Highlights from the DNC: Opening Night

I watched some, but not all, of the Democratic National Convention last night; that's my plan for tonight, as well. 
Fortunately for me, and for you, there's a full transcript of all of the night's festivities as well as news articles, videos and more. 

I'll save my comments for the end of the week, but I did want to share highlights from the speakers. Note that the comments below are excerpts and may not reflect the full remarks of any of the speakers. 

First up? My very own Sonofa Gov, Andrew Cuomo.  

Now, we need a leader as good as our people, a leader who appeals to the best within us, not the worst, a leader who can unify, not divide, a leader who can bring us up, not tear us down. That man is Joe Biden. Joe Biden is what I call America tough, tough in the best way. Tough that is smart, united, disciplined and loving. Joe Biden can restore the soul of America, and that’s exactly what our country needs today. 

Gretchen Whitmer.

Action begets action, progress begets progress. And when we work together, we can accomplish anything. After all, democracy is a team sport, especially now. It’s crucial that we rally together to fight this virus and build our economy back better.... Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will lead by example. It’ll be science, not politics or ego that will drive their decisions. They know the health of our people goes hand in hand with the strength of our economy. They know action begets action. Generation after generation, our nation has been defined by what we do or what we fail to do...let us act, let us heal as one nation. Let us find strength to do the work.

Governor Christine Todd Whitman. 

What am I doing here? I’m a lifelong Republican...But this isn’t about a Republican or Democrat. It’s about a person. A person decent enough, stable enough, strong enough to get our economy back on track. A person who can work with everyone, Democrats and Republicans, to get things done. Donald Trump isn’t that person, Joe Biden is.

Meg Whitman. 

I’m a longtime Republican and a longtime CEO. And let me tell you, Donald Trump has no clue how to run a business, let alone an economy. Joe Biden on the other hand, has a plan that will strengthen our economy for working people and small business owners. For me, the choice is simple. I’m with Joe.

Susan Molinari (NYC). 

I’ve known Donald Trump for most of my political career. So disappointing and lately, so disturbing... I’ve also gotten to know and work with Joe Biden on issues related to women, that are so important to all of us...That’s why I’m so proud to call him my friend, and honored to join and supporting his candidacy for president. He’s a really good man and he’s exactly what this nation needs at this time. 

John Kasich (OH).

I’m a lifelong Republican, but that attachment holds second place to my responsibility to my country.I believe the best of America lies ahead, but only when we rediscovered our shared belief in the United States of America for our children’s future, which can be bright, hopeful, and inspired if we choose to make it so...

We can all see what’s going on in our country today and all the questions that are facing us, and no one person or a party has all the answers. Joe Biden is a man for our times, times that call for all of us to take off our partisan hats and put our nation first for ourselves, and of course for our children. When America chooses the right path and pulls together, like we’ve done so many times before. Yeah, we can dream big dreams and we can see the top of the mountain as a United States of America with a soul that is a beacon of freedom to the entire world. 

Senator Doug Jones (AL). 

Alabama has shown me that even our deepest divisions can be overcome because each of us want the same thing, to be treated fairly and given the same opportunities, and the freedom to live with dignity and respect.

Now, some politicians try to pit us against each other, but I believe that Americans have more in common than what divides us. And in November, we have a chance to elect a president who believes that too. I’ve known Joe for more than 40 years. I met him as a wide-eyed law student, and he’s been my friend and champion ever since. The Joe I know is exactly the leader our country needs right now. He can bring people together to find common ground while standing up for what he believes is right. After years of bitter partisanship, he can unite our country and get things done for working families and everyone looking for a better future. Because it’s not about what side of the aisle we’re on, it’s about whether or not we’re on the side of the people.

In the final analysis. We are one people, one family, one house, the American house, the American family. Vice President Biden understands that and he is who we need as our next president.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (NV).

