Blog Credo

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

H.L. Mencken

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Day One

 If there was a difference between the RNC and the DNC that could be summed up in a short video clip, it might be Hulk Hogan tearing off his shirt at the RNC and the Beyoncé-themed long form ad that played last night in Chicago. Trump's energy is that of fake wrestling, a fraud of a sport for a fraud of a man, spectacle without substance. That ad was unabashedly patriotic while remaining true to American values. 

I simply don't like watching political speeches. In the year of our Lord 2024, I don't have to. It's like baseball, I'd rather watch the highlights online than sit through the whole game. The highlights from last night were electric. Especially moving were the people who have struggled with the impact of the Dobbs decision and the four minute ovation for Joe Biden.  There were great stemwinders by rising stars like Rafael Warnock and AOC. There was a well-deserved recognition of Hillary Clinton's role in making this moment (hopefully) possible. It was great!

Of course, the media couldn't help but repeatedly beclown themselves. They complained that Biden's speech was going to be too late, as if it was still 1988 and people wouldn't be accessing it online today. They complained about the wi-fi. Their fact checking was a parody of the idea of fact checking. Actually, their fact checking showed how Trump's consistent incoherence feeds into the press's inability to cover him properly.

I loved the reception Biden got and deserved. There was a lot of Dark Brandon energy that was great. However, it's pretty clear he is struggling with his speech impediment. That is not at all a knock on his performance as president, which has been excellent. However, that speech - the love that he got and the way it was delivered - does reinforce the rectitude of his decision to drop out. Again, if Harris can close the deal, Biden's stature will rise from this act that had to pain him greatly, but was the right thing for his party and his legacy.

Not sure how they top it over the next few nights. Taylor Swift and Beyoncé together?

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