I watched all four nights of the Democratic National Convention this week. That’s more than 8 hours of political speeches, montage videos and people trying to maintain composed while speaking about our current president. I know that not everyone has that amount of time to sit down and take it all in. So, I decided to put together a DNC 2020 recap.
I am not a political analyst or reporter. I’m just a voter. These are just my observations after watching it.
This DNC 2020 recap is for people looking for some highlights from a non-pundit who is currently unemployed and definitely cried while drinking a glass of wine during some of the speeches. I will also warn you that I did not take notes so this is all from memory. Enjoy.
My DNC 2020 Recap
The Issues:
ALL OF THESE ISSUES are obviously important to the Democratic party and we’ve heard about them during every debate. Some were mentioned more than others during the convention, but I do believe that they are all part of the party platform.
Climate Change
This issue was brought up by all the major speakers so there is definitely acknowledgement. It would have been good to hear more about the plans. Governor Gavin Newsom made this his only real topic because he is currently dealing with CA wildfires.
Gun Violence
Gabrielle Giffords spoke and it was very powerful. I also saw some faces I recognized from the many protests and marches that have happened to advocate for stricter gun laws.
Military Families
Tammy Duckworth and Pete Buttigieg both gave short speeches as well as a few interviews with military families. They covered the importance of protecting and supporting not only the soldiers, but their families back home as well. Pete talked about how much the country has changed in the last 10 years with the reversal of don’t ask, don’t tell and the fight for marriage equality. With Biden’s son serving in Middle East, their family has first hand experience with the struggles and realities those Americans face.
Education
This topic was best covered by Elizabeth Warren and Jill Biden. Obviously, having teachers discuss the importance of funding for schools, protection for the children and focus on reducing the debt for college graduates was powerful. Teachers are saints and I’m so grateful for them all.
Immigration
This video stood out to me. Too many families have been torn apart. We have friends who have lived in fear the last four years that they may be sent to a country that they haven’t seen since they were infants. There needs to be an end to family separation and children locked up in cages. We need to fix our immigration system.
Racial & Social Injustice
Many speakers talked about Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and many others lost to police brutality. Biden talked about the readiness of the American people to make necessary changes and do the work to end racial injustice in this country. There is still so much work to do, but we need leaders that acknowledge that and surround themselves with people who are making changes happen.
Voting Rights & Importance
Hillary talked about the importance of voting. She reminded the American people that you can get 3 million more votes and still lose. Also, Keisha Lance Bottoms had a great speech about voting rights and how Atlanta is preparing for election day. She touched on the incredible work done by John Lewis and how we need to pick up where he left off.
The Economy
Obviously, we are in the middle of a pandemic and it is taking a huge toll on the economy. Biden talked about jobs in his speech and touched on his plans to focus on creating tech jobs and helping middle class families. The stock market may look good, but that is huge corporations that are taking market share from small businesses that are having to close their doors. Remember to support your local businesses.
COVID-19 & Healthcare
Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy was on Thursday night. He was clear that his job is not political, but he felt compelled to talk about the response to COVID and how dangerous it was to ignore science. He also shared a great story about Biden meeting his family. There were also stories of people who have lost family members to COVID as well as a tribute to the 170,000 lives lost.
5 Speeches to Watch:
Michelle was the best for me. If you have the time, I think watching all five main speeches would be good. Joe and Kamala are the nominees, so learning more about them should be your top priority. Michelle and Barack are inspiring as always. And I loved hearing from Jill Biden and learning more about her as well.
Michelle Obama
It was emotional and moving. I love the lack of crowd because you feel like she is talking directly to you. Putting a huge emphasis on the importance of voting this year, she reminds us all to have comfortable shoes, a brown bag lunch and our masks if we are voting in person. She makes great use of the “it is what is is” line that Trump used poorly in an interview about COVID deaths. This was hands down my favorite 20 minutes.
Jill Biden
I didn’t know much about Jill other than following her on Twitter. Hearing about her teaching career and how she became part of the Biden family was heartwarming. I didn’t know that she continued teaching during her 8 years as second lady. Having educators in powerful positions can only help our children and seeing her walk through empty hallways in a school was a reminder of what schoolchildren and teachers are facing.