Mr. president, Nevada is not intimidated by you. America is not intimidated by you. We are united by shared values, shared history, and shared rights, including our fundamental right to vote. And this fall, we will send Joe Biden to the White House and we’ll flip the US Senate. With Mitch McConnell out of power and a democratic majority in the Senate, we will expand voting access and protect voting rights. To do this, America, we need you on our side...Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell know how to divide, but we know how to stand together and turn this country around.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN).

Unity isn’t about settling. It’s about striving for something more. It isn’t the end. It’s the means. It’s how we get stuff done. Unity is about reaching up toward a higher purpose, a better future for all of us.

Now more than ever, we need a president who will unite this country... We need a president for all of America. I come from the middle of this country where we believe in people joining together to solve problems.We seek common ground to reach higher ground. Joe ran for the same reasons I did... to cross the river of our divides, to bring this nation together, to be a president for all of America.

As I said, the day I endorsed him. “If you feel stuck in the middle of the extremes, in our politics, if you are tired of the noise and the nonsense, you have a home with me and you have a home with Joe Biden.” That’s why I was so proud to stand with him then, and across this great country. That’s why we are all now standing united behind Joe and my friend Kamala. Our nation’s motto is out of many, one. And as you’re about to see, it’s also the story of the democratic primary. Thank you, America.

Rep. Cedric Richmond (LA).

When we talk about the economy, it’s not just about the stock market. It’s about whether you can find work that really means something to you, instead of feeling like you’re supposed to be grateful just to get a paycheck.It’s about whether people who didn’t inherit millions from their parents can build a business from the ground up and have a real chance to compete. And it’s about whether in the richest country on earth, everyone, including women and people of color, feel included and empowered.

Economists will also tell you that Joe Biden’s plan to rebuild our economy will create millions of jobs. But Joe will tell you that his plan is about more than that because he’s seen the world from a different perspective than most politicians. He knows what it’s like to live in a real neighborhood, not just penthouse apartments. He knows what it’s like to take the train to work, not just a chauffeured limousine. That’s why he looks at our economic challenges the same way working people do. And he’ll solve them in a way that puts working people first. Joe Biden respects America’s workers because he truly understands the dignity of work.

Senator Bernie Sanders (TGFV).

Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment. We’re facing the worst public health crisis in a hundred years, and the worst economic collapse since the great depression. We are confronting systemic racism and the enormous threat to our planet of climate change. And in the midst of all of this, we have a president who is not only incapable of addressing these crises, but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism. This election is the most important in the modern history of this country. In response to the unprecedented crises we face, we need an unprecedented response, a movement like never before, of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency, and against greed, oligarchy, and bigotry. And we need Joe Biden as our next president. 

My friends, I say to you, to everyone who supported other candidates in the primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election, the future of our democracy is at stake. The future of our economy is at stake. The future of our planet is at stake. We must come together, defeat Donald Trump, and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president. My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine. Thank you.

Michelle Obama. 

I am one of a handful of people living today who have seen firsthand the immense weight and awesome power of the presidency. And let me once again, tell you this, the job is hard. It requires clear-headed judgment, a mastery of complex and competing issues, a devotion to facts and history, a moral compass, and an ability to listen. And an abiding belief that each of the 330 million lives in this country has meaning and worth.

So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is. Now I understand that my message won’t be heard by some people. We live in a nation that is deeply divided, and I am a black woman speaking at the Democratic convention. But enough of you know me by now, you know that I tell you exactly what I’m feeling. You know I hate politics.

But you also know that I care about this nation. You know how much I care about all of our children. So if you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this. If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can and they will if we don’t make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.

It is well past time for our leaders to once again reflect our truth. So it is up to us to add our voices and our votes to the course of history, echoing heroes, like John Lewis, who said, “When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something.” That is the truest form of empathy. Not just feeling but doing, not just for ourselves or our kids, but for everyone, for all our kids. If we want to keep the possibility of progress alive in our time, if we want to be able to look our children in the eye after this election, we have got to reassert our place in American history, and we have got to do everything we can to elect my friend, Joe Biden, as the next president of the United States. Thank you all, God bless.

