Democrats need to be very happy with what they were able to accomplish this week with their convention.
Their production of the first-ever, all-virtual convention went off mostly without a hitch. Occasionally, the last night appeared like whiplash with a severe segment on faith and validity followed by snark by emcee Julia Louise Dreyfus, for example.
But none of this will be recalled. What's going to be, and perhaps for a lengthy time, was the speech Joe Biden managed to deliver. Biden gave lots of thunderous speeches about the floor of the U.S. Senate when he was a senator and he's appeared at conventions earlier, but no speech he's ever produced was important, and perhaps also delivered, as this one.
With that, here are seven takeaways in the consequential week:
1. Biden Might Have delivered the best speech of his career
It had been more fireside chat than conference barn burner, and he's never been an arena orator like the man he worked , Barack Obama. But, frankly, it worked for Biden.
He delivered a urgent speech directly to the American people who have a clarity of message, one of light versus dark. Biden, a devout Irish Catholic, seemingly channeled years of homilies about good versus evil, right versus wrong. If he wins, then it is going to be a speech for the ages. If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the very best people, maybe not the worst," he said. "I'm an ally of the light, not the shadow "
The Trump campaign could regret putting the bar so low, to the point where as long as Biden obtained through the address, he'd dispel questions of his mental acuity. However he did much more than that. For the very first time, perhaps even because he began this campaign, Biden showed he ought to be president, rather than it simply wasn't Trump. Democrats provided another choice
Even before Biden's speech, Democrats managed to put out a different choice, another version of what the nation might be, for those disaffected by Trump.
Look, Trump's assistants are locked in. But Democrats took aim at that sliver of truly persuadable voters and tried to win them over. Democrats' vision for America is one which celebrates diversity, adheres to norms and will change leadership.
Change is one of the most effective motivators in politics, and it especially sticks when things aren't going well in the country. Think Ronald Reagan after Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton after George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama after George W. Bush. If Americans are searching for shift , Democrats introduced it.
It's up to Trump and Republicans next week to try and sell steadiness to correct the Program. That's something that can do the job for presidents seeking reelection, although it's made harder by Trump's volatility.
3. A unified Democratic Party was on screen
One advantage of a digital conference is that the boos aren't magnified. Past conventions have showcased at least some unrest within the base.
This was certainly true in 2016 with Bernie Sanders supporters who did not go gently into that good night. And it was true of Sen. Ted Cruz fans at the Republican National Convention.
But it wasn't just the absence of on site delegates, it was the clear and present danger of Donald Trump for progressives. Sanders spoke ardently on Biden's benefit; and single-payer advocate Ady Barkan, who is stricken with ALS, praised Biden and encouraged progress .
Sure, there was some grumbling about who obtained time, who didn't and who got more, but this is a far more unified Democratic Party coming from this convention than the one carrying on Trump the last moment. It wasn't about Trump
For as much as this election is about Trump, and as much as Biden's supporters are mostly motivated by antipathy for Trump, the convention did buoy Biden personally and created an affirmative case for Biden's vision to the nation.
It turned out fairly clear, if it wasn't going in, that a message Democrats wanted to get across was: The Bidens are decent people, people you can trust and who care about people like you.
However, as his speech showed, do not mistake kindness for weakness. It's almost like one message was -- he will struggle for kindness.
5. Kamala Harris is the heir apparent
If you had any doubt that Harris had been the ideal pick, she proved she's ready for prime time. She delivered a solid speech and has hit all of the right notes since being announced as Biden's running partner.
Being a Black and South Asian woman, she highlights the diversity of the Democratic Party and of America. Her simply being on the ballot is a statement against Trump. But she's shown, during her career and emphasized this week, she is a lot more than that.
She's sharp, can deliver a punch and has supplied some needed energy to the Biden candidacy. In the end of the afternoon, Biden won the Democratic primary, in part, because he had been viewed as the most likely to beat Trump. Nonetheless, it's clear, given he has said he'd be a president that he's a bridge and Harris is on the opposing side.
6. An economic message didn't break through
Biden has directed Trump in almost every issue area consistently and by a lot, except when it comes to the market. But Democrats didn't seem to do anything to break through with an economic message, beyond saying that the pandemic had to be solved along with other boilerplate Democratic points, such as securing the social safety net and using the wealthy pay their"fair share"
Biden was involved in 1 segment Thursday coping with the market, where he talked with employees. At one point, he said that he believed the auto industry may be revitalized back to its peak in the 1940s and 1950s. But no economist believes that's possible.
He also said he wants to spend $2 trillion in infrastructure, a thing every president says he wants to invest in, but has been not able to get the parties to agree on how best to pay for it.
It sounded like Harris was on track to pivoting to a different emphasis on the market when she was chosen to be Biden's running mate when she spoke about Trump spoiling the market he inherited from Obama. But that was not something much talked about during these four days. It is about voting, voting, voting
When there was a single message Democrats hope people take away from this week it was that individuals need to go vote.
While sporting a V-O-T-E necklace, former first lady Michelle Obama implored people get in their"comfortable shoes" and deliver their dinners, maybe even breakfasts and wait for as long as it requires.
Her husband, former President Barack Obama, finished his address with a similar urgency:
"We have to get busy building this up by pouring our efforts into these 76 times and by voting like never before for Joe and Kamala and candidates up and down the ticket," he stated,"so that we leave no uncertainty about what this country that we love stands for now and for our days to come."
Democrats feel if everyone votes, and when each of their votes are counted, they win.
And today, it is on into the Republican convention beginning Monday, where it's going to be interesting to see if there are some new ways Trump frames the argument for why he feels he deserves four more years.
