Smiles, laughter, and downright optimism were in no short supply at the DNC convention last week. Attendees were energized. Speakers were passionate. And love was in the air. Every speaker emphasized how close this presidential race will be. They stressed that this is no time for complacency. They emphasized the necessity for everyone to roll up their sleeves, put the pedal to the metal, and “do something.”
Here are some of my favorite lines from last week’s DNC speeches.
“He has taught me that a courageous heart is a miraculous thing. A courageous heart can heal a family. A courageous heart can heal a nation and maybe even the world.” – Ashley Biden
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you. For 50 years, like many of you, I’ve given my heart and soul to our nation. And I’ve been blessed a million times in return with the support of the American people. I’ve either been too young to be in the Senate because I wasn’t 30 yet and too old to stay as President. But I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you.” — Joe Biden
“America—hope is making a comeback!”
“See, his limited narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated successful people who happened to be Black. I want to know who’s going to tell him that the job he is seeking, might just be one of those Black jobs.” – Michele Obama
“That’s my dad.” – Gus Walz
“The next time you hear him, don’t count the lies—count the I’s. He’s like a tenor warming up before the opera—me, me, me, me, me.” – Bill Clinton
“It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that Trump is afraid of losing to Kamala. The childish nicknames and crazy conspiracy theories, and weird obsession with crowd size.” – Barack Obama
“I don’t presume to know what goes on in your kitchen, but I know as sure as I’m standing here, that everything in it, the bills you pay, the shape of the family that sits there, the fears and dreams that you talk about late into the night, compel us to demand more from our politics than a rerun of some TV wrestling death match.” – Pete Buttigieg
“It still takes a village to raise a family, heal a country, and run a campaign. America needs every one of us, our energy, our talents, our dreams. We’re not just electing a president; we are uplifting our nation. We’re opening the promise of America wide enough for everyone.” – Hillary Clinton
“She’ll lead from the belief that wherever we come from, whatever we look like, we’re strongest when we fight for what we believe in, not just against what we fear.” –Doug Emhoff
“It’s the fourth quarter. We’re down a field goal. But we’re on offense and we’ve got the ball. We’re driving down the field. And boy, do we have the right team.” – Tim Walz
“So let us choose truth, let us choose honor, and let us choose joy! Because that’s the best of America. But more than anything else, let us choose freedom.” — Oprah
“In many ways President Trump is an unserious man.”
“America, let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for. Freedom, opportunity, and compassion, dignity, fairness, and endless possibilities.” — Kamala Harris
The speakers are right. This election will be close. This is no time to sit back and watch what happens. Residents of the Eastern Shore are mobilizing. Postcard parties are being organized. Canvassing teams are on the move. Caravans to swing states are being set in motion. Phone banks are on the rise. It is time to act. It is time to “do something.”
Alfred Lord Tennyson said it best, “I must lose myself in action, lest I wither in despair.”
Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, piano, kayaking and nature.
Maggie Andersen says
So important to consider the kind of character you want our president to emulate for our kids. And I want a president who respects, knows, and obeys the law, not one who uses it for personal wealth and advantage. Thanks, Maria, for those wonderful quotes!
John Fischer says
Platitudes, fluff and “joy” are the refuge of a party that knows describing their actual plans and policies would cost them the election, Ms. Grant. We’ll see if they can blow enough smoke to make it to the finish line.
Deirdre LaMotte says
The complaint that Harris hasn’t laid out policies is so ridiculous. Even more ridiculous is so-called mainstream media outlets are echoing it.
What, a middle-class tax cut, appointing judges that will restore reproductive rights, support for Ukraine and NATO, lowering prescription drug prices, strengthening Social Security and Medicare, support for labor unions, full implementation of legislation Biden signed for chip manufacturing and climate change, and the strongest immigration reform bill in American history not backed by the Klan, aren’t “policy”?
Please. We get your obfuscating.
Michael Davis says
Mr Fisher, I dread if you are right and that people vote for Trump. He has explained how he will destroy democracy in a America and create a dictatorship just like Urban (Hungary), Putin (Russia), Jong Un (North Korea) and Xi Jinping (China). He has praised all these men and. stated before he envies them as they are in their jobs for life. If that is what you want, you should admit that you hate America. Groups such as the Heritage Foundations are already drafting the Executive Orders so Trump can destroy our government starting the first day of his Dictatorship. This is not smoke blowing anywhere; it is the published written plan of his Republican Party.
