Eight Takeaways From The Final Night Of The Democratic National Convention
We Now Have An Election Between A Black Woman And First Asian American Versus A Lying, Racist, Misogynistic, Fascist Billionaire AndConvicted Felon; The Choice Could Not Be Clearer
- HARRIS OFFERS A RETURN TO PRE-TRUMP NORMALCY
“Harris delivered a simple message to Americans: You don’t have to live like this anymore. At times explicitly and always written into the subtext of her remarks, Harris offered voters a clean break from the Trump era and its grinding uncertainty and political upheaval.
“We are not going back,” Harris said, repeatedly, as she and others – including the chanting thousands inside the United Center – have done since she became the presumptive nominee. But as much as the slogan is a rebuke of Trump’s policies and a promise of progressive change, it also resonates more narrowly as an assurance for the immediate term.
- HARRIS GETS PERSONAL
“Harris has long struggled to open up about her personal story. Not anymore.
Over the course of her short campaign, she has talked more about her mother, about her childhood growing up middle class, the daughter of two immigrants and academics, and her journey into political office.
On Thursday, Harris talked about how her father, economist Donald Harris, encouraged her to run free on the playground when her mother cautioned her to be careful. She told the audience about her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a biomedical scientist who wanted to cure breast cancer and raised her two daughters after her divorce. And she talked about the tight-knit community that helped raise her and her sister, Maya.
- ALLIES BACK UP HARRIS’ RESUME
“Throughout her 2020 presidential campaign, Harris sought to escape the label that she was a “cop” and out of step with the left on criminal justice reform issues. But as she’s sought to introduce herself to the public as a presidential candidate, she’s leaned into her resume as a strength. Each night has highlighted her work fighting transnational gangs, sexual abusers and corporate bad actors.
Several of her former colleagues, from her time in the Alameda County district attorney’s office to her years as California attorney general, appeared Thursday night to make the case that she approached her job with compassion and grit.
- MEET THE HARRIS CLAN
Trump and many other Republicans for years have made a show out of mispronouncing Harris’ first name. Thursday night, Harris’ two young grandnieces, Amara and Leela Ajagu — with an assist from actress Kerry Washington — appeared onstage to send a message: It’s so easy that children can do it.
“First you say comma, like a comma in a sentence,” Amara said.
“Then you said la, like la, la, la, la, la,” Leela added in a sing-song voice.
Several Harris family members followed. Amara and Leela’s mother, Harris’ niece Meena Harris, said that the vice president “guided me; now she’s guiding my own children.” Harris’ stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, said that when the two met when she was 14, Harris “was patient, caring and always took me seriously.”
- POIGNANT MOMENT FROM PEOPLE AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE
“Even before Biden ended his reelection campaign, Harris was a leading voice in the administration on gun control. Thursday night cemented that, as the convention highlighted the personal stories of people affected by gun violence – from mass shootings to murders at the hand of abusive partners.
The strategy mirrored the use of abortion storytellers through the week. Against a black backdrop, speakers shared their experiences of loss.
- ‘CENTRAL PARK FIVE’ MEMBER: TRUMP ‘WANTED US DEAD’
Trump has a long history of weaponizing racial resentments for political gain — including pushing “birtherism” during Barack Obama’s presidency and imposing a ban on travel to the United States from six majority Muslim countries.
But the first instance of Trump utilizing that brand of politics was the “Central Park Five.” In 1989, five Black and Latino boys were wrongfully convicted of raping and assaulting a woman jogging in New York City’s Central Park. Trump, then just a New York real estate developer, took out and signed full-page newspaper ads calling for the boys to be executed.
“Bring back the death penalty. Bring back our police!” the ads read in huge type.
Those boys were later exonerated — four of them in 2002; the last in 2022 — after another man confessed to the attack and DNA evidence confirmed his involvement.
- GAZA WAR OPPONENTS DENIED SPEAKING SPOT BY DNC
In the end, “Uncommitted” delegates elected by primary protest votes against the Biden administration’s policy in Israel and Gaza were shut out of the convention.
Leaders of the Uncommitted National Movement – who all said they were committed to voting for Harris – publicly agitated to have a Palestinian American address Democrats inside the United Center. Then, on Wednesday night, they got word from convention organizers that, as an Uncommitted spokesman told it, the campaign “says the answer is no.” The group reacted by beginning a sit-in outside the convention. It lasted for about 24 hours and attracted a raft of progressive lawmakers and antiwar activists. Still, despite a surge of support from the United Auto Workers and other influential groups, Democrats stood by their decision.
- CELEBRITIES MAKE THEIR MARK
How do you measure momentum? Political observers refer to crowd size, donations and voter registration, but this convention offered another standard: celebrity appearances.
The DNC has seen several stars this week, from Lil Jon’s surprise appearance during the star-studded roll call to Oprah Winfrey’s speech Wednesday night. Celebrities such as Mindy Kaling and Tony Goldwyn hosted various nights of the convention, and progressive country artists such as Mickey Guyton, Maren Morris and Jason Isbell performed throughout the week.
Stevie Wonder performed “Higher Ground” and John Legend paid tribute to Prince – of Gov. Tim Walz’s home state of Minnesota – with his performing partner Sheila E. Pink performed “What About Us” on the final night, which was hosted by “Scandal” star Washington.
Only the convention organizers know who sought an invite after Harris become the nominee, but it’s clear that her ascension coincided with a burst of energy that was clear in the programming.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYIS
The last 30 plus days have without any doubt been one of the most remarkable months in American political history. There is absolutely no doubt that this election has gone from a likely landslide victory over a disliked incumbent Democratic President to an election where there has been a complete reversal of fortunes for Democrats.
There is now a chance that the first Black woman and first Asian American President of the United States will be elected over a lying, racist, misogynistic, fascist billionaire and convicted felon known as Donald Trump who stands for division, chaos and hate.
Many political analysts are saying that this will be one of the closest elections in American history as they look to the polls. Polls do not take into account the basic decency of the American people.
There are 73 days left until the November 5 election and that is an eternity in politics. This country cannot and must not go back to chaos and the dumpster fire known as Donald Trump and must move forward. Harris represents the future and the true meaning of what this country and our democracy is all about: freedom!
Excerpted from Pete Dinelli’s Blog of 8/23/2024