Kamala Harris last night delivered a nomination acceptance speech for decency and democracy, including a forceful rebuke of Donald Trump. She then laid out the stakes of this election which, by any normal definition, is existential.
As the Democratic nominee cogently put it:
“Consider not only the
chaos and calamity when he was in office, but also the gravity of what has
happened since he lost … Trump tried to throw away your votes. When he failed,
he sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol, where they assaulted law
enforcement … For an entirely different set of crimes, he was found guilty of
fraud by a jury of everyday Americans and separately, found liable for
committing sexual abuse … Consider the power he will have, especially after the
United States supreme court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal
prosecution. Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails.”
Imagine indeed! It would be ‘Katie bar the doors!’ as the last
vestiges of democracy are consumed by a Trump-Traitor autocracy. This is the
dire warning we beheld. Kamala offered basically a searing indictment - from the perspective of a prosecutor - showing how Trump disqualified himself from ever serving in government again.
She ended with a message of hope and optimism that has been a theme all week, in contrast to the misogynistic and cataclysmic ramblings of the RNC a month ago. In contrast to Trump’s retributive and divisive ‘American carnage’ themes, Kamala embraced positive human dignity, extolling our democracy instead of deriding it:
“Let us show each other and the world who we are and what we
stand for: freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness and endless
possibilities. We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the
world and … we must be worthy of this moment. It is now our turn to do what
generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith, to fight for
this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish.”
A day earlier, as thousands of Democratic delegates from all 50 states packed into the United Center chanted “Coach! Coach! Coach!”, Tim Walz conjured up the nail-biting finish that the U.S. is now entering in this existential campaign. As DNC goers cheered he bellowed:
“It’s the fourth quarter. We’re down a field goal. But we’re on offense and we’ve got the ball. We’re driving down the field. And, boy, do we have the right team.”
His son Gus, so excited by his dad's speech, hugged him afterwards (top image) which will always stand in distinction to the "RNC ape fest" - e.g. with the likes of Hulk Hogan flexing and barking homage to Dotard - at the RNC. Because while the first image embodied humanity and decency the second embodied toxic masculinity growing like a malignancy in American society. And in its ever more disgusting forms, including misogyny and unchecked bellicosity and psychosis. I touched on some of this behavior when it first erupted during the pandemic in 2020, e.g.
Walz, by contrast, displayed the healthy, positive masculinity his son admired. Like previous DNC speakers, Bill Clinton, Oprah, Barack Obama, Tim had a basic communitarian message: ‘Show grace to those people you disagree with.’ In other words, extend the family of possible voters but also the family of America.
Walz also emphasized the concept of helping one’s fellows, as
when he said: “You watch out for your neighbor” and adding:
“We made sure that every kid in our state gets breakfast and
lunch every day. While other states were banning books from their schools, we
were banishing kids’ hunger from ours.”
Contrast this with the garish spectacle of Hulkamania at the RNC 4 weeks ago. All consumed by worshipping Reep Cult leader Donald Trump. Then, "Hulk" Hogan (among other fake Machos) took the stage in character to praise “my hero, that gladiator,” working himself into a rage over the attempt on Mr. Trump’s life and ripping open his shirt to expose a “TRUMP-VANCE” tank top. Soon surpassed by a horde of MAGA Macho denizens crooning a rap-metal anthem “American Bad Ass,” exhorting the delegates to throw up their fists and “Say fight! Fight! Say Trump! Trump!”
All the while Putin-lover Tucker Carlson chirping about 'survival of the fittest'. Yelping "A leader is the bravest man, This is a law of nature.”
Even The Wall Street Journal (p. A6, July 20-21) had to weigh in on how the macho fest was likely to cost the GOP female votes, e.g.
Of course not. Since those women have too much sense and intelligence to attend a "white trash party" (in the words of comedian Larry Wilmore)
In the civilized DNC setting, Walz on Wednesday night used words such as “neighbor” seven times, “school” eight times, and “freedom”, nine. Also to emphasize freedom for Democrats differs from freedom for Republicans. Noting the latter want to have the freedom to dictate what you can do in your bedroom, what books you can read, and what women can do with their bodies. (And then the WSJ editors next day had the nerve to gripe the Democrats were "defining freedom down". Huh? What planet are they on?)
Walz used these bold freedom captures to flesh out a picture of himself as
the homely guy next door who cares about you and your family and wants you to
lead your best life. And he connected as the real man – not the wild ape
machismos (like the Hulk) featured at the RNC.