Barack Obama
He is a fantastic speaker and rarely disappoints. He touched on the plans that Joe and Kamala have for the country while also addressing the failures of the current administration. Just an amazing speech as expected.
Kamala Harris
Her speech had everything. She introduced herself to Americans with some background on her family, her immigrant parents, her law career and the things that matter most to her. Beau Biden was her friend. She used that as a segway into her relationship with Joe. She finished with an overview of the future and what their plans are. It was well written and well delivered. I absolutely love hearing her speak and I’m so excited that she is the vice presidential nominee.
Joe Biden
Joe’s speech was impressive and captivating. He took time to grieve with the American people about the lives lost during this pandemic. I felt reassured in him as a candidate. He talked about listening to the young people of America and being inspired and motivated by them. Also, he talked about the importance of protecting all of the people of America, not just his base or his party.
Things I learned about Joe Biden:
He decided to run for president the night of the demonstrations in Charlottesville, VA. Listening to Donald Trump say that there were very fine people on both sides was disgusting and he immediately knew he needed to act. I think that says a lot about his motivations.
There were COUNTLESS stories from speakers about moments in their life where they were in pain and Joe reached out to them personally. People who received cancer diagnoses, parents who lost children, kids who reached important milestones. He celebrates and grieves with people all over the country in their important life moments. It was moving and comforting for me to hear the stories.
I learned more about his struggles with grief. I knew about his wife and children, but hearing those stories more in depth and watching the clips of his late son talk about his dad brought tears to my eyes. The video that explained the nickname “Amtrak Joe” was very memorable. It showcased his relationship with those that worked on the trains that delivered him home to Delaware every day from DC to put his children to bed.
His ability to listen seems to be second to none. He doesn’t interrupt or talk about himself. Watching him interact with people is refreshing. A leader who listens is something we don’t currently have.
Other highlights:
All the shoutouts to John Lewis. Why isn’t the bridge in Selma renamed yet?
Bernie’s speech. He reminded progressive voters where he aligns with Joe and what they’ve worked on together. He points out how far things have come in the last few years as far as policy discussions. By showing his confidence and support of Biden, I think he pushed to make a case to the progressives that didn’t vote in 2016 – this election is imperative to protecting our democracy.
The roll call where all 57 states and territories of the US announced their delegate counts. Seeing all the different backdrops and people was a great reminder of how big, diverse and wonderful this country is.
A young New Hampshire boy, Brayden Harrington, talking about his stutter and how Joe helped him. My mind immediately went to the moment in the 2016 campaign where Trump mocked someone with disabilities on stage. That stark difference is important to share because we all forget some of the crazy shit he’s done in the last few years.
The Survivor cast off’s coming together to support Joe. I kid about the Survivor part, but there was a kind of cheesy moment where 7 of the primary contenders came together to publicly offer support to Joe and share some of their favorite moments with him.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her hilarious commentary while moderating as well as Sarah Cooper’s call to action on early voting. In between the tears on night four, we received a few moments of comedic relief and I loved it.
Seeing all the republicans speak out against Donald Trump and endorse Joe. Colin Powell and John Kasich had the most talking time, but there were plenty others featured throughout the event.
Elizabeth Warren signing off on Joe’s plans. She has probably read every single page of everything he’s published. She’s incredibly thorough and pays attention to details. Just look in the background of her speech where she made sure to spell out BLM with blocks in the classroom. Love her.
Final Thoughts
The idea of a convention that happens from guest bedrooms and living rooms across the country seemed like a tech or logistical nightmare from the get-go. But they nailed it. I loved the four moderators and how things flowed.
I wish there would have been a little more AOC or some other younger members of the party in some of the longer speaking slots. There were some awesome videos showcasing some new members of the party, but there wasn’t enough time to get to know them.
I’m all about the montages and variety of mediums during the convention. Hope this DNC 2020 recap helped at least one person.