Their production of the first-ever, all-virtual convention went off mostly without a hitch. Occasionally, the last night appeared like whiplash with a severe segment on faith and validity followed by snark by emcee Julia Louise Dreyfus, for example.
But none of this will be recalled. What's going to be, and perhaps for a lengthy time, was the speech Joe Biden managed to deliver. Biden gave lots of thunderous speeches about the floor of the U.S. Senate when he was a senator and he's appeared at conventions earlier, but no speech he's ever produced was important, and perhaps also delivered, as this one.
With that, here are seven takeaways in the consequential week:
1. Biden Might Have delivered the best speech of his career
It had been more fireside chat than conference barn burner, and he's never been an arena orator like the man he worked , Barack Obama. But, frankly, it worked for Biden.
He delivered a urgent speech directly to the American people who have a clarity of message, one of light versus dark. Biden, a devout Irish Catholic, seemingly channeled years of homilies about good versus evil, right versus wrong. If he wins, then it is going to be a speech for the ages. If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the very best people, maybe not the worst," he said. "I'm an ally of the light, not the shadow "
The Trump campaign could regret putting the bar so low, to the point where as long as Biden obtained through the address, he'd dispel questions of his mental acuity. However he did much more than that. For the very first time, perhaps even because he began this campaign, Biden showed he ought to be president, rather than it simply wasn't Trump. Democrats provided another choice
Even before Biden's speech, Democrats managed to put out a different choice, another version of what the nation might be, for those disaffected by Trump.
Look, Trump's assistants are locked in. But Democrats took aim at that sliver of truly persuadable voters and tried to win them over. Democrats' vision for America is one which celebrates diversity, adheres to norms and will change leadership.
Change is one of the most effective motivators in politics, and it especially sticks when things aren't going well in the country. Think Ronald Reagan after Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton after George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama after George W. Bush. If Americans are searching for shift , Democrats introduced it.
It's up to Trump and Republicans next week to try and sell steadiness to correct the Program. That's something that can do the job for presidents seeking reelection, although it's made harder by Trump's volatility.
3. A unified Democratic Party was on screen
One advantage of a digital conference is that the boos aren't magnified. Past conventions have showcased at least some unrest within the base.
This was certainly true in 2016 with Bernie Sanders supporters who did not go gently into that good night. And it was true of Sen. Ted Cruz fans at the Republican National Convention.
But it wasn't just the absence of on site delegates, it was the clear and present danger of Donald Trump for progressives. Sanders spoke ardently on Biden's benefit; and single-payer advocate Ady Barkan, who is stricken with ALS, praised Biden and encouraged progress .
Sure, there was some grumbling about who obtained time, who didn't and who got more, but this is a far more unified Democratic Party coming from this convention than the one carrying on Trump the last moment. It wasn't about Trump
For as much as this election is about Trump, and as much as Biden's supporters are mostly motivated by antipathy for Trump, the convention did buoy Biden personally and created an affirmative case for Biden's vision to the nation.
It turned out fairly clear, if it wasn't going in, that a message Democrats wanted to get across was: The Bidens are decent people, people you can trust and who care about people like you.
However, as his speech showed, do not mistake kindness for weakness. It's almost like one message was -- he will struggle for kindness.
5. Kamala Harris is the heir apparent
If you had any doubt that Harris had been the ideal pick, she proved she's ready for prime time. She delivered a solid speech and has hit all of the right notes since being announced as Biden's running partner.
Being a Black and South Asian woman, she highlights the diversity of the Democratic Party and of America. Her simply being on the ballot is a statement against Trump. But she's shown, during her career and emphasized this week, she is a lot more than that.
She's sharp, can deliver a punch and has supplied some needed energy to the Biden candidacy. In the end of the afternoon, Biden won the Democratic primary, in part, because he had been viewed as the most likely to beat Trump. Nonetheless, it's clear, given he has said he'd be a president that he's a bridge and Harris is on the opposing side.
6. An economic message didn't break through
Biden has directed Trump in almost every issue area consistently and by a lot, except when it comes to the market. But Democrats didn't seem to do anything to break through with an economic message, beyond saying that the pandemic had to be solved along with other boilerplate Democratic points, such as securing the social safety net and using the wealthy pay their"fair share"
Biden was involved in 1 segment Thursday coping with the market, where he talked with employees. At one point, he said that he believed the auto industry may be revitalized back to its peak in the 1940s and 1950s. But no economist believes that's possible.
He also said he wants to spend $2 trillion in infrastructure, a thing every president says he wants to invest in, but has been not able to get the parties to agree on how best to pay for it.
It sounded like Harris was on track to pivoting to a different emphasis on the market when she was chosen to be Biden's running mate when she spoke about Trump spoiling the market he inherited from Obama. But that was not something much talked about during these four days. It is about voting, voting, voting
When there was a single message Democrats hope people take away from this week it was that individuals need to go vote.
While sporting a V-O-T-E necklace, former first lady Michelle Obama implored people get in their"comfortable shoes" and deliver their dinners, maybe even breakfasts and wait for as long as it requires.
Her husband, former President Barack Obama, finished his address with a similar urgency:
"We have to get busy building this up by pouring our efforts into these 76 times and by voting like never before for Joe and Kamala and candidates up and down the ticket," he stated,"so that we leave no uncertainty about what this country that we love stands for now and for our days to come."
Democrats feel if everyone votes, and when each of their votes are counted, they win.
And today, it is on into the Republican convention beginning Monday, where it's going to be interesting to see if there are some new ways Trump frames the argument for why he feels he deserves four more years.