Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

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

The arc of the moral universe does not bend itself. it is up to us to bend it.

Trump’s cabinet: like a magic 8 ball that only gives wrong answers.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

“A king is only a king if we bow down.” – Rev. William Barber

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

Lick the third rail, it tastes like chocolate!

In my day, never was longer.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

Their shamelessness is their super power.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

Books are my comfort food!

The revolution will be supervised.

Cancel the cowardly Times and Post and set up an equivalent monthly donation to ProPublica.

Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!

Republicans do not trust women.

At some point, the ability to learn is a factor of character, not IQ.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Open Thread: Democratic National Convention

Open Thread: Democratic National Convention

by | 331 Comments

This post is in: , ,

No one has put up a DNC thread yet? Well I guess this is it.

I’ll look for a good live feed and update this thread when I find it.
Try this one. Let me know if it works or not.

Open thread

Reader Interactions

331Comments

  2. 2.

    Starfish

    Is Meg Whitman the surprise Republican guest? She is irrelevant, and I do not like. The tech leaders as wannabe politicians thing needs to be over.

  4. 4.

    Cheryl Rofer

    We also have lots of good stuff, including live feeds, at the upper right on the desktop version. I think in the “hamburger” on the phone version.

    Many thanks to WaterGirl.

  6. 6.

    Elizabelle

    Lock and Load.  The Drinking McCloskeys are in the news.  WaPost.

    The St. Louis couple who became famous after wielding guns at protesters on their private street will be part of the largely digital Republican National Convention next week, Trump advisers said this week.

    The couple — Patricia and Mark McCloskey — will appear on behalf of the president during the virtual weeklong event and express their support for him, the officials said.

    A spokesman for the convention declined to comment on the appearance

  9. 9.

    Elizabelle

    Found this while I was logging onto C-Span.  It’s our first “Pioneer.”

    Hillary Clinton on America’s Role in World

    Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed U.S. global leadership and foreign policy at a virtual event hosted by the Atlantic Council. In addition, she was asked about the global response to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 elections, U.S. policy toward China, Middle East peace and the top priorities of the next administration. Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe moderated the conversation.

    C-Span link for Hillary.

  10. 10.

    Elizabelle

    @Baud:   They won’t be recognizable without their guns and the pink polo shirt.  And the big beer heiress mansion behind them.

  12. 12.

    lamh36

    FYI, if you have ROKU tv. There is a DNC Convention Channel and it’s gonna be livestreaming the Convention daily.

    Just search for DNC 2020

  17. 17.

    Another Scott

    I’m listening to the CrookedMedia feed while I do other things.  The first couple of minutes have been good.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  24. 24.

    laura

    The dogs bark but the caravan rolls on.

    I have no need for Meg Whitman or John fuckhim Kasich, and I’ll be looking for each and every Forever FLOTUS clip and analysis. I’m voting a straight party ticket. I’m jazzed/stoked to do my part to elect Biden/Harris and reject trump. But I can’t see spending the evening watching a zoom meeting.

  25. 25.

    TS (the original)

    This is so well done – not that I expected less. Designed & presented by competent and caring people

  27. 27.

    dmsilev

    Montage of kids singing the anthem. From all states, plus PR, VI, and the Cherokee Nation (and maybe some others I missed). Nicely done.

  34. 34.

    dmsilev

    @Elizabelle: Killing off two hours worth of “From the great state of (insert-state-here), we proudly cast our votes for (candidate)” is a definite plus.

  38. 38.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Martin: Boehner has said it’s not him, had a spokesperson say he’s staying the hell out of this campaign. I think he might actually have been talking about Molinari

    ETA: Boehner spox on speculation he might be the Republican set to endorse Biden: “The answer is no. I think he’d rather set himself on fire than get involved in the election. Nothing to see here.”

    that was a really good version of the anthem, in my un-musical opinion

  41. 41.

    Yutsano

    This is looking so smooth and professional. Nothing like the possible dumpster ? that will be next week.

    Side note: my phone automatically suggests flames after dumpster. It’s getting to know me too well.

  42. 42.

    germy

    We don’t have cable TV, so my wife was watching on youtube, but the ABC news feed.

    Those fuckers are interrupting the convention, for “brilliant analysis” from people like Chris Christie!

    Thank you for this msnbc link; we’re watching it now.  They’re actually showing it in its entirety.

  43. 43.

    Adam L Silverman

    @dmsilev: I don’t mean to be politically incorrect or anything, but we need to be honest, not all the states can be great. Some have to be good, a lot have to be average, and, of course, states like Mississippi are definitely below average.

  45. 45.

    RaflW

    This PA farmer is a great choice (no snark). So far all the ‘regular folks’ have been good.

  46. 46.

    Yutsano

    Of the people, by the people, and for the people indeed! The diversity of humans giving stories is just amazing.

  47. 47.

    PsiFighter37

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Boehner probably just sits at home, golfs, and smokes a ton of cigars and gets lit on awful red wine every day. He was less than useless as House Speaker.

    Crazy to think he was Orange Julius, before that clown in the White House with an even wackier tan showed up.

