I was getting a bit worried as the speech went on, fearful that Joe might slip and say "that thing".
You know, "that thing" being the gaffe or malapropism that Joe Biden is unfortunately prone to and would become within seconds in right wing media "that thing" that proves Joe is not fit to be President.
Thankfully, it appears that Joe Biden managed to avoid "that thing" and gave a speech that effectively made the case for both why Donald Trump needs to go and why Joe Biden thinks he's the one to replace him.
Biden laid out the case there are four crises impacting America and Trump is the wrong man to lead in any of them:
1) the coronavirus pandemic
2) the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression
3) systemic racism
4) climate change
But most of Biden's speech was less about the case against Donald Trump and more about the case for, well, not himself but for us, the American people. Biden also stressed the importance of being President for all Americans, not just his base, not just for the people who voted for him.
Joe Biden understands what Donald Trump never was able to grasp, that being the President is more a position of service, not of power.
Joe Biden also spoke to the pain of loss, American who have lost loved ones to the COVID 19. Biden knows about loss. His wife and daughter killed in a car accident, his son lost to cancer. In his speech, Joe Biden reached out to others who have experienced loss in a way that is inconceivable to Donald Trump. Joe Biden knows America needs a President who actually gives a damn about it's hurts and struggles, not someone who spends more time being aggrieved by slights to his own ego.
The editor in me could not let go of the idea that this speech could've been just as effective if it was 20% shorter. No knock on Joe Biden; I felt this way about Kamala Harris's historic speech when she accepted the nomination for Vice President. I feel that way about almost all political speeches.
But I do understand the reluctance of letting go of the spotlight when (to quote Hamilton) "history has it's eyes on you".
All in all, both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris delivered strong speeches, powerful and personal appeals to voters, effectively articulating America's challenges and the opportunities to meet those challenges head on.
Next week, it will be the Republican's turn. Will Donald Trump and Mike Pence being as effective at articulating America's challenges and the opportunities to meet those challenges? Or will more energy being expended to tell us how much Joe Biden and Kamala Harris suck and hate America?
I think I know how next week will go.
Let's end on a positive note from Wonder Woman.
No comments:
Post a Comment