Vice President Kamala Harris immediately started the evening powerfully by coming out with her hand extended and walked into Donald Trump’s “space,” on his side of the debate stage. It was a bold and aggressive act that, to my eyes, put Trump off balance from the get-go.

She said to him as they shook hands, “Kamala Harris.”

It was an intense debate. Trump began to get angry and seemed to unravel soon after it started. Harris appeared to know how to get under his skin.

Trump yelled and attacked. Harris was measured and tough. She used his words, the simple kind he usually uses, against him and pushed his buttons. She did not mince words.

 

She triggered him right off the bat when she talked about people leaving his rallies “out of boredom.” He never seemed to recover from that, he was so angry. And he mentioned immigrants eating pets, can you believe it?!

 

 

 

And then he said this crazy, outrageous thing:

 

Harris humiliated him.

 

And Trump continued to spout his racist thoughts.

 

Harris was real, she shined a bright light on who Trump is on the world stage.

 

Trump insulted Biden repeatedly. He even said at one point, “Biden hates her.”

 

Harris spoke strongly about Ukraine, and was concise in why Trump would be disastrous in foregin affairs.

 

Trump, as usual, would throw back things she said back at her.

 

Towards the end, Harris began to fold in her message about not dividing, and appealing to Americans sense of decency.

 

When Harris was not talking, she was often looking over at him and smiling or even looking with pity on her opponent. He was scowling or smirking or looking furious the whole time.

 

Kamala Harris figured out what no one else figured out, and she got to Trump. Harris seemed young and Trump seemed old.

She smiled many times, almost as if she was about to laugh.

This is what we all hoped she would do. She put him in his place. Kamala Harris was masterful.

The first speaker I watched tonight was Elizabeth Warren, Senator of Massachusetts and former Presidential candidate. She walked on stage and the crowd went wild with adoring applause. Warren, whom I never have seen get emotional, was very touched by the long standing ovation. She had tears in her eyes, and finally had to calm the crowd down after a few minutes.

 

The Reverend AL Sharpton came out and gave a strong speech and then introduced four men who were four of the Central Park Five, now called The Exonerated Five. They are a group of Black and Latino men wrongly convicted of raping and assaulting a white jogger in New York City in 1989. Trump, living in New York at the time, paid for a large ad in the NY Times calling for the death penalty for the men. The man speaking below is Yusef Salaam, now a NYC Councilman for Harlem.

 

There were a series of speakers, and I captured those that I thought important and interesting to me. Governor Gretchen Whitmer was fun, but not a particularly rousing speech.

 

Representative Adam Kinzinger, a Republican and member of the January 6th Commission, was terrific in how he talked about his strong opinion against MAGA Republicans and urged people to vote for Kamala. He said it’s about voting for our democracy.

 

Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta made a powerful case for Kamala and her strength and toughness. It was perfect.

 

Then Vice President Kamala Harris walked on to give her speech. The crowd exploded, cheering for several minutes, giddy to see her. She was clearly moved. Rather than try to characterize what she said, I offer you a link to the full transcript.

But for me, it was one of the best speeches I have ever heard. It was compassionate and angry and tough, realistic and full of hopefullness. I want to give it more thought and perhaps write about it when I’m not tired!

Here are some drawings I did, and a few quotes that jumped out at me—there were so many. This first one was of her coming out onstage.

 

 

 

 

Her final line was so wonderful.

 

Kamala Harris did exactly what she needed to do with this speech, and then some. She is going to be a great president.

I turned on the Democratic National Convention at around 7 tonight to listen in the background. There were speakers, but I didn’t pay too much attention until they did the roll call. I LOVE the roll call! This year, the Democrats had already done a virtual count of delegates, so this was ceremonial, and they even had music (with a quirky DJ) during the call. As the Democratic Party Secretary called each state, each representative was so proud of their state, and they yell out things about their state that makes it distinctive. Some of them are funny about it, in a proud way. Like New York!

Speaking of New York (I’m biased), Senator Chuck Schumer spoke about the Senate. He also mentioned, on a personal note, that he is the highest ranking elected Jewish person in the history of our government, something I did not know. It was a way for him to lead into his concern for the rise of anti-semintism.

The next notable speaker was Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders went through a long list of things that had been acheived under the Biden/Harris administration, but he also listed things he wanted to get done. It was a rather tedious — if empassioned — speech. Sanders is nothing if not tireless, and while he may not show it, passionate.

The first gentleman came next. Doug Emhoff!! So charming.

He told us the lovely story of his courtship with Kamala, and it was funny and endearing. He told the audience that she was right for him at a time in his life when he needed her, and that “At this moment in our nations’ history, she is the exact person for our country.” This is another line of his that I loved: “She will not be distracted by nonsense.”

After a few more speakers, Michelle Obama walked onto the stage to an enormous roar of applause and cheers. The crowd was giddy. After a minute or two, she kept scolding the crowd to stop. She had the face of: come on guys, I have stuff to tell you!

And she did. It was a masterfull speech. It had a theme of motherhood and responsibility. I suggest you find it and watch it.

She poked at Trump in a nuanced, humorous and tough way.

Her tone at times was urging us not to be complacent, take charge, do something! The crowd chanted that repeatedly. She had them in the palm of her hand.

Then Michelle finished her speech and introduced her husband…again humorously and lovingly. They greeted each other with an embrace and kiss as the crowd cheered.

Obama was his usual self, but to me he seemed more relaxed. And a few times, he seemed even angrier than I had ever seen him.

But he peppered his speech with humor. At one point someone in the crowd said something, and he ad-libbed, “Yes she can!”

President Obama’s speech was lofty and strong and meaningful. To my eyes and ears, Michelle’s message was much more effective. It was unique, nuanced, humorous, sharp, tough and delivered as if with the care of a scolding mother. I don’t know if I’ve heard a better political speech in recent memory.

Barack said one thing that I want to end with:

“America can be and must be a force for good.”