My first thought was, man, I didn’t know Michelle Obama was such a powerful speaker! Nail on the head, over and over. Beneath my stoic exterior, I was jumping up and down just like all those people at the Democratic convention. And then… man, I had forgotten what a great orator Barack Obama could be! Whoo! Color me excited, and hopeful. And the next night… Oprah? I had no idea! All these people, hitting it squarely: Sanity and decency and honesty and civility and compassion can return to our national discourse. I can have hope again!
It almost doesn’t matter what policies the candidates offer. (Okay, an exaggeration. Of course it matters. Still…) What matters most is the choice of character. Do we choose leaders who promote hope or fear? Belittlement or lifting up? Truth or lies? Common sense or conspiracy craziness?
Kudos to President Biden for getting some amazing work done (even if he screwed up on Israel and Gaza), and then in the end setting his own ambitions aside to pass the torch. Quite a contrast with [see Jan. 6, 2021]. A lot can happen between now and November, I know. But for the first time in a long time, I am hopeful.
And Kamala hasn’t even given her acceptance speech yet.
*AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite