Dear Editor,
Acceptance speeches at National Party conventions tend to follow a similar format in that they define what’s at stake in the forthcoming presidential election.
The nominees seek to grow support by identifying personally with the electorate while describing goals intended to resolve the most critical issues of the day. Most recently, the Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago on Aug. 19 - 22, some five weeks after the RNC met in Milwaukee.
On July 21, after issuing a written statement that he was not seeking a second term, President Joe Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his spot atop the ticket. Immediately, state party chairs, prominent delegates, and organizations united in support of Harris to become the party’s official nominee.
On August 22, VP Harris delivered her acceptance speech to the nation.
During the first three nights of the convention, the respective keynote speakers seemed to serve as celebratory embodiments of past party glory while reiterating a new theme of “We’re not going back,” a reference to not returning to the days of a Trump presidency.
For me, it seemed a bit ironic that the delegates, while feeding off of positive nostalgia evoked by former Democratic leaders who, with age, have lost some of their former allure, were simultaneously prompted to chant, “We are not going back” - indicative of a future representing positive change.
Kamala Harris seemed to achieve her goal of being viewed as relatable and likable. She appeared to walk the line between presenting as a change candidate and remaining the vice president of an administration that has met with much criticism. She achieved a goal of avoiding controversy by offering platitudes but little policy.
Rather than a litany of policies, Kamala focused on creating a visceral connection with her audience by identifying shared values, repeating avowals of American greatness, and a detailed summary of Donald Trump’s misuse of power.
With a prevailing consensus that our nation is more politically polarized than ever, and November’s election becoming more consequential than we might even imagine, I find groundedness in these words from Ronald Reagan’s 1981 inaugural address: “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem…We are a nation with a government -- not the other way around…Our government has no power except that granted it by the people…We all need to remember that the federal government did not create the states; the states created the federal government. The crisis we face today requires… our best effort and willingness to believe in ourselves and our capacity to perform great deeds, to believe that together with God’s help, we can and will resolve the problems that now confront us. And, after all, why shouldn’t we believe that? We are Americans.”
Peter Wibell, Rutledge