Monday marks the start of America’s push towards a new day and much like the rest of 2020, that new day is going to look mad different.
For starters, the Democratic National Convention—a political pep rally of sorts—won’t be an actual in-person event because the coronavirus came through and crushed the buildings, so the whole thing will be virtual. The in-person event was supposed to be in Milwaukee, which like most of America, is suffering from TRUMP-45.
So instead of a raucous crowd of spirited Dems from across the country converging on one location hopped up on Red Bull and red-blooded patriotism, the scheduled speakers will be delivering speeches from locations across the country.
And before we get into who will be making virtual appearances, I must note that a CNN poll released Sunday night shows former Vice President Joe Biden’s lead shrinking because something is really fucking wrong with America. The poll released Sunday night claims that 50 percent of “registered voters backed Biden to Trump’s 46 percent, which is right at the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.”
Polls don’t mean shit. Vote.
So now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, who are we kidding? This is Michelle Obama’s night. No one brings the virtual boys and girls to the yard like Michelle Obama. Yes, I’m still upset that Michelle Obama and Oprah didn’t save us from this nightmare by running on an unbeatable ticket, but I also recognize that it isn’t the former first lady’s job to clean up after this deplorable white man. This is how Obama has decided to help America through this tough time and I’m OK with that. She is lending her star power to get the convention off to a good start and there is no other name bigger than hers. Not Beyoncé. Not Rihanna, Not even her running mate, Oprah.
Fine, whatever, Michelle Obama isn’t running but she could. She won’t. I hate everything.
She will be virtually joined by the king of the progressives and the only one who can bring Bernie Bros. to the polls, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Sanders has pushed politics aside and even possible bitterness as this year was possibly his last run for president because old, and I like that he won’t let his anger of not being the guy to stop Trump keep him from pushing for Biden and Harris.
Expect Bernie to bring the noise, virtually.
The most shocking guest on Day 1 has to be Republican and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
CNN notes that this isn’t that big of a deal:
In 2004, Georgia Sen. Zell Miller, a Democrat, spoke at the Republican National Convention in support of a second term for President George W. Bush.
In 2008, Joe Lieberman, who had been the Democratic vice presidential nominee eight years prior, delivered a speech at the RNC for his friend John McCain.
In 2016, Michael Bloomberg, elected mayor of New York City as a Republican, spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
But don’t expect Kasich to move the needle as America is divided between those who believe in the Bible and love people and Christians. This isn’t the year in which Democrats need Republican help in any capacity; at this point, you’re either with the never-Trumpers or you are on a hellfire wagon.
Monday’s convention will also give a chance to a few lesser-known folks to shine.
Alabama Sen. Doug Jones, who is a Democrat facing a formidable GOP nominee and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, will need to sparkle. Jones rode the backs of Black women into office and will need them again if he’s expected to hold on to his seat. As one of the only Democrats in the Deep South, Jones will need to pull some 2004 Barack Obama-level magic out of his hat to shine on a national stage.
A one-time long shot for vice president (who reportedly was on the shortlist, but everyone was on that damn shortlist at one point or another) Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto will speak on Monday.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who also wanted to be in Biden’s position, will speak to a major audience for the first time since she dropped out of the presidential primary.
And voted most likely to make the best out of a global pandemic, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose national profile of a “bad-situation-turned-best-glow-up” has been akin only to Kardashian levels, will also speak. CNN notes that Cuomo “will likely deliver the kind of direct argument against Trump’s leadership during the public health crisis that Biden has made central to his campaign.”
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn is the man. “He is a trusted and influential adviser to the nominee. On this night, though, he will have the chance to stand alone and make the case for the candidate whose campaign he might well have saved with a late endorsement before the South Carolina primary in February,” CNN reports.
But does any of this even matter? I mean, is all of this really important? Do we really need to hear from anyone about why this election matters and why we need to vote Democrat? Haven’t Trump and his team done the work of the Democratic Party the past 3 1/2 years?
Nevertheless, everything begins at 9 p.m. ET and will last for four nights and will end with Biden accepting the nomination (no more of that “presumptive” bullshit) and delivering his keynote speech Thursday night.
You can watch the whole thing here:
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