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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Joe and Kamala Blew Me Away

Reader Interactions

63Comments

  2. 2.

    laura

    I’m just so moved by their speeches- can’t think of an single misstep gaff or anything other than the right team at the right time and with the shared vision and certitude that better days are ahead.

  7. 7.

    mali muso

    Can I also say how much I love that they are modelling responsible adult behavior vis-a-vis mask wearing?

  9. 9.

    The Moar You Know

    huh, looks like a crapload of folks are having a meltdown on Twitter about Biden reminding everyone about Trump’s “very fine people on both sides” remark.

    I WONDER WHY

  10. 10.

    pat

    I don’t often feel this way after watching some political speeches, but OMG what a pair. Awesome speeches, awesomely delivered. And her husband coming out at the end, and their obvious loving relationship.

    Tearing up just a bit here.

    Just had to repost this.

  11. 11.

    donnah

    They both delivered powerful, moving speeches. They shared their family histories and explained how they plan to move the country forward and out of this quagmire of Trump and the Republicans’ doing. I was reminded of how intelligent leaders are supposed to be and what literate, intelligent speech sounds like. Kamala was great and I am inspired again to get moving again.

  13. 13.

    Elizabelle

    We needed some positivity, and adults in charge.

    I wish we had a parliamentary system for years like this.  Trump out on a vote of no confidence.  It’s surreal we have to wait five more months, plus.

  16. 16.

    The Moar You Know

    Can’t wait to to see her mop the floor with Dense.

    @Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant): I’d like to see that too, but I suspect the Trump campaign team, IF they watched this, are probably scrambling desperately to find a way for there to be no debates at all.  Biden will not just destroy, but utterly humiliate Trump (I would be willing to bet that Trump would lose his shit so bad he’d take a swing at Biden) and what Harris would do to Pence is probably a war crime.

  18. 18.

    MazeDancer

    I cried.

    And stood up in my living room and cheered.

    Wondered how are they going to top these speeches for the convention?

  19. 19.

    Brachiator

    My sister and I were texting each other about the speech.

    My sister’s summation: ” I like her… I love the boldness. ”

    Yep

  20. 20.

    Mary G

    This:

    I loved how Joe put all of those old, white , men, like Axelrod, Dodd, and Rengel, in their place by saying he wants a VP that’s going to challenge him, let him know when he’s wrong, or on the wrong path!! He wants an Ambitious, strong, woman, not arm candy!!— Not Just Here For The Comments 2 ????? (@RhodesToKamala) August 12, 2020

  22. 22.

    dmsilev

    @MazeDancer:

    Wondered how are they going to top these speeches for the convention?

    They’ve got some really cool animated Zoom backgrounds cued up for next week.

  23. 23.

    Redshift

    I couldn’t quite watch live, but I just finished watching slightly delayed, wow! Now I’m waiting for their appearance at the grassroots fundraiser to start.

    It sure is great to have something that feels more like hope than desperation.

  25. 25.

    japa21

    @Redshift: Speaking of the fundraiser, once again I didn’t get a link despite donating specifically for that, so if somebody knows when and has the link, I would appreciate it.

  27. 27.

    MisterForkbeard

    It was a great speech. And it would really have benefited from an audience, but I loved it.

  28. 28.

    jl

    Very good job by both of them. Harris is great when she does her serious DA look and voice. Like a sledgehammer swinging straight between your eyes in very slow motion, steady, peaceful, leisurely, but will not miss. In a good way, if she is on your side. Both implacable and calming.

  29. 29.

    Roger Moore

    @The Moar You Know:

    I’d like to see that too, but I suspect the Trump campaign team, IF they watched this, are probably scrambling desperately to find a way for there to be no debates at all.

    Especially because they’ve done a terrible job of managing expectations.  They’ve been doing their best to present Biden as a senile dodderer who is trying to come up with excuses not to debate Trump.  It’s almost to the point where he’ll beat expectations by showing up and talking in complete sentences, and it’s all because of Trump’s people.

  30. 30.

    Redshift

    @japa21: I’m unclear if the links are specific to individuals, but I’m willing to chance it, though I’m going to split it up. It’s at live.joebiden.com plus /c/0812-grfr

    (It hasn’t started yet.)

  31. 31.

    jl

    Also listened to an audio clip of Trump giving one of his vicious but silly dingbat attacks. (Edit: Trump must be in danger of coming off like a totally out of it goofy bigot uncle to more and more people, including his precious suburban women who he thinks are stuck in 1956 ) As I noted in previous thread, very hard to listen to audio of Trump now, because while he’s speaking, the image of Cooper imitating him overwhelms by consciousness. Very disturbing. But, I will find a way to deal with that.

  33. 33.

    Redshift

    @Roger Moore:

    They’ve been doing their best to present Biden as a senile dodderer who is trying to come up with excuses not to debate Trump. 

    Every accusation is a confession, and they can’t stop doing it even when it’s obviously going to hurt them.

    Trump has been trying to add on the claim that the media will declare Biden the winner if he can just walk on stage by himself, which like all his ludicrous attacks may resonate with Foxbots who never see any of the actual debate, but won’t gain him any of the additional voters he needs.

  34. 34.