That he connected could be seen in his son’s response, something you never
saw at the DNC.
Meanwhile, the response of the MAGA cult and Trumpites has
been predictable, as they’ve have accused him of lying about his military
record, painting him as a “radical
leftist” who wants to turn the country communist. (Because he provided free
lunches for nutrition-deprived school kids in MN).
As for Walz’s military record, how do you knock the military
service of someone who spent 24 years in the national guard? Especially
as the guy – Captain Bonespurs – leading the other party’s ticket fled from
service and more recently mocked those who died in wars as “losers”. Again, it’s
human decency vs. ape amorality and we saw at the RNC.
“We’ll turn the page on Donald Trump,” Coach Walz said. “That’s how we’ll build a country where workers come first, healthcare and housing are human rights, and the government stays the hell out of your bedroom.”
Contrast that with Trump's Project 2025 playbook and plan which was also skewered Wednesday night, showing (on every cited page) how it would: remove insulin from lower cost drugs as Biden-Harris have allowed, take away a woman's abortion access by implementing a national ban based on an 1800s law (Comstock Act) and eliminate the Dept. of Education as well as tens of thousand of other federal agencies. (Though a Trump son Don Jr. stated, they wouldn't mind giving nutbag RFK Jr. the top job in "any three-letter agency so he can blow it up."
On a further encouraging note we may finally be ready to expunge the MAGA maggots and their hate, we learned firebrand harpy Ann Coulter was forced to delete a despicable tweet mocking Walz' son Gus. On Thursday morning, Coulter shared a news article about the teenager’s emotional reaction which included a photo of him.
“Talk about weird…” Coulter wrote above the news article.
The backlash against the firebrand blonde virago was swift and
ferocious.
Even after Coulter removed her post, the criticism continued.
Former Republican strategist Rick Wilson wrote:
“Ann Coulter will die alone, and forensic pathologist will discover her
withered corpse is nothing but Marlboro reds and box wine.”
Jesuit priest James Martin noted
that the hateful comments came from “self-professed Christians.”
But this is the effect the pestilence called Trump has had on
the country, twisting every once noble or anodyne entity into a perversion of
hate. Which is why he needs to be sent packing – into a high security prison-
after his post election sentencing by
Judge Juan Merchan.
See Also:
by Thom Hartmann | September 5, 2024 - 6:32am | permalink
On his eponymous TV show, Joe Scarborough pointed out this week how angry and toxic Xitter has become recently. I’ve seen the same thing, as have many others; quitting Xitter has become a thing, largely as a result of the venomous culture that’s taken hold there.
This seems to be more closely connected to it being taken over by a morbidly rich South African immigrant who seems to delight in bullying his own child (and others) than to the political season; previous election cycles didn’t see similar reports of such widespread hostility and bullying behavior that was driving people to quit particular social media sites altogether.
That’s probably because one of the first rules of social organization is that culture flows from the top down.
When dad is violent, the family tends to be violent (or damaged by that violence). When corporate CEOs are bullies, middle management generally emulate that bullying style. When teachers or professors delight in picking on vulnerable students, the entire class often joins in.
And:
by Joan McCarter | August 23, 2024 - 6:41am | permalink
In front of a raucous and rapt Democratic National Convention Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris accepted the party’s nomination for president.
"We gotta get to some business,” she said while the crowd was still shouting and cheering. “Let’s get to business.”
The first business was honoring and thanking President Joe Biden.
......
"In our system of justice, a harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us,” she said. “No one should be made to fight alone. We are all in this together."
In my entire career, I've only had one client: the people. So on behalf of the people, on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender, or the language your grandmother speaks, on behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey, on behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with, people who work hard, chase their dreams, and look out for one another, on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on earth, I accept your nomination to be president of the United States of America.
With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past. A chance to chart a New Way Forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.
"I know there are people of various political views watching tonight. And I want you to know: I promise to be a president for all Americans,”
And:
by Amanda Marcotte | August 24, 2024 - 6:29am | permalink
CHICAGO — Vice President Kamala Harris only entered the presidential race a month ago, so it's unsurprising to see trace evidence all over the Democratic National Convention of the original plans for when President Joe Biden was the presumptive nominee. The order of the states for the ceremonial roll call, the choice speaking slots for folks like Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, and even a party platform so hastily rewritten it mentions Biden's "second term": all ghosts of the convention that would have been if Biden hadn't stepped down. Unsurprising, the most prominent relic of the alt-history convention was Biden's Monday night speech, which focused on the theme of his now-deceased campaign: "clear and present threats to our very democracy" from Donald Trump.
