Despite Day 1's drama with protests from a small percent of Sanders' supporters, the wonderful speeches that night saved the day. Day 2 was another triumph, with Bill Clinton's wonderfully humanizing portrait of his wife, along with her obvious governing skills and caring heart.
As Day 3 started, Donald Trump managed, as he usually does, to make headlines by saying something outrageous, this time leading to near-universal condemnation of his remarks that bordered on treason, in that he was seemingly encouraging a foreign adversary, Russia, to breach cybersecurity in our country. Even his vice president nominee issue a distancing statement.
But now I have just finished listening to three plus hours of speeches -- especially those by Joe Biden, Tim Kaine, and then Barack Obama. It was a night to remember, one for the ages.
I am at a loss to describe this evening. Some predicted that Michelle Obama's speech on Monday night would not be surpassed as the best one of the week. It takes nothing away from it to say that she was not alone on that pinnacle of moving eloquence. Joe Biden roused the crowd with a powerful speech reminding us of who we are as Americans. Tim Kaine needed to tell us who our new vice president is, since he is not well known. I'll just say that a new political star gained national attention tonight. He was everything he needed to be -- and so much more. Hillary Clinton's first job as president was to choose a vice president. She chose the right one.
But then Barack Obama !!!!! It was his valedictory; but he thanked US and celebrated what We have accomplished together. And made the case for, and passed the baton to, Hillary Clinton.
He said: "This election is about who we are as a people." In the words of Republican political strategist Steve Schmidt, Obama's speech was "one the most extraordinary political speeches ever given anywhere by anybody. It was a master class in American character, in American optimism." Lawrence O'Donnell said, "The four best political speeches I have ever heard were all given here at Democratic conventions; and they were all given by Barack Obama," starting with his keynote address in 2004, then as presidential candidate in 2008, as president in 2012, and for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
I am full to overflowing with pride to be an American, because that's what speaker after speaker has emphasized: our American, inclusive moral values, our American character, and our American spirit. And I am proud to be a Democrat, as we see this week the vast gulf that separates us from the doom, gloom, fear, and hatred we heard last week from the Republicans and from their chosen candidate.
Ralph
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