    Ken

    @jl: very hard to listen to audio of Trump now, because while he’s speaking, the image of Cooper imitating him overwhelms by consciousness. Very disturbing. But, I will find a way to deal with that.

    Easiest way is to not listen to Trump.

  35. 35.

    piratedan

    @MisterForkbeard: maybe in this one instance, it was better, because nothing was lost in applause, or in reaction from the speech itself, no place for the media to interrupt and spin, just them speaking passionately and putting themselves in front of the country.

     

    I imagine it will be striking in and of itself, hoping that people actually had the opportunity to listen.

  36. 36.

    feebog

    They both hit all the marks.  Her tribute to Bo Biden was touching and you could see Biden was tearing up.  They are going to make a formidable team.

  37. 37.

    Omnes Omnibus

    I didn’t get a chance to watch it yet, but if the soundtrack was Sly and the Family Stone, the Staples Singers, and Curtis Mayfield it is already a winner.

  38. 38.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @The Moar You Know: James Fallows is betting on Twitter that there will not be debates.

    Another note that I expected Fallows to hit, as a former presidential speechwriter, is how difficult it is to deliver this kind of speech without an audience. He didn’t say it, but other newswatchers are.

  43. 43.

    MazeDancer

    Read an interesting remark on Twitter how, as a prosecutor, Kamala was used to making impact delivering a speech to a silent room where there would be no applause.

  44. 44.

    Brachiator

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    Another note that I expected Fallows to hit, as a former presidential speechwriter, is how difficult it is to deliver this kind of speech without an audience. He didn’t say it, but other newswatchers are.

    Good point. It has been interesting to see how the late night comedy programs and other shows have had to adapt to the absence of an audience. Biden and Harris have had to adapt as well.

    I think that they did a great job. It’s probably driving Trump crazy.

  45. 45.

    hitchhiker

    @jl:

    Harris is great when she does her serious DA look and voice. Like a sledgehammer swinging straight between your eyes in very slow motion, steady, peaceful, leisurely, but will not miss. In a good way, if she is on your side. Both implacable and calming.

    That, my friend, is exquisitely on point. Nicely done.

  47. 47.

    zhena gogolia

    @jl:

    I just have to point out that Cooper lip-synchs, she doesn’t imitate him.

    The brilliant imitator of Trump (and Pence), who also does improv hilariously because he has internalized Trump’s mind, is the Haitian-Irish-American J.-L. Cauvin.

  49. 49.

    Mai naem mobile

    I noticed yesterday after the announcement that Twitter seemed to have an increase in Russian trollish comments . Not as bad as I’ve seen before but a definite increase.

  52. 52.

    bluefoot

    wow, seeing Joe Biden angry was illuminating. He’s truly pissed at the resurgence of white supremacy and how Trump doesn’t even try to do the job.

    Both of them knocked it out of the park. It was a affirmative message, not just against Trump. Talking about not just dealing with the pandemic and the economy and jobs, but expanding justice and fighting climate change. Doing more than just fixing where we are. I like that. Even though fixing things (not to mention needed Truth and Reconciliation committees…and indictments) is going to be a monumental effort.

  53. 53.

    Skepticat

    I didn’t see it but am not certain I even have to. These two already have shown us their authentic selves right along. I am so pleased that Joe makes it clear that he doesn’t need fawning loyalists and he doesn’t hold grudges. I’m very enthusiastic about this ticket though neither was my initial first choice. They give me hope.

  54. 54.

    UncleEbeneezer

    @zhena gogolia: Cauvin is also one of the best regular guests on TheBlackGuyWhoTips podcast.  His visits are always hilarious and pretty excellent political analysis too.

  55. 55.

    cmorenc

    @The Moar You Know:

    what Harris would do to Pence is probably a war crime.

    I don’t think there’s any international or US law that criminalizes whittling down a wooden puppet into a broken toothpick.  But I could be wrong.

  57. 57.

    cmorenc

    @Skepticat:

    I didn’t see it but am not certain I even have to.

    Trust us.  You need to – it will brighten up your entire next 83 days.  It exceeded our fondest expectations by quite a bit – Harris is the real deal, MUCH better than I ever expected, even though I went in with positive expectations.  And Biden was in reassuring fine form as well.

  58. 58.

    Tom Q

    @zhena gogolia: Glad to see this mentioned.  I don’t mean to dismiss Cooper — she does a great mime show — but she’s getting about 10 times the media mention Cauvin is, and Cauvin’s achievement is double-barrelled: a spectacular impression (puts Alec Baldwin’s to shame) and fresh, often hilarious material every time.

  59. 59.

    Ruckus

    @The Moar You Know:

    Shitforbrains doesn’t have the balls and while he’s not real sharp at any time, he’d have to be the idiot I’ve been calling him to take a swipe at Joe. Joe may be older, but he’s actually the shape of a human being and pretty damn good for his age, not a butter cow struggling to stand on it’s hind legs.

  61. 61.

    Subsole

     

    @Mary G:

    Expect those old white dudes to go full Cornell West on him now that they don’t control who gets invited to the cookout.

    Speaking of, what DOES Brother Cornell have to say about Brother Trump’s Willie Horton revamp? Anyone heard?

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