The Democratic National Convention. It's over. Thank God, it's over.
The Democrats have packed their bags and headed back to wherever Democrats go when they go. And they are taking that Muppets-and-Teletubbies feeling with them; they are hopeful and happy.
It did feel good. There were speeches, music, celebrities talking and singing (Oprah showed up, and Stevie Wonder), Republicans talking, Clintons talking on separate nights, white, brown and black people talking, just plain folks (where they could work them in), mayors, governors and politicians; victims in one way or another of the end of Roe V Wade brought tears to everyone's eyes; more singing, dancing, sign waving, a musical role call, and more. And the Palestinian protesters stayed outside, so the optics on the podium remained untainted.
There were Obamas talking. Both of them, ladies first. Their speeches were smart, sophisticated, urbane (except when snarky or just plain dirty where needed), stirring, energizing (and clever, God were they clever. Michelle even gouged Trump by saying he is about to discover President of the U.S. is one of those "black jobs"s he claims immigrants are coming to take away). They did their Ivy League educations proud (something JD Vance can't seem to pull off; dumb shit sounds like dumb shit even when a Yalie says it). I loved them. Everybody loved them.
It also occurred to me later that they are one of the reasons people on the right are upset and feeling everything from long left out to MAGA-ish and beyond. The Obamas spoke the language liberal Democrats love. They spoke the language of the smart and sophisticated, the erudite. And in complete sentences most of the time! They spoke a language we look up to. But it is a language that makes others feel smugly talked down to (those who are not with us, and not likely to be if we can't get past the liberal-isms -- or perceived liberal-isms -- to speak a language they understand about the things that trouble them). That can be a problem.
Biden, the old un-Trump, left to finish his presidency and he says he has lots left to do. Vice President Kamala Harris stepped in as the new un-Trump and spoke of freedom and the path to the future. Tim Walz is her running mate (the man who already introduced "weird" to describe Trump, JD Vance, Project 2025). Balloons fell. And then it was over.
"Feelin' good is feelin' good again," as Robert Earl Keen sings. Of course he is singing about wishful thinking. And the Democrats are carrying a load of wishful thinking with them as they go.
Hopeful and happy won't win elections. Neither will being appalled or offended. Kamala Harris must defeat predictably appalling and offensive people. Be appalled for Gus Walz but be appalled on your own time then get back to work. Being appalled is not the job at hand. Winning is the only job to be done.
No comments:
Post a Comment