John Dean says
Have you read Project 2025 or listened to Trump and Vance talking about deporting millions of people? Have you read any of Project 2025? Respectfully, if you have, you would not be writing about “blowing smoke” or “describing their actual plans and policies” costing them the election.
Art Cecil says
Not one single serious policy commitment
Wilson Dean says
What a wonderful contrast to Trump’s juvenile name calling (Tampon Tim Walz, really?) and depressing negativity. There’s hard work ahead, but the positivity of the Democrats is so refreshing!
Deirdre LaMotte says
Trump is nothing but white trash with cash. Do not expect anything else.
Brian Spector says
And the Dems did not name call or constantly attack President Trump during the 4 day DNC circus. Give me a break.
By the way “ Hope and Joy” are not policy, of which Harris has none. She had one job to do for 31/2 years and she failed miserably. Oh, she is going to fix inflation (which Biden and Harris created) on day 1; why wait, she is still the VP.
Now she is trying to change the debate rules, because she knows she has no successful policies to run on. She is scared to death of debating Trump. Harris may be the most incompetent empty suit to ever run for president. How anyone could even consider voting Harris is just beyond comprehension.
Barbara Denton says
The greatest moment of joy was when this farce was over with. The lies were running rampant. 147 mentions of Donald Trump onthe first night seems a little excessive.
Can we have a platform please? We already know she has taken Trump’s No Tax on Tips and Vance’s Increased Child credit. Other wise we are hearing crickets on anything else.
Eric Ploeg says
Oh the “hope making a comeback” line excited us all. But does that mean that the current administration is hopeless? Why no hope until January and only if elected? What about today? Sure, hope is great…….we hope we win the lottery too.
Now the powerful DNC (and media) has surreptitious introduced the Joy angle to disguise the annoying and oft untimely Kamala cackling. They’ve taken what everyone up until now considered a liability and cleverly marketed it as optimism. So whenever we hear a cackle just substitute the word Joy – like “have you been to the border?”…..”but I haven’t been to Europe either.” Joy Joy. “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” Joy Joy. “Like everybody needs to be woke” Joy Joy. Brilliant – as long as people don’t see through it.
As an Independent, it’s disturbing to watch the media and Dems fawn over what was recently their most disliked candidate, the one who has never received a single party vote. In July Kamala was perhaps the 3687th most popular candidate yet here we are with a mystery candidate. Same Kamala but with a complete DNC makeover. Isn’t it simply – she’s not Trump?
David Taylor says
Do you know what would be powerful? Actual policy positions clearly articulated in a manner that voters can understand. A real interview by a non-partisan journalist (do they exist?), asking tough, probing questions so we can have an idea where she stands on difficult positions. But this won’t happen because the mainstream media is a cheerleader for her and know if her honest positions are clearly presented the electorate will understand just how far left she is. Or maybe find out that she is a key member of the administration responsible for the economic, social, and immigration problems we suffer. Not to mention historic inflation. If anyone involved in her campaign thought her policy positions would be a winner, we would have heard about them by now.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Who are these people who think Trump will run the economy better?
He has no idea what he’s doing, and unlike 8 years ago, no interest in listening to experts, only in surrounding himself with yes-men. He will gut the Fed and provide more unfunded tax cuts for the rich.
Presidents have less control over the economy than people think, and a lot of what they do do takes a long time to show up (the infrastructure plan will pay out over decades, not a few years).
But putting someone impulsive and irresponsible in charge is not a good ; it us
disastrous.
Politically speaking, the best statement of Harris’s is her assertion that “I believe competition is the lifeblood of our economy.” No Republican can argue with that and no progressive would be expected to say that.
Essentially, Harris frames her economic program as an effort to promote fair competition. And by promoting competition she goes a long way towards stealing the Republicans’ thunder— accusations of socialist thinking.
Of course, you can be sure that Republicans will charge socialism. But Harris has fashioned a powerful rebuke.
And the Democrats have hurt our nation socially??! I get it, by supporting women’s .
heath autonomy, supporting gay rights,
supporting Americans the freedom to vote and read any book they desire? LOL,
keep the hurt coming Dems!!!!