Last Tuesday evening, Rabbi Sharon Brous—a leading voice in working to develop a spiritual roadmap for a soulful, justice-driven, multi-faith ethos to reanimate religious life in America—opened the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago with a prayer for redemption.

We have gathered together this week to craft a redemption story for America. My faith is sustained by a redemption story. A people beleaguered and bereft, traversing the desert on a journey of degradation to dignity. From darkness to light. Holy one, help us write America’s redemption story, a story of ceaseless striving towards a true multiracial democracy, rooted in equal justice where every person is treated as unique, mighty, and worthy of love.

Because we use our democratic government to craft rules as to how we live harmoniously in community, Rabbi Brous turned to address our political life together.

In this story, politics is not a vehicle for repression, bigotry, or personal profit, but a call to service. This story counters extremism with capaciousness and compassion. It rejects the inevitability of war, affirming that every one of us, Muslim and Jew, Christian, Black, white, Latino, AAPI, queer and straight, Israeli and Palestinian, deserves to live in dignity and in peace. Some say that this story is impossible. But we know that the God of redemption specializes in the impossible. And so must we. May we be guided by hope, joy, and a fierce moral imagination. Amen

The hopeful and joyful invocation for a “fierce moral imagination” to reach for the impossible, her call on all of us to help craft America’s redemption story, was a pitch-perfect opening for the creation of a new, national program for democracy.

The unified Democratic party—stop a moment to read those four words again—held a joyful, happy, determined, and focused convention last week in Chicago. It was a sight to behold.

Markos Moulitsas suggested that the unity is an underappreciated part of Joe Biden’s growing legacy, as the president tirelessly built coalitions that worked for the people and looked ahead to the future. There is no more “Bernie vs. Hillary” battle, nor anything beyond healthy and respectful disagreement inside our Big Tent.

It is a party united by common purpose, joy, and hope. The Democratic National Convention has “powerfully illustrated that the rest of us are finally reclaiming the country and its symbols” from right-wing extremists and the wealthy oligarchs, media, and corporations who cynically support them.

Today’s Republican party has expelled its elders and anyone not aligned in support of a convicted felon, lifetime con man, and adjudicated sexual predator. In contrast, the Democrats celebrate their elders—from Jimmy Carter to Joe Biden, from Hillary and Bill Clinton to Michelle and Barack Obama, from Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to Rep. Jim Clyburn, and many others.

And the bench. Oh my, that bench. The wealth of young talent in the Democratic party in both its elected leaders and in those who have rebuilt the party is breathtaking to behold. It doesn’t hurt that many of them are exceptional orators.

I’ve been aware of national party conventions since 1964 and have followed them faithfully since 1968. This Democratic National Convention was one to savor. I watched hours of it live and thanks to the wonders of CSPAN which helpfully separated out video of each speaker on its website for days one, two, three, and four, even more of it online. I have now watched Kamala Harris accept the nomination of her party three times. It has been amazing to discover how many people tuned in. Each individual found different speakers and events to spark their fierce moral imagination. What follows are a few personal highlights that sparked mine.

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Day One: Let’s heal the land

Conventions historically are designed to both build up the party and help define the opponent. On that latter point Rep. Jasmine Crockett—a former public defender and civil rights attorney from Texas—came out firing. In looking at the resumes of the two candidates, Crockett noted: “She became a career prosecutor while he became a career criminal . . . Kamala Harris has a resume. Donald Trump has a rap sheet!”

No one should have to follow the Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church—Senator Raphael Warnock—on stage. Senator Warnock put on a clinic with a barnburner of a speech.

“I saw {Trump] holding a Bible and endorsing a Bible, as if it needed his endorsement. He should try reading it. It says, ‘Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.’ He should try reading it. It says, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ It says, ‘Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it also unto me.'”

“We are the United States of America,” Warnock reminded us. “We always dream about the future.” And he ended with a stirring call to “heal the land.”

President Joe Biden closed the evening with a spirited and heartfelt handoff to Kamala Harris. One passage stood out:

“It’s been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president. I love the job, but I love my country more.”

Nothing better sums up the contrast between this president and the one he replaced. “Donald Trump has never loved anything more than himself and his own spotlight.”

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Day Two: Putting the party back in the Democratic Party

The second day included one of my favorite convention rituals: the roll call of states. Here you get to see serious and high-ranking officials wearing silly garb to showcase the uniqueness of Hawaii (beach shirts), Maine (lobsters), Wisconsin (cheeseheads), or whatever state they call home. It is also a physical manifestation of E Pluribus Unum, “out of many, one.” 

This year, the DNC took it one step further, turning the roll call into a dance party.

When it came time for individual states to cast their vote each delegation did so to the tune (or tunes) of a special song. In the weeks leading up to the convention the state delegations worked with presiding DJ Cassidy to pick a song that evoked a spirit of “unity and celebration” and was meaningful to the state. The roll call reflected the energy of the Harris-Waltz campaign and also offered a stark contrast to last month’s RNC.

And as you no doubt know by now, the amazing performance by Lil John as the Georgia delegates casts their votes for Kamala Harris is not to be missed.

At the very same time that the United Center in Chicago was filled to the rafters with DNC delegates, Harris and Walz were 90 minutes away in a packed Milwaukee arena, the same venue that hosted the Republican National Convention just a month ago. It was an amazing bit of stagecraft. Some Fox News personality opined that they were trying to escape their own convention, not realizing how utterly stupid this made him look.

