Trending
The contrast between the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and the Republican National Convention (RNC) couldn't be more stark. Even once you get past the overall feeling of joy as opposed to gloom, the differences are staggering. The DNC was a group of shiny, happy people while the RNC crowd bore a striking resemblance to the mob that stormed Frankenstein's castle with pitchforks.
First, let's look at the speakers. The Democrats' roster read like "Who's Who" while the Republican's list was more like "Who?". The RNC's star was Hulk Hogan; the DNC's was Oprah Winfrey. Republicans had musicians like Kid Rock while Dems had Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Pink and Lil Jon, among others. Both had Republicans who had served in Trump's administration. Former Trump staffer Peter Navarro came directly from prison to the RNC to speak and the DNC had former Trump Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham. Dems had former presidents Obama and Clinton while the Republicans couldn't even get former Veep Mike Pence. But that's understandable.
The messages of each convention were as different as the roster of speakers. Dems promised to look to the future, while Republicans continue to dwell on the grievances of the past. Likewise the messages of the nominees showed us what they are really like. Kamala Harris was stately, eloquent and, well, presidential. Donald Trump rambled on and on for over an hour and a half about…something, I'm not quite sure what. While Harris promised to fight for ALL the American people, Donald Trump has promised to be the "retribution" for his followers.
The families of the Presidential candidates spoke about them. The stories about Kamala Harris and Tim Walz that friends and family told painted them as caring and loving people, the kind of people you would want for friends. They are people who didn't grow up with the world at their feet. They had to work for what they accomplished. That's certainly not the story Donald Trump's family told and I don't think he had any friends speak. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) As for JD Vance, his family had a contrast of its own as his professional polished wife stood beside his mother, whom he wrote about in Hillbilly Elegy as the woman who left him to his grandmother to raise. I actually felt a little uncomfortable watching that scene.
When the members of the state championship football team that Tim Walz coached took the stage, the crowd went wild. Moments like that were conspicuously absent from the RNC. Another great Walz moment was his acceptance speech. Gus, Walz's son who is neurodivergent, was in tears as he applauded heartily, pointed to the Vice Presidential nominee and said, "That's my dad!" After that some Republicans started to mock the young man because of his condition, not unlike what Donald Trump did when mocking a handicapped New York Times reporter in his 2016 campaign. I would contrast Walz's speech with Vance's, but frankly I can't remember anything that Vance said.
Republicans continue to push the philosophy of fear. They have lost their way and are no longer the party of conservatives known as the GOP, the Grand Old Party. They have become the POT, Party of Trump. Those who disagree with them are enemies to be dealt with. They are drooling over the possibility of a Republican administration that will possibly be able to replace two more justices on the Supreme Court in the next four years, resulting in the ability to take away the rights of LGBTQ+ people and who knows what else.
Conversely, Democrats are offering optimism and a pledge to bring everyone together. Harris promises to fight for all the people. Fight against whom? Big pharma to bring down the prices of prescription drugs, big business to stop price gouging on gas and groceries and to stop poisoning our planet, drug cartels and coyotes that make our southern border permeable, companies that take advantage of workers and refuse to let them join a union to fight for their welfare.
It's not just the conventions that were different. The futures that will result from the two choices that we are offered are like night and day.
Verna Caruso, a Muncy native, is a former staff member at Inc. magazine and past chair of the Lycoming County Democratic Committee.