What a contrast with Cleveland.
While Republicans engaged in divisive rhetoric and demonized large segments of the American population, the Democrats struck a starkly different tone. As The New Yorker’s Emily Nussbaum noted, “So far, the DNC (the parts I’ve seen so far) have been so sweet & positive. A nice break from last week’s Festival of Goblin.”
The night featured not just elected officials, but Americans who are fighting to break down barriers across this country. Karla Ortiz gave an emotional testimony about being afraid that her parents will be deported—and her hope for the future. Disability rights advocate Anastasia Somoza delivered a powerful rebuke to Trump’s bigotry, saying ”I honestly feel bad for anyone with that much hate.”
Michelle Obama summed up the night best: “When they go low, we go high.”
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The brightness, hope & energy of the Democrats’ message tonight couldn’t be more different from the Republicans’ darkness, fear & anger
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) July 26, 2016
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Was there even one word of Spanish spoken on the GOP convention stage or is Eric Cantor’s vision of the Republican party entirely dead?
— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) July 26, 2016
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So far, the DNC (the parts I’ve seen so far) have been so sweet & positive. A nice break from last week’s Festival of Goblins.
— emily nussbaum (@emilynussbaum) July 26, 2016
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The Democrats are getting way more air time by rolling out more name-brand speakers. Commentators talked over more of the GOP convention.
— Neil King (@NKingofDC) July 26, 2016
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Many of the speakers at #DemsInPhilly have personal connections with H Clinton going back many years. More personal than Trump witnesses.
— Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) July 26, 2016
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RNC compared to DNC was low energy on night 1
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) July 26, 2016
KARLA ORTIZ:
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Sliiiiiight contrast in tone/message from RNC’s Monday night line-up. https://t.co/nmAwKe9GEk
— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) July 26, 2016
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“I don’t feel brave everyday. On most days, I’m scared,” Ortiz says — speaking for millions of dreamers. #DNCinPHL
— Ed O’Keefe (@edatpost) July 26, 2016
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Striking contrast b/w RNC’s “law and order,” “send them home” theme & undocumented immigrants getting standing O at center stage at DNC.
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) July 26, 2016
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Whiplash from a convention that devoted time to bashing undocumented immigrants to one that puts them on the main stage during primetime.
— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) July 26, 2016
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It’s 8:10 on opening night and more Latinos have spoken at DNC than four nights of RNC.
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) July 26, 2016
AL FRANKEN:
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Al Franken brought jokes to the #DemConvention: “I got my doctorate in megalomania studies from Trump University.”
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) July 26, 2016
ANASTASIA SOMOZA:
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Anastasia Somoza – wheelchair bound child of immigrants — powerful response to Trump: I honestly feel bad for anyone with that much hate
— Philip Gourevitch (@PGourevitch) July 26, 2016
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Republicans are assaulting disability rights, while Democrats have strongly embraced them.
— Ben Adler (@badler) July 26, 2016
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That brief Anastasia Somoza speech (she’s the disabled lady in wheelchair) was astonishingly effective.
— Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) July 26, 2016
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Moving, brave Anastasia Somoza speaking up for disabled, the most voiceless community of all. #DNCinPHL
— Tina Brown (@TinaBrownLM) July 26, 2016
CORY BOOKER:
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Damn, Corey Booker. You tamed that crowd and made it yours. #DemsInPhilly
— Lisa Friedman (@LFFriedman) July 26, 2016
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Hard-hitting Trump University ad on my livestream. If they pump this out on TV in swing states it should have an impact.
— Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) July 26, 2016
CHERYL LANKFORD:
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This is a powerful testimonial: a military widow is talking about being “preyed upon” by Trump and Trump University. #DemsInPhilly
— James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) July 26, 2016
MICHELLE OBAMA:
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You’ve never heard cheering until you’ve heard #DemsInPhilly cheer for @MichelleObama
— Simone Pathe (@sfpathe) July 26, 2016
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Michelle Obama is so damn good at this.
— Matt Ford (@fordm) July 26, 2016
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Michelle Obama is devastatingly powerful–
— Katrina vandenHeuvel (@KatrinaNation) July 26, 2016
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This is an amazingly subtle and powerful speech.
— Michael Specter (@specterm) July 26, 2016
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Best convention speech I’ve ever seen
— Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) July 26, 2016
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Michelle Obama is delivering perhaps the single most effective character testimonial for Clinton and moral argument against Trumpism.
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) July 26, 2016
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One of the best political speeches I’ve ever heard.
— Susan Page (@SusanPage) July 26, 2016
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No snark or irony: Michelle Obama was just awesome. Makes you proud of a country in which such a speech is possible.
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) July 26, 2016
ELIZABETH WARREN:
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She’s giving a stirring speech on economic vulnerability. “And here’s the thing: America isn’t going broke. The market is breaking records.”
— emily nussbaum (@emilynussbaum) July 26, 2016
BERNIE SANDERS:
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I’m thinking Donald Trump is watching this and saying, “Why couldn’t Cruz do this?”
— adam nagourney (@adamnagourney) July 26, 2016
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Just finished reading Bernie’s speech as written. If this doesn’t unite the party, I’m not sure what will. Even if there’s…1/2
— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) July 26, 2016
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.@BernieSanders says based on her experience and leadership Hillary Clinton must become the next President of the United States #DNC2016
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) July 26, 2016
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Quite a contrast between Cruz’s “vote your conscience” snub to Trump and Sanders’s full-throated endorsement of Clinton.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) July 26, 2016
THE MUSIC:
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By the way, 25 years after initial stardom, @BoyzIIMen are most definitely men now, not boyz #DemsInPhilly
— Doug Sovern (@SovernNation) July 25, 2016
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So #DemsInPhilly opens with Boys II Men and Dr. Cynthia Hale. Really quite the opposite of the RNC diversitywise (including on the floor).
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) July 25, 2016