and righteousness — compassion for her fellow Americans and advocacy for their advancement as well as fierce, implacable opposition to those who would steal it from them. That strikes me as perfect for this moment of great danger and opportunity.
I forgive her for leaning on toughness because we know what a hard sell Lady Commander in Chief is in some districts; in fact I admire that she acknowledged the need and threw herself into the task. I know the Democrats suck in regard to Palestine. (Boy, she four-wheeled right through that, didn’t she?) But they’re situationally the best choice because, in this era, all third parties can do is fuck things up worse. (Get back to me when there’s a real worker’s party with a broad, genuine appeal to enlightened self-interest. Cornel West and RFK Jr. ain’t it.)
On that note: A lot of what struck me Thursday night was about the tension between the ideal and the necessary. I was laughing at Leon Panetta, the very definition of a time-serving Democratic operative, glowering and shaking his wattles about killing Bin Laden as if sending go codes were the heroic equivalent of putting one’s body in harm’s way. And he quoted Reagan, boo. But, in the course of doing the (necessary!) job of letting America know that this lady would be OK as CinC, Panetta said some needed things about Trump’s repulsive disdain for the people who do put their bodies on the line for their country, and especially this:
The role of the military is to defend America, it’s not to threaten Americans and it sure as hell isn’t to put immigrants in camps.
It’s one thing to hear Michael Moore or Bernie Sanders (two-time Roy Edroso vote-getter!) say things like this, but it’s another to have one of the old-time hacks come out of the vault to say, you know what, the hippies are right, this fucker IS a fascist and we better vote like it. That might be the general theme: This is a full-court press.
Other bits stick in my mind. The Chicks throwing a harmonic curveball at the end of the National Anthem. Colin Allred redeeming the jock candidacy concept, talking about “me” guys and “we” guys on the field and in politics. Victims of gun violence tearfully telling their stories. People who suffered from the terrible consequences of conservative fraud explaining why we can’t let it go on.
And I must say I’m juiced to have a President who, on her highest horse, sounds just a little bit like Wanda Sykes.
Your turn!
As others have said, I think why Walz so inflames the Right is he shows it is possible to be a paunchy white guy in late middle age without feeling bitter resentment that “THEY” are stealing something from you. He likes football, hunting, table-top games, and bland food. He loves his family and America. He is happy-go-lucky and doesn’t pull out a magnifying glass at every opportunity to look for slights and insults. His speech at the convention demonstrated all of those qualities and showed his basic decency. He is the living, breathing embodiment of what the MAGA guys could be like if they just chilled the fuck out. And worst of all, he told MAGA they were wrong for being bitter rage monkeys. So of course they loathe him.
Harris did exactly what she needed to do, and did it extremely well. It was a very well-written speech, delivered with both dignity and gusto. I thought it was interesting we heard none of the “shattering the glass ceiling” talk we heard from Clinton in 2016. Although her presidency would be historic, Harris wisely kept the focus of her empathy on the American people, and her outrage laser-focused on what the Right wants to do to the country. She met the moment and exceeded it.
And most tellingly, she has already managed to absolutely wreck Trump. People have commented that Trump has completely lost it over the past month, and I believe it’s because Harris has taken up residence in his head to such an extent there is no longer any room for what little brains he previously had.
I feel pretty good about things.
Weird.