CONFIDENT, PRINCIPLED, AND PRESIDENTIAL
By Cash Michaels
That’s what a NY Times columnist called VP Kamala Harris’ historic presidential nomination acceptance speech at the DNC Convention (DNCC) last week, “Confident, Principled and Presidential.”
I think anyone, with any sense, is in agreement that those are the leadership qualities we desperately need right now in this country. And that’s why, as much as I’m tempted to editorially move on to the next political goalpost in this extraordinary election season, I simply can’t without sharing how deeply and emotionally impacted I was, not just by the superb rollout of who should be the next president of the United States, but the entire, well-crafted four-day production of the Democratic National Committee Convention in Chicago.
If you missed it, you missed its inescapable theme (at least in my mind)“This is what it means to really be an American, and proud of it!”
Normally, I’m not a big fan of civics lessons. They can be long, tedious, boring and unnecessary. But not the DNCC. Not last week.
Every night we were reminded of the essence of why we even have a country. Yes we have serious, divisive issues that must be addressed, but guess what? We’re Americans. We have the heart. We have the vision. We have the necessary tools to solve them.
As former First Lady Michelle Obama inspirationally told us, with all that is at our disposal, we’re required to “do something,” not just sit around and complain.
We sincerely needed to hear that as a nation.
To do the opposite is to be MAGA - someone who, at Convicted Felon Man’s direction, will senselessly sit around and just find somebody else to blame or hate for what’s wrong in their life. Time out for that nonsense, the DNCC’s best speakers told us. The difference between us, and those who worship the worthless Trumpmeister, is that we’re willing to put in the hard work to keep this country great, for everyone, and do so joyfully!
Indeed, that was the hallmark of last week, the true theme of the DNC Convention. Whatever Kamala Harris - as district attorney, state attorney general, United States senator and vice president of the United States did, whatever challenge she undertook during her accomplished career, she always did so with a sense of pride, style, dignity and joy.
And in doing so, she always did it in service for others.
So the important question from last week remains, are we, as Americans, willing to be led by a selfless, joyful, fearless warrior who says she wants literally every citizen to enjoy the fruits of liberty and justice, as our U.S. Constitution promises?
As opposed to a criminally inclined, morally bankrupt, pitiful clown of hate and despair who knows nothing of truly serving his fellow man, let alone humanity?
I’ll choose the selfless, joyful, fearless warrior each and every time without so much as a blink.
Someone made note of just the signs on display at the DNCC compared with the previously televised RNCC (Republican National Committee Convention) in July.
At the DNCC, hopeful, patriotic, joyous signs like “USA;” “Believe in America;”“We Love Joe,” (an acknowledgment of current outgoing President Joe Biden and the tremendous sacrifice he made that enabled his VP Kamala Harris to run); “Freedom” and, of course, the American flag.
At the RNCC, dire threatening signs like “Mass deportation,” “I Am Your Voice” with a picture of Trump’s smiling head on a stick;“America First,” and of course, “Make America Great Again.”
The real nightly DNCC themes were “For the People” (Monday). “A Bold Vision for America’s Future” (Tuesday), “A Fight for Our Freedoms” (Wednesday); and “For Our Future” (Thursday).
The nightly RNCC themes were “Make America Wealthy Once Again”; “Make America Safe Again Once Again”; Make America Strong Once Again”; and “Make America Great Once Again.”
Just ask yourself after each nightly convention theme, “for whom?”
Dems answer right off the bat - “For the People.” Republicans on the other hand, clearly aren’t referring to anybody other than for themselves in their slogans. Country be damned!
Don’t know about you, but I tend to gravitate more towards hope than grievance, and that’s exactly what the DNCC did last week.
Now, did the DNCC spend a generous amount of time calling out Convicted Felon Man for all of his foolishness? Yes, and rightfully so. In fact, speakers did it so much, their best material was starting to sound much like one of my old columns.
But no one ever said anything that wasn’t true.