The energy and enthusiasm that led the Democrats to pack two huge sports arenas, just 90 minutes apart, may have baffled the right-wing noise machine but it was not lost on the nation.

Watch the video of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, as they waited backstage in Milwaukee as the call of delegates was live cast in Fiserv Forum. Marcy Wheeler described the Vice President’s reaction after the vote was finalized.

But then there was a moment where her eyes got big. She got an almost childlike expression in them, as if she couldn’t believe what just happened, couldn’t believe the enormity of it all . . . Finally she turned to Walz, gave him a high-five handshake, a hug. It’s only after that hug where she came away with a full joyful smile.

Barack and Michelle Obama were the obvious highlights among Tuesday evening’s speakers. The former president was masterful as always, showing how no one is better at getting under Donald Trump’s thin skin. He also gave out some love for Governor Tim Walz.

“Let me tell you something. I love this guy… You can tell those flannel shirts he wears don’t come from some political consultant, they come from his closet, and they have been through some stuff.“

The former First Lady gave the speech of the night in my estimation, beginning with her observation that something magical was in the air.

“Look, Kamala knows, like we do, that regardless of where you come from, what you look like, who you love, how you worship, or what’s in your bank account, we all deserve the opportunity to build a decent life. All of our contributions deserve to be accepted and valued. Because no one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American. No one.

Kamala has shown her allegiance to this nation. Not by spewing anger and bitterness, but by living a life of service, and always pushing the doors of opportunity open to others.“

And then she drove the point home with a line that hits at the heart of white supremacy and male privilege.

“She understands that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward. We will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth.“

She was ready to call out Donald Trump’s lies and tired tropes. “For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people—and here a slight pause as she produced the dagger—who also happened to be Black.”

“[W]ho’s going to tell him, that the job he is currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?“

Wheeler added her take on this moment:

Being bested by a smart, beautiful Black woman may be precisely the Kryptonite to Trump’s power the country has been looking for.“

Historian Kevin Kruse observed that “Michelle Obama threw a little cold water on the celebrations in Chicago with a warning that the Democrats should not get complacent and, when the campaign hits the inevitable bumps in the road, should not resign themselves to their traditional panic. She led the crowd in a call-and-response chant to ‘do something!'” whenever trouble came, and then issued a challenge to everyone in the hall.

“There is simply no time for . . . foolishness. You know what you need to do. So consider this to be your official ask. Michelle Obama is asking you—no, I’m telling y’all—to do something!”

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Day three: Choose common sense over nonsense

Oprah Winfrey, a political independent, made a surprise visit to the convention on the third day, urging the country to choose “common sense over nonsense.”

“Common sense tells you that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can give us decency and respect. They’re the ones that give it to us. Let us choose loyalty to the Constitution over loyalty to any individual, because that’s the best of America. And let us choose optimism over cynicism, because that’s the best of America. And let us choose inclusion over retribution. Let us choose common sense over nonsense, because that’s the best of America. And let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday. But more than anything else, let us choose freedom. Why? Because that’s the best of America.”

There were amazing speeches and performances throughout the evening: Stevie Wonder, Hakeem Jeffries, Bill Clinton, Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg, and Amanda Gorman. Our Maryland Governor Wes Moore, one of the rising stars of the Democratic Party, gave an inspiring speech on how Democrats Get S#*t Done (GSD).

Moore also spoke eloquently about real patriotism.

“Loving your country does not mean lying about its history!”

Of course, the highlight was the speech of Gov. (Coach) Tim Walz, where 81 million tuned in to watch online and on television.

In a speech that was both heartwarming and forceful, Walz focused on a big part of what this election is about: reclaiming the idea of freedom from the right-wing misappropriation of the word.

When Republicans use the word freedom, they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office. Corporations free to pollute your air and water, and banks free to take advantage of customers.

But when we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people that you love. Freedom to make your own healthcare decisions and yeah, your kid’s freedom to go to school without worrying about being shot dead in the hall.”

And we all came away loving the Walz children, Gus and Hope.

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Day four: Be worthy of the moment

There is so much to love about the last day of the DNC. I agree with Marcy Wheeler that Adam Kinzinger gave the second-best speech, after Kamala’s, especially given the sea of moderate voters watching with certain expectations about what constitutes a Commander in Chief.

But the night belonged to the nominee, and Kamala Harris—with an inspiring speech that more than met the moment—did not falter.

“America, let us show each other—and the world—who we are. And what we stand for. Freedom. Opportunity. Compassion. Dignity. Fairness. And endless possibilities.

We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the world. And on behalf of our children and grandchildren, and all those who sacrificed so dearly for our freedom and liberty, we must be worthy of this moment. It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done. Guided by optimism and faith, to fight for this country we love.

To fight for the ideals we cherish.

And to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth. The privilege and pride of being an American.

So, let’s get out there and let’s fight for it.

Let’s get out there and let’s vote for it.

And together, let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.“

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The Democratic Convention was exhilarating, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the hard work ahead. While Democrats Get S#*t Done, we know that Donald Trump and his enablers will simply throw every type of s#*t they can find from now until November 5th.

As Michelle Obama told us, we simply have to do something.

More to come . . .

DJB