Thoughts? Did they make their cases for Papa Joe? Were you moved or impressed by the Republicans making a plea for country over party?  Chime in!

We Have to Respect Each Other

We have to respect each other, and ideally we have to love each other, the president has said recently, in the aftermath of the hatred and racism displayed in Charlottesville.

I've been trying to take his words to heart, as I'm sure he would want me to. He also said we have to rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans.

So today, for no real reason other than to test my ability to show respect, and affection, and love, and loyalty to each other, I decided to read the comments on this article about Malia Obama entering Harvard this week. (You'll may recall she took a 'gap year' after graduation from the Sidwell Friends school last June.)

Here's an unedited sampling of what I read:

Affirmative action at work.  I wish I could go to Harvard but I'm a white conservative.

Do you think she was really brilliant enough to get into Harvard, or was it just that she was Black and the daughter of an ex-President?

I doubt she's smart enough to do well at Harvard - she'll get an honorary degree in something like Tribal Basket Weaving simply because she's the spawn of the worst President in American history. Such a brave, entitled failure she will become.

When a rich white kid gets into Harvard it's called a family connection. When a rich black kid gets in it's called Affirmative Action.

She's kinda dumb. Not Harvard material, but she is black. 

No, what I see is a black daughter of a black ex president being granted admission to one of the most prestigious colleges in the world SUPPOSEDLY on her academic records and abilities. To eliminate any question of impropriety by the admissions office by making public her academic transcripts and the transcripts of say the top 10 applicants to the college that were denied admission. You want to eliminate the questions of racial bias then put up those transcripts and make it totally transparent process that dispels any favoritism due to race or family ties. 

Anyone have her SAT scores? Yeah that's what I thought.

Harvard's standards have dropped so low they really don't count as anything anymore.

She will be just another pregnant crackhead by her junior year.

Wow. Wish I could afford to send my daughters to Harvard but we are white and only make a six figure income. :(

 Was she breakdancing all the way there?

I can remember when going to Harvard meant something, but today anybody can get in with a little political influence.

Hopefully she shaved her mustache first. Most Americans can barely keep their homes, but at least the Obamas can vacation and go to Harvard. They're more deserving I'm sure.

She already has straight A's and a PHD. Ain't being black great?

Has Malia picked her gender out yet for college?

Oh Wow??? AND THIS IS NEW HOW??? AMERICA NOTICE THAT EX-Prez BARRACK HUSSEIN obozo IS SENDING THESE GIRLS TO A VERY EXPENSIVE AND EXCLUSIVE UNIVERSITY???!!! WHILE YOURS AND MINE HAVE TO ATTEND A STATE UNIVERSITY AND GET OVERLOADED WITH CLASSES THAT THEY CAN'T GET AND LOANS THAT THEY CAN'T PAY OFF???!!! WAKE UP AMERICA!!! YOU AND I ARE PAYING FOR THAT???!!! 

No chance for a white conservative with the best grades, talents and work ethic. Only elite trash.

Now she gets to be depressed for 4 years, after she finds out just how unqualified she really is. It happens at all the Ivies to the AA charity cases. Its really kind of mean. But heck, it makes the liberals "feel good" about themselves. And after all - that is all that really matters to them.

 Another happy Affirmative Action black person at a Historically White School! I wonder what will happen to the White or Asian kid who got passed over by Affirmative Action? If her Mother & Father hate Whitey so Bad, what is their daughter going to this school ?

they go to school to be able to take provision from their high paid positions Never enough they dont raise salary because if its for all how will they satisfy their sick ego to be superior

 bullwinkle junior by another name.

and what were her qualifications to get into Harvard? Did she write black lives matter a 100X? 

This girl will be so screwed up and confused after she played the role of daughter to a homosexual man and and a tranny mom.

