A presidential political campaign that began in January 2019 with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s announcement of candidacy, and attracted enough candidates to fill a Septa subway car, ended Thursday with the acceptance of nomination by former Vice President Joe Biden.
Ironically, the party that fetishizes diversity and accuses everyone else of racism, blew off all the Black and Brown candidates in favor of a White man. An elderly White man at that, who twice before had sought and failed to get the nomination. Third time is the charm, they say.
To balance the ticket, Biden selected Kamala Harris, a woman of color — Black father, Asian Indian mother — as his running mate. She has a strong law enforcement record she will be running away from.
The goal of the fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention was to ignite the Biden-Harris rocket, putting it on a trajectory for a Nov. 3 victory.
What would do that would be Biden’s speech, the best of his career.
It wasn’t. It fell short of his candidacy announcement on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway, with him in shirt sleeves, brimming with energy. The DNC played clips of that day, which was brighter than anything offered last night.
Biden’s address, read off a TelePrompTer in an empty hall, was delivered with emotion, but without animation — except when he talked about our military, military families, and how he would stand up to dictators. The talk was workmanlike, but I did not find a memorable phrase in it. Inspiring? Only to partisans who were lighting candles that he got through it without dropping a load. He met the low expectations.
Biden’s address was the finale, preceded by testimonials to his character by many characters.
One of them was moderator Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the star of the TV show “Veep” — get it? I think she had the best line of the night: “When Donald Trump at his inauguration talked about American carnage, I assumed that was something he was against, not a campaign promise.”
Just before Louis-Dreyfus, the National Anthem was sung by the Dixie Chicks. Oops — they dropped “Dixie” because it had something to do with the South or the Confederacy or something unpalatable to Political Correctness. So now they are just the Chicks, which is an unpalatable slang term for women.
Ah, well.
Democrats must fear a lack of enthusiasm because of the repeated urges to vote, and to text to 30XXX to get voting information (and also appeals to donate.) I am not giving the text number out unless I get paid to do it.
Night Four occasionally had the feel of a telethon designed to attack the disease known as apathy.
Various speakers addressed the four points of Biden’s campaign compass — failure on fighting coronavirus, the economy, racial justice, and climate change. That may be why Biden didn’t stress them much in his address, dealing instead with family and values.
The best endorser, in my mind, was 13-year-old Brayden Harrington, who stutters, and who was taken under the wing of Biden, who stuttered as a child. Biden took the time to meet with and coach the kid, who stuttered as he thanked Biden in a video. That kid has guts and Biden has heart.
Less effective endorsers were Biden’s children Hunter, and Ashley. Both have been in trouble because of addiction to drugs, and Hunter has admitted he has traded on his family name in business.
In his address, Biden promised to reward the generous and not the selfish, to fight rising inequity and shrinking opportunity.
Without mentioning Trump, Biden said, “He has failed to protect us. He has failed to protect America.”
He ticked off the usual litany of problems with America, but then reversed field by stating, “We are a good and decent people.”
Who are racists?
The word used most was “soul,” as this is an election for the soul of America.
The Republicans will define it differently next week.
HAPPY FRIDAY !!!
Stu,
As one FOX contributor put it, Biden’s speech was similar to a pastor’s rousing sermon on a Sunday . It is now official, boys and girls. The opponents are announced and the fight for the White House is on. Again, I’m not suggesting, I’m telling you republicans to take the high road . Stand on your record of accomplishments. Don’t get down in the gutter and throw trash. The American people are tired of all of this name calling. If the dimocrats have a platform, it’s a week one. You saw it yourself. One attack after the other. You can not dismiss them. There are as many declared democrats as there are registered republicans. We must win over as many independents and dismayed voters as possible. We must VOTE REPUBLICAN to DRAIN THE SWAMP !
Tony
The Biden Platform: ‘NOTHING TO SEE HERE! MOVE ALONG! CLEAR THE AREA, NOTHING TO SEE HERE! Oh, before you leave, bend over, place your head between your legs, then kiss your ass good-bye.”
Stu – your assessment of last night’s festivities left me ROTFLMAO. Not that the Repubs will do much better next week on Night 4, but you were spot-on regarding last night.
Resurrection Thursday and Saint Joe surfaces to restore the “Soul of America” and deliver the nation from “Darkness”…out of his dark basement into the “light… Unchained!!” from his handlers, to deliver his acceptance speech.
I believe I have been the only one on this blog, a conservative republican Catholic, Trump deplorable, to give Biden the benefit of the doubt, to not make fun, because I can see he is mentally troubled. I have seen this apparent type of conceptive disorder many times to date and I have empathy for those and those around who deal with it. But these are dead serious times and will have the same consequences. I digress.
Which darkness, whose soul, Joe? The darkness in the tunnel that the nation has been in, under Democrat led cities, never to see the light at the end. Maybe the darkness of ‘division’ that you and Obama orchestrated for eight years? Or is it the unthinkable “Darkness” of abortion and the “Soul” of the aborted that you promise to “protect?”
And which Americans will you “protect” from attacks “seen and unseen, always?” (More of your words) Does that include the businesses in your democrat cities destroyed by antifa and BLM? And the fires and the beatings and the defiance of law and order? The never ending anti-police tripe?
How about the couple defending their home in St Louis from ‘The Mob?’ Will you protect them after you take their guns away? And the Portland pickup driver sucker kicked in the head? The list is endless and continues still in Portland. And worst of all your administration’s abandonment of the Americans you left to die in Benghazi, Lybia?
When after months in his basement, in his ‘dark world’ (my words), then up and into the ‘light’ of reality, the bar is set so low, anyone, even Biden, can appear significant to the hopeful candle lighters.
Who will handle the “moderate” Joe when he’s president?
The main thing is that we must rid of the lieing, criminal immoral Trump!
FUCK TRUMP!
Yo, Ray, tell us how you really feel! LoL.
The rallying cry of the ignorant.
Phuck Ray Cooney, and anyone who looks like Ray Cooney.
Thanks as always, for your honest reporting and opinions. It is so rare these days especially at CNN, MSNBC , The NY Times and Washington Post and 90% of the media.
A breath of fresh air.
Thank you.
people need to read this . I did . I read both sides platforms . The DNC is not going to be good for business
https://www.demconvention.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2020-07-21-DRAFT-Democratic-Party-Platform.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2c4TbtKI66q_crx10ruwfF5KV-tmGxD9Iz9zW_hpS-PBqa0wLNBA0mnCc
Always a great read Stu. Thanks. The part about the Dixie Chicks still makes me LOL.
I liked Biden’s speech. He did not need to “go low,” as many urged him to do. He said enough about Trump’s inability to do much correctly. He said it in a way that was not obnoxious; highlighting the difference between the two.
Let’s stop the Biden bashing and Support him and Kamala Harris, and urge everyone we meet to vote.