Stephen Collinson and Caitlin Hu (CNN)
'The only thing that works'
Opening the DNC, a remote choir from across the country sang the US national anthem.
Americans have a choice on November 3: Trumpism or Obamaism.
That’s why Michelle Obama, one of the most popular political figures in the United States, was the keynote speaker at the first night of the virtual Democratic National Convention on Monday. The former first lady has immense sway among female voters and African American women especially, whom Democrats need to beat President Donald Trump. But more importantly, Obama pleaded with Americans to believe that pursuing justice, equality, decency and change through a reason-based political process can still work -- even against an opponent who might destroy that system to retain power.
Four years ago, at the 2016 convention, she told Americans, “When they go low, we go high.” That sounds like the idealism of a vanished era -- but Obama is doubling down on the creed today. “Going high is the only thing that works, because when we go low, when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others, we just become part of the ugly noise that’s drowning out everything else,” she said.
The Democratic campaign for president this year smells of an Obama-era restoration, though the party has moved leftward since the 44th President left office. Presumptive nominee Joe Biden is always talking about his buddy “Barack,” and his pick of Kamala Harris as running mate was a bid to reassemble the “Obama coalition” of young, minority and middle class moderates. The politics of the last 12 years have unfolded as a struggle between that group and a rival bloc powered by a white, populist, and rural backlash.
Trump on Monday had reminded Democrats of what they face, retweeting Russian intelligence propaganda, spreading racial demagoguery and warning any election resulting in his defeat will be “rigged.” That evening, Michelle Obama responded: “If we want to keep the possibility of progress alive in our time, if we want to be able to look our children in the eye after this election, we have got to reassert our place in American history.”
We’ll see in 11 weeks if “going high” works better this time.
