Well Done, Dems

The party and its nominee did a fantastic job in Chicago. Now they need to keep it up for ten more weeks

Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on stage during the final day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

I might write and think about politics for a living, but political conventions aren’t my thing. Too much of a cheerleading pep rally. Too much frothy, celebrity glitz. Too many propagandistic infomericals. But conventions are part of the American democratic tradition, so I watch them. Or at least the biggest speakers.

And I have to say: I think the just-concluded Democratic convention in Chicago went extremely well. Unlike how I felt after Biden’s disastrous debate performance, when I exclaimed that “every Democrat in America should be livid” and vowed not to vote for the sitting president’s re-election, I am genuinely excited about voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. They presented a patriotic, welcoming, disciplined vision of the Democratic Party I am proud to support. The trick is now to freeze this version of the party for the next 70 days, drive it all the way to victory, and then govern in its light.  

The Politics of the Open Hand