The Democratic National Convention opened with the national anthem and an overtly Christian prayer, with a theme of “We the People” as the party emphasized unity on Monday night.
But Republicans argued that it is difficult to square American unity with identity politics and increasingly liberal policies.
“If the Democrats didn’t play identity politics, they would have no identity at all,” said Republican strategist John Feehery. “It’s their only hope.”
“There is no question the first night of the DNC convention was aimed toward highlighting a heavy dose of the diversity of voices within the Democratic Party — how else does one comport Michelle Obama, Eva Longoria Baston and Bernie Sanders?” said Republican strategist Ford O’Connell. “But regardless of who spoke for the Biden/Harris ticket, the message was the same — irrespective of the faux plaudits employed — look at how rational and moderate we are. Nod, nod, wink, wink.”
“The central question is, can the Democrats keep this facade of unity going for an entire week when the only thing that truly binds them is their disdain for Trump?” O’Connell continued. “Chances are someone isn’t going to stick to script, and Trump will be able to take advantage. But only time will tell.”
Former first lady Michelle Obama delivered the final speech of the night with jabs at President Trump, defending the character of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, the vice president under her husband for two terms, and her signature phrase, “When they go low, we go high.” Sanders, the socialist senator from Vermont, who has been the runner-up for the Democratic nomination the past two election cycles, assured his supporters that given the choices, Biden was progressive enough. And several Republican defectors, led by former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, also appeared at the convention to seek crossover votes for Biden.
“Fake Republicans,” said Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh. “Not a one of them supported President Trump in 2016.”
“Kasich will not be effective,” concurred Republican strategist Bradley Blakeman. “No one likes a turncoat.”
But the speakers were united in their assertions that Trump was not up to the job of tackling the coronavirus, with a U.S. death toll approaching 170,000, or the civil unrest triggered by the death of George Floyd, whose brothers addressed the mostly online gathering of Democrats. Democratic speakers framed the Floyd demonstrations as mostly peaceful protests unfairly targeted by presidential demagoguery.
“But while we were peacefully protesting, Donald Trump was plotting,” said Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser. “He stood in front of one of our most treasured houses of worship and held a Bible for a photo op. He sent troops in camouflage into our streets. He sent tear gas into the air — federal helicopters, too. I knew if he did this to D.C., he would do it to your city or your town.”
“Now more than ever, we need a president who will unite this country,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat who ran against Biden in the early primaries. “We need a president who, in George Floyd’s memory, instead of using the Bible as a prop, will heed its words: To act justly.”
Democrats are betting that Trump badly misread the moment when he called for “law and order” as protesters took to the streets of major cities.
Trump’s rapid response team blasted the night’s proceedings as a sign of Sanders’s imprimatur on the Democratic Party: “It’s Bernie Sanders’s party — Joe Biden is just the empty vessel for it,” said one statement. “As the Fidel Castro-loving, Soviet Union-honeymooning, dictator-defending communist comrade kicks off the Democrat convention, it’s a fitting reminder of just how far left the party has moved since the days of Barack Obama. On nearly every issue, Biden has bowed down to the left-wing radicals running the Democrat Party.” They dismissed the Biden-Sanders “unity plan” as a “communist manifesto.”
“Perhaps it was just an oversight, but the first night of the Democrat convention left out the fact that Joe Biden would raise taxes on more than 80 percent of Americans by at least $4 trillion,” said Trump campaign press secretary Hogan Gidley in a statement. “Also missing was his open borders policy, with amnesty and work permits for 11 million illegal aliens. There was no mention of Joe Biden’s desire to cut police funding, kill ten million energy jobs with a green new deal, or give free healthcare to illegal aliens, but in fairness, it was only the first night.”
“It was a big night for identity politics,” said one Republican operative. “We’ll have to see if it plays how Democrats expect.”
