At Convention, Former First Lady and Democrats Make The Case Trump ‘Is In Over His Head’

The Democratic Convention took political center stage with a virtual production featuring the theme, “We the People,” a nod to the Party’s campaign effort to unify the country and focus on Americans from every walk of life with some of the most visible Democrats making the case.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama called on Americans to remember the value of empathy in a country “underperforming not just on matters of policy but matters of character.”

Reprising her famous line from the 2016 Democratic Convention, “When they go low, we go high,” Obama made it clear that “going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things.” 

“I am one of a handful of people living today who have seen firsthand the immense weight and awesome power of the presidency, and let me once again tell you this, ‘The job is hard,'” she said. “A president’s words have the power to move markets, they can start wars or broker peace. They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts. You simply cannot fake your way through this job. As I’ve said before, ‘Being President doesn’t change who you are; it reveals who you are.’ Well, a presidential election can reveal who we are, too. And, four years ago…too many people chose to believe that their votes didn’t matter.”

The author of the New York Times Bestseller, Becoming Michelle, called on voters to “grab comfortable shoes”  and possibly pack a lunch or dinner in anticipation of a long wait at the polls on November 3 to vote for Biden and defeat Trump.

“He [Trump] is clearly in over his head,” the Harvard Law graduate stated. “He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”

While the former First Lady served as the keynote speaker, Senator Bernie Sanders also delivered an important speech, urging his supporters to back the Biden/Harris ticket. Sanders’ supporters wavered in their allegiance to the party during the 2016 election because Hillary Clinton became the nominee instead of Sanders. This year Sanders dropped out of the race in April and endorsed Biden which cleared the way for Biden’s nomination. 

The Vermont Senator said, “This election is the most important in the modern history of this country. In response to the unprecedented crisises we face, we need an unprecedented response, a movement like never before of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency and against greed, oligarchy and biogrty. And we need Joe Biden as our next President.” 

Actress Eva Longoria moderated the convention’s first evening which was filled with videotaped speeches recognizing the challenges of the coronavirus, the economic downturn, and the sustained racial justice protests triggered by the killing of George Floyd by a former Minneapolis police officer. 

“George had a giving spirit, a spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation and around the world,” Floyd’s brother, Philinese said. “People of all races, all ages, all genders, all backgrounds…peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity. It’s a fitting legacy for our brother, for George should be alive today.”

For Joe Biden, his hopes of winning the Democratic Party’s nomination seemed all but doomed in the early weeks of 2020. But, in South Carolina in March, voters delivered an overwhelming victory for the former Vice-President, and the momentum carried Biden through Super Tuesday.

“We need a President who understands both profound loss and what it takes to bounce back,” said South Carolina Jim Clyburn who endorsed Biden days before the primary. “Joe Biden is as good a man as he is a leader. I’ve said before and wish to reiterate tonight…we know Joe, but more importantly Joe knows us.”

The coronavirus forced Democrats and Republicans to retool their 2020 conventions, relying on technology to reach voters during a global pandemic that has already left close to 170,000 Americans dead and more than five million infected. Starting with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, whose state suffered devastating losses at the start of the crisis, Democrats pointed to President Donald Trump’s handling of the virus as a failure in leadership.

Kristin Urquiza shared the story of her father who voted for Trump in 2016 and recently died from the coronavirus.

“So in late May after the stay-at-order was lifted in Arizona, my dad went to a karaoke bar with his friends,” she said. “After five agonizing days he died alone in ICU, alone with a nurse holding his hand. My dad’s only pre-existing condition was he trusted Donald Trump, and for that he paid with his life.”

Urquiza said she will vote for Biden. And, a growing number of “card-carrying” Republicans endorsed Biden, offering compelling and convincing explanations for their decision.

Former Republican Congresswoman Susan Molinari said, “I’m a former Republican member of Congress, and I’ve known Donald Trump for most of my political career…so disappointing and lately so disturbing.”

Former Republican presidential candidate and Ohio Governor John Kaisch urged the nation to prioritize unity over division.

“Joe Biden is a man for our times, times that call for all of us to take off our partisan hats and put our nation first for ourselves and of course, our children,” Kaisch stated.

The Democratic Convention continues tomorrow. Next week the Republican Party will host its convention.