"Democracy has prevailed, democracy has delivered, and now democracy must be preserved," Biden declared. In contrast, the Harris campaign has downplayed the "democracy" talk in favor of another word: freedom.
And:
by Clarence Lusane | August 25, 2024 - 5:52am | permalink
One of the nation’s best-known Black Republicans is former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In the 21st century (and perhaps ever), no African American woman rose higher in Republican politics than Rice, who served as President George W. Bush’s national security adviser and then his secretary of state, both firsts. Like her or not, agree with her politics or not, she brought significant experience, knowledge, and professionalism to those positions.
Former President Donald Trump’s first public words about Rice date back to 2006 when he labeled her with a vile term. In a speech before 8,000 people in New York City, he said, “Condoleezza Rice, she’s a lovely woman, but I think she’s a bitch. She goes around to other countries and other nations, negotiates with their leaders, comes back, and nothing ever happens.” There was no justification for Trump using such repulsive language other than his own toxic petulance and racist misogyny against Black women.
And:
by Thom Hartmann | August 24, 2024 - 5:46am | permalink
During the 1950s, Republicans were the party that promoted labor unions, Social Security, and a top 91% income tax bracket and 70% estate tax on the morbidly rich. Dwight Eisenhower successfully campaigned on what we’d call a progressive agenda for re-election in 1956.
During the Reagan years, Republicans embraced Milton Friedman’s neoliberalism with its free trade, opposition to unions, ending free college, and tax cuts for the fat cats. They called themselves “the party of new ideas.” They may have done more harm than good, but for most Republicans it was a good-faith effort.
Today, they’ve pretty much given up on all of that. All they have left is cruelty.
When Governor Tim Walz gave his heartwarming acceptance speech Wednesday night here at the DNC in Chicago, his son Gus was caught on camera proudly proclaiming, through tear-streaked eyes, “That’s my dad!”
by Joan McCarter | August 22, 2024 - 6:31am | permalink
Yes, Gov. Tim Walz is that guy: your favorite neighbor, teacher, coach—the guy you’d call when you needed help changing a tire, or facing a hard conversation with your parents, or just want to have a fun fishing companion.
That’s the man who showed up Wednesday night to accept the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to be vice president. The heart of his message: “Everybody belongs.”
"It's the honor of my life to accept your nomination for vice president of the United States,” he said. “Thank you for bringing the joy to this fight.”
And:
by Amanda Marcotte | August 23, 2024 - 5:49am | permalink
CHICAGO — When Vice President Kamala Harris's running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, called MAGA Republicans "weird," it's unlikely he knew he was kicking off a meme that would worm its way into the imaginations of millions of voters. He probably didn't even realize it would drive Donald Trump even more bonkers than usual. The word also made journalists a little nuts, because it lacks the specificity that every writer learns from an early age is supposedly necessary for clear communication. But it turns out "weird" is less vague than it is broad, with enough connotations to cover everything wrong about Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, from their speeches about electric sharks to their sniping about "childless cat ladies."
Walz hit the "weird" theme again during his speech Wednesday night. Describing Trump's agenda, he said, "Is it weird? Absolutely. But it’s also wrong. And dangerous." In contrast, he said, "When we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people you love." Or more straightforwardly, to MAGA: "Mind your own damn business."
And:
by Heather Digby Parton | August 22, 2024 - 6:24am | permalink
I've told the story before, but it bears repeating in the context of the 2024 Democratic National Convention. I attended the Democrats' convention in 2008 and it was a pretty ecstatic atmosphere. The party was set to nominate the first Black candidate for president and his very close primary competitor, Hillary Clinton, was the first woman to make a serious run for it. There had been plenty of bad blood during the primary and there were still some raw feelings that needed to be dealt with before the full celebration could begin. It was up to Clinton to heal the breach and it wasn't going to be easy.
On the night Clinton was to give her big endorsement speech, I stood next to a group of young Black women who were clearly skeptical of her and were big fans of Barack Obama. They were not expecting much. But her speech was exceptional and by the end of it the women I was watching were cheering along with Clinton's supporters whom she had thanked profusely but also pointedly asked, "were you in it for me or were you in it for the country?" She wound it up by exhorting everyone to put their efforts into electing Barack Obama:
No comments:
Post a Comment