Ah yes. Respect, and ideally love, and affection and loyalty and baseball and apple pie, all tied up with a pretty little bow, don't you think?

The president also said that jobs will solve the problem we have with not being able to respect and love each other.

We have many companies, I say, pouring back into the country. I think that's going to have a huge, positive impact on race relations. You know why? It is jobs. What people what now, they want jobs. they want great jobs with good pay. And when they have that, you watch how race relations will be.

Please, president Trump -- I beg you -- put these people to work, so you and I can start respecting them and demonstrating our loyalty to them.

Please.

Post-DNC Musings

Regular readers will remember that I was feeling underwhelmed heading into the Democratic National Convention, and that I was hoping to be at least 'whelmed' by the end of it.

I can say that without a doubt, the DNC was more uplifting, more moving, more motivating than the darkness on the edge of Cleveland that preceded it. Both conventions were evocative, there's no doubting that; but the America the Dems evoked was vastly different from and more welcoming than that of the Reps.

Was it a perfect world? Of course not. I've long said that if this was a perfect world, I wouldn't be in it (and I wouldn't be the only one, I can assure you). There was the aftermath of the Debbie Wasserman Schultz dismissal. There was the scandal of the emails being hacked, and of course there were the Ber ners.

Ah yes, the Berners. They protested silently, colorfully and even loudly. Sometimes they made it onto television, and sometimes they sat in the dark in the far reaches of the convention hall. They cheered, and were cheered over; much ado was made of how the convention folks managed to have alternate cheers for every trick in the book.  At least inside the hall, at least during the evening hours when I was watching, they were well managed, as you would expect to happen if someone crashed your party. Bernie did his best with them, I think. Some wouldn't have listened to him no matter what he said.

As far as the speeches go, Michelle Obama was the winner of the professionals, followed closely by Joe Biden, President Obama and then, well, I think the former governor of Michigan, she was pretty good, very energetic, and made her point.  I don't know that we'll ever see a husband-and-wife speaking team like the Obamas. I ave enjoyed listening to both of them for the past seven years.

Michelle's speech included a line that Fox's Bill O'Reilly couldn't figure out how to factor a reasonable response -- the notion that the White House was built by slaves.

His response was that (only slight paraphrasing here) fine, they were slaves, but they were well fed. Because that's kind of the answer from the right on poverty, homelessness, hunger and the rest. A cardboard box is a roof, right? Ketchup is a vegetable, right?

For his part, POTUS will be remembered for three little words, Don't boo. Vote.

Tim Kaine was all over the map, speaking alternately in English, Spanish, and gee-whiziness. He'd be great at a kid's party. Kaine and Biden are sort of like the difference between going to Chuck E Cheese and going to the corner bar or the local barbecue joint.

And the Clintons? Had I not known the subject of Bill's speech, I would likely have gasped at his opening line: In 1971 I met a girl. He spent a long time talking about his love for Hillary, and their relationship, and I wondered a couple of times whether he was trying to convince me or himself that she was really the best possible partner and change maker he'd ever met.  Chelsea quietly talked about her mother, in a way that some thought were effective.  Neither of the first two Clinton speeches really moved me, but I'm not the voter they were trying to reach.

Hillary's speech was reasonably effective; if you knew nothing about her before she spoke, I think you had a lot of new information to digest. She  hit strongly and directly on target with her "a man you can bait with a tweet" line, which we know to be true, and which we should all know is a serious risk. That, too, was not news to me.

Trump's speech had higher ratings than Clinton's, prompted in part I'm sure by people like me who had and have no intention of voting for him, but felt compelled to see if there was any hope. I saw none in Cleveland. I felt much better after watching what happened in Philly, and I was not alone.

I didn't change my opinion of Hillary, but I also did not change my position on how and why I'm going to cast my vote in less than 100 days.  I guess in that case, you could call me 'whelmed', which was my goal.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about what has become the most lasting moment of the Democratic Convention.