DNC 2020 Opening Night is in the record books and the Democratic National Convention is now officially underway.
Politics
Hosted by actress Eva Longoria, DNC 2020 Opening Night kicked off with the Biden grandchildren reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, multi-cultural children from all 50 states singing the national anthem, and a host of real people discussing how Donald Trump’s failed leadership in the midst of COVID-19 has affected their jobs, their businesses, their schools, and their families.
.
Although the first hour was a bit clunky and not at all the robust and traditional event we’ve come to expect from previous (and in-person) years, the theme of WE THE PEOPLE combined with emotional video segments and a heavy-hitting lineup of speakers during the final hour made it an unforgettable evening.
.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Among the highlights of DNC 2020 Opening Night was a recognition of George Floyd and the ensuing social justice marches that followed his death, front-line workers who contracted the coronavirus while saving lives, and a discussion regarding the fight over mail-in voting and the postal service mess.
Kristin Urquiza, who is the daughter of a former Trump supporter who died of the coronavirus, provided an emotional tribute to her late dad that was a clear message to those who still follow and support Donald Trump.
“There are 2 Americas: The one where Donald Trump lives and the one where my father died,” Urquiza said. “His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump and for that, he paid with his life.”
Then there was a poignant video of Joe Biden befriending average-American Amtrak workers during his many years of commuting between Washington, DC as a senator so he could be home every night as a single dad with his young sons in Delaware.
.
THE SPEAKERS
Although the evening provided myriad speakers covering a variety of topics, the most prominent among them were former Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, Sen. Bernie Sanders of New Hampshire, and former first lady Michelle Obama.
John Kasich
Former NJ Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and eBay Meg Whitman, and former NY Rep. Susan Molinari led the charge as lifelong Republicans from across America who are now Joe Biden supporters. They were joined by Gov. Kasich who began his remarks standing outside at a literal crossroads in Ohio while making the point that America is at a juncture and we need to make the right choice by voting for Biden.
Bernie Sanders
Sen. Sanders was given a prime spot in order to encourage his left-leaning followers to back Biden in a way they simply refused to do for Hillary Clinton in 2016. The senator also took an interesting swipe at Donald Trump, saying “Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfed.” Ouch!
Michelle Obama
If there’s anyone who’s unclear why a 2019 Gallup Poll declared Michelle Obama as the “most admired woman” among all Americans for the second year in a row, they need look no further than the veritable master class of a speech she gave during the DNC 2020 Opening Night.
Utilizing a central theme of empathy, Mrs. Obama had Americans hanging on her every word as she painted a very clear picture of why Donald Trump is wrong for America and Joe Biden is right for America.
She celebrated Joe Biden by making the point that the true definition of empathy is “not just about feeling, but DOING.”
She discussed how being the first lady during her husband’s presidency taught her that “being president doesn’t change who you are — it reveals who you are.”
She then segued into an unprecedented but ever-so-classy attack against Donald Trump that has never been seen before in American politics by a former first lady against a sitting president.
“Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country” and “is in over his head,” she said pointedly. But “it is what it is,” referencing Trump’s own flippant words regarding COVID-19.
“You simply can not fake your way through this job,” she continued against the current White House occupant. “And if you think things can’t possibly get worse, trust me THEY CAN!”
Michelle Obama was not only the keynote speaker for DNC 2020 Opening Night, but she was the epitome of class and grace that both she and her husband provided America during a scandal-free 8 years that is sorely missed today.
.
.
The Democratic National Convention will continue through Thursday with Kerry Washington, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus hosting the remaining prime-time evenings.
So, what did you think of DNC 2020 Opening Night? Tell us in the comments below.
.
.
WATCH AN EXCERPT OF MICHELLE OBAMA’S SPEECH
I actually watched a good bit of it and was impressed by how well this never-been-done-before virtual event was put together!
Some of it actually gave me some goosebumps because, for me, it really captured who WE The People can be when WE come Together and put Our heats and minds to work on building a more perfect Union.
WE (those of Us who truly love this country) WE.Are.Americans d*mn it. And WE have the power to save Our country, Ourselves, Our democracy. WE can defeat Trump and his minions but that’s only the beginning.
In order to ensure that America lives up to its ideas and promise, it’s going to take a lot of work and the majority of Us. WE The People!
Fox News hosts laud Michelle Obama’s DNC speech: ‘Sliced and diced’ Trump
In her nearly 19-minute speech, Obama denounced President Donald Trump for creating chaos and division and failing to lead with empathy and competence. She also urged Americans to bring his presidency to an end and elect former Vice President Joe Biden.
Many right-wing figures, including some Fox News contributors, criticized the address online. Fox News chose not to air much of the first portion of the convention, opting instead to show Sean Hannity interviewing Donald Trump Jr. Nonetheless, the conservative network’s panel for the convention was apparently impressed by Obama’s speech.
“It’s very difficult to try to connect with an audience without an actual audience there with you but she has the ability to connect with people through the screen,” Fox News anchor Dana Perino said. “You got the sense when you talk about authenticity, she has it in spades.”
“She has that voice, she has clarity, and she knows what she is out there wanting to do,” Perino added. “She was trying to get everybody to really focus and then she had a call to action. Ask for your ballot tonight. I think that the DNC if they look over the course of the night, the first virtual convention of our history, I think they would say that Michelle Obama stuck the landing.”
Fox News host Chris Wallace agreed, saying Obama’s speech was a “heck of a contribution” to Biden’s campaign.
“She really flayed, sliced and diced Donald Trump, talking about the chaos and confusion and lack of empathy, especially coming from this president and from this White House,” he said.
Juan Williams, a network co-host and political analyst, said he believed Obama’s address outdid her rousing “When they go low, we go high” speech in July 2016. He compared the tone she took with viewers as something like that of a mother addressing her family. – AOL News, Aug. 18, 2020
I have to admit I was a little bored at first. Maybe I was use to the big conventions so the virtual idea was not working for me. But it started getting better and better and I did eventually get into it. I really like the video of Biden on the train. It showed him as somebody who really does care about ordinary people. But man oh man did Michelle Obama knock that thing out of the park. She cut Trump up so bad he needed to go to the hospital. But the thing about it is she did it gracefully. That was a master class and she did more for Biden than anybody else last night.
Too bad Michelle Obama does not like politics. She would wipe the floor with anybody if she ran for something. She really has a gift almost better than Barack.
Michelle Obama saved that convention since an hour and a half of last night’s schedule was unnecessary. I had hoped it would have been more interactive.