I
accidentally caught the NBC news highlights of the National Democratic Convention,
while channel surfing, bored, last night. There was Bill Clinton, looking trim
and energetic. He was giving a barnstormer of a speech. Relaxed, at ease, a
natural, delivering well-reasoned political analyses along with the fire in the
belly that makes you want to jump up and take to the barricades. The crowd is
in love. They have stars, and tears, in their eyes. Bill says, about John
Kerry, "Strength and wisdom are not conflicting values," and "In
a time of change he has two other important qualities: his insatiable curiosity
to understand the forces shaping our lives, and a willingness to hear the views
even of those who disagree with him."
And, pausing, "Remember the scripture: Be not afraid." He
insults George Bush six ways from Sunday, without ever uttering his name,
managing to pick up on every criticism leveled against him, from the working
class attack on his jobs record to the intellectual's despair of the man's
willful ignorance. No wonder some in the crowd appear to be crying. "Just
one more term," they weep, "Why can't we have him back for just one
more term?"
Jimmy
Carter was back, for just one more speech, anyway. Looking elderly, his head
shrunken, his suit large, Jimmy Carter retains, none-the-less, his broad,
giant-toothed smile. It sounds like it should have been scary to watch him, but
it was somehow reassuring to witness this avowed Southern Christian, enumerate,
point by point, why America is much less safer today thanks to the incompetence
and arrogance of the George W. Bush administration. In introducing this
segment, the NBC anchors warned us that the Democrats' vow to keep the
convention positive and free of Bush-bashing was horribly breached by Jimmy
Carter, but all I saw was a soft-spoken old man telling us that he wants us to
vote for a presidential candidate who "will restore the maturity and
judgment to our government that is sorely lacking." And that he is worried that, "After
9/11, America stood proud, wounded but determined and united. But in just 34 months,
we have watched with deep concern as all this goodwill has been squandered by a
virtually unbroken series of mistakes and miscalculations." You go, Jimmy,
you keep on frightening those liberal-biased news reporters!
Al
Gore was there too. Finally. Where was that man in 2000? He was engaging and
entertaining, simultaneously relaxed and wound up, alternating between self-deprecating
humour and strongly worded, but articulate condemnations of the Bush regime. In
his opening statements, he joked, "You win some, you lose some. And then
there's that little-known third category... America is a land of opportunity,
where every little boy and girl has a chance to grow up and win the popular
vote."
To
those annoying people who don't vote, because they think they are so much smarter
and cooler than the rest of us, he said, ".what happens in a presidential
election matters. A lot. The outcome profoundly affects the lives of all 293
million Americans -- and people in the rest of the world too. The choice of who is president affects your life
and your family's future."
And
finally Al addressed the most annoying people on the planet of all, Ralph Nader
supporters, with this: "I urge you to ask yourselves this question: do you still believe that there was no difference
between the candidates?" Ya think? Just maybe? Could there maybe be a
teensy weensy little difference between the party that unites religious
fundamentalism, money and imperialism and the party that wants to protect the
environment, promote tolerance and provide prosperity to all citizens, not just
the ones that went to Yale or cashed in on the stock market?
Actually, I had decided not to bother trying
to watch any of the convention out of fears that I would either be infuriated
by wooly-headed incompetents or hopelessly depressed by the sight of Bill
Clinton in retirement. But instead, it was quite inspiring and encouraging. For
once, instead of seeing the Democrats through the narrowed eyes of talking-point
Republicans or the tightly closed eyes of the ask-no-questions media, there was
the Democratic Party in person. The speakers were all intelligent, articulate
and informed. They do know what's going on. There they were, all bright and
shiny on television saying what you never hear on television: the neatly
itemized listing of how the Bush administration has botched the economy, the
response to Al Qaeda, international relations, environmental protection and the
preservation of constitutionally-guaranteed civil liberties.
It
was such a relief to see these issues covered in the mainstream media, where
they have been pretty much ignored. It's been hard knowing that the only people
discussing any of this are only seen on the comics page, like Gary Trudeau and
Aaron McGruder, or on Comedy Central, like John Stewart. But today, thanks to
this convention, we see print media, other than the Nation publishing this:
"Wouldn't we be safer with a President who didn't insist on confusing al
Qaeda with Iraq?" Yeah, good question, Al. And good speech, Bill. For too
long, the Democrats have been huddling, embarrassed, disoriented and afraid. It
seems like maybe there's hope again, and in the fight against the forces of
darkness -- intolerance, greed, fear and violence -- there's a light.
-EP