“Donald Trump is like an old boyfriend who you broke up with, but he just won’t go away,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), quipped as the DNCC crowd exploded in laughter. “He has spent the last four years spinning the block trying to get back into a relationship with the American people. Bro, we broke up with you for a reason.”
Love that Brooklyn hometown humor. Don’t you?!!!
More importantly, Democrats, for the first time in a long time, displayed a refreshing willingness to stand strong and fight back, and not rollover and take it on the chin from Republicans this time.
Which means you can be joyful, and still kick some MAGA a—!
And then there were the special moments, like when the Rev. Jesse Jackson - afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease - was wheeled out onstage in a wheelchair by his children and fellow civil rights advocates, for the delegates to applaud him for his past historic presidential runs and civil rights activism.
Or when Gus Walz, the 17-year-old son of vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, who suffers from a nonverbal learning disorder, stood up with flowing tears on his face happily shouting, “That’s my Dad” when Gov. Walz was being applauded by the DNCC crowd.
Conservatives who mocked this disabled young man are heartless, inhumane bottomfeeding demons in my book. Young Gus’ tremendous love and spirit were beyond touching, in my book. I will never forget him.
The stories of those women denied critical abortion services, or lost family members to gun violence, were also compelling and gripping.
This DNCC was brimming with humanity!
The top notch speeches by President Biden, Michelle Obama, former Pres. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and former Pres. Bill “the professor” Clinton, who taught us all something we didn’t know - that over the past 35 years, Democratic presidents have been responsible for economies that produced over 50 million jobs, according to Fact Check City.
Republican presidents were responsible for just over one million. Fancy that!
And of course, the nomination acceptance speeches by vice presidential nominee Minn. Gov. Tim Walz and VP Harris. Direct and inspiring.
Make no mistake - the DJ Cassidy-assisted symbolic delegate states’ roll call was a genius classic that just lifted the spirit.
I could go on about the speakers (too many at times), performers like Lil’ Jon and Pink, celebrities like Stevie Wonder, Spike Lee, and Oprah Winfrey, great music and video vignettes, right-minded Republican speakers…..all of which combined for a unique viewing experience that I’m not sure will ever be duplicated.
Most importantly, the DNCC spoke directly to our young people, telling them that this country…our country,…is their’s too, and we intend to hand it off to them in the best shape possible. But they have to do their share, and that starts with voting this fall!
And it was good to read that the television ratings were excellent, as well. Nielsen reports 28.9 million watched the fourth night, with an average of 20 million each night. America was getting the DNCC message and loving it, much more so than that glum RNCC Orange Man coronation debacle just a month ago.
Even the lying buzzards over at Fox News, who started out spewing a lot of false smack about the DNCC, had to admit by the fourth night that it was an absolute success!
Still can’t get over delusional half-black rapper Amber Rose trying to convince everybody at the RNCC last month that Donald Trump isn’t a racist, or washed up Trump-supporting wrestler Hulk Hogan tearing his cheap shirt off to impress folks that at his present old age, he’s stronger than nylon.
But in the end, last week at the DNCC all came down to a very accomplished Black/Indian American woman and public servant, telling us that she was offering herself up to further serve the country she loved because it was the crucial incubator for her Jamaican dad and Indian mom to meet, fall in love, and build a family.
Kamala Harris’ story is a truly American story, and should be celebrated as one we should all be proud of.
Last week, I felt a tremendous pride in our nation’s women, and especially our nation’s women of color, for finally being properly represented on the most important stage in the world.
I was proud of both of my two daughters, because thanks to VP Harris, they, too, can one day run for the highest office in the land if they choose, and maybe, even win.
I may not live to see it, but I am seeing something right now that certainly fills me with joy, and hope. A confident, principled and presidential woman of color preparing to lead us all into a brighter and promising future.
Last week, the DNCC was a very real dream. Come November 5th, that dream can become a very real part of our collective reality.
Go forward, Kamala Harris! Claim your inevitable place in history.
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