  48. 48.

    dmsilev

    @Yutsano: They’ve given some real thought about lighting and sound for all of the ordinary-folks-calling-in. As pretty much everyone who has been living the video teleconference lifestyle can testify, that’s not trivial to do well. Not impossible of course, but it takes planning and forethought.

  50. 50.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    We know that first business owner and his business very well. It’s a small village restaurant and catering business. We aren’t going out to eat but we’ve seen that he’s open, with outdoor tables.

  52. 52.

    RaflW

    @germy: PBS broke away too. So I launched Cspan on the computer. I don’t need the first 4 minutes of the Convention ‘analyzed’ for me. Sheesh.

  56. 56.

    PsiFighter37

    I am going to have to watch the speeches during the morning when I wake up…with a young kid these days, I can’t stay up until 11 PM anymore…not with a hard 6 AM wakeup time.

  58. 58.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @PsiFighter37: that’s not fair, I’m sure somebody with his lobbying contacts and the pot business has a decent red as his daily tipple, and at least a couple of beers after golf

  60. 60.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Gwen Moore is great! I’ve not been aware of her, but she’s a hoot. I say that in the most loving and respectful way. Will have to pay more attention to her.

  72. 72.

    germy

    @RaflW:  I don’t need the first 4 minutes of the Convention ‘analyzed’ for me. Sheesh.

    They love the sound of their own voices.

  79. 79.

    Another Scott

    The Crooked feed (on the sidebar) is very good.  I’m just listening, but no interruptions for analysis and interpretations.

    Bruuuce’s “Rise Up” was just used very effectively. [eta:] or The Rising or whatever.  ;-)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  83. 83.

    Martin

    @dmsilev: Yeah, it’s not really hard or expensive, but it’s a specific expertise that not many people (relative to those that suddenly need it) have. A couple hundred bucks gets you a pretty professional setup.

    I have to think it’s a lot less work to get these folks setup than it is to organize a physical convention. Large events like that are such serial undertakings, so you have to do it so rapidly, and there are so many moving parts.

  85. 85.

    lamh36

    Honestly, I like the format minus the cheers or boos or near silence of an audience, plus ya know it’ll end on time!

    I like the opening and I like the use of Eva Longoria as a sort of MC

    @WaterGirl: Yup, I’m watching on my Roku TV.

  90. 90.

    WaterGirl

    I am watching at the Crooked Media link (top right) and I also have CSPAN on the TV at the same time.  They are covering identical stuff, no pulling away for other junk on CSPAN.

  97. 97.

    MisterForkbeard

    I’m attending the first parent/teacher conference of the year, having to do with how school is supposed to work for my kindergartener. How’s this going for everyone else – good to watch, or just eh?

  100. 100.

    Yutsano

    George Floyd’s brother is amazingly powerful just from speaking his pain.

    #SayTheirNames

  102. 102.

    Elizabelle

    These lovely gentlemen were in Richmond VA just a few weeks back.  At the Robert E. Lee Monument.

  103. 103.

    dmsilev

    @Martin: I’m sure the Republicans will do just fine next week. All they need to do is mail the right equipment to their speakers.

    Oh, wait…

  104. 104.

    piratedan

    i can understand why they’re trotting out GOP name holders.  Doing their best to indicate just how beyond the pale rump is, for any of those folks still too embarrassed to come right out and state that they will not vote for Trump.  These folks are designed to give those folks cover, to let them know that they are not alone.

    Its not a biggie for me but it plays the bipartisan card that so many inside the beltway must be played in the name of bipartisanship (Democrats only edition) to give these asshats one less hypocritcal card to play.

    We know who our team is and know what they hope to do and this is day one, nothing wrong with recognizing that there is a common opponent imho.

  107. 107.

    Yutsano

    I have no idea who this singer is but I like. Plus saxophone!

    EDIT: thank you MomSense! I’m way out of touch with pop music.

  109. 109.

    Kay

    Why must I listen to Chris Christie? I had hoped he’d be serving his sentence.

    Think how quiet it will be when we finally crack down on white collar crime.

  110. 110.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Leon!

    @Yutsano: Leon Bridges.  Your homework is to listen to as much of his work as possible before tomorrow.  You will thank me.

  112. 112.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @MisterForkbeard: A balm for the soul. A couple of hours of peace and hope, a rest from the steady diet of rage and despair. A reminder of just how many we are, and what good people we have on our side.

     

    Michelle will be the icing on top of that. Just her existence helps.

  118. 118.

    cain

    @Adam L Silverman:

    They will always be average until they kick Republicans out – and get some folks who can help focus on the issues that the state of Mississippi need addressing.

  132. 132.

    Yutsano

    “We have to not settle down.” John Lewis is smiling from the next existence from that.

  138. 138.

    MisterForkbeard

    @WaterGirl: Durn. I’ll have to watch it after this is over.

    I’ll save commentary on remote Kindergarten for an open thread, but it’s interesting. Glad to hear they’re taking it seriously and have though through how to keep kids engaged for 3 hours a day.

  141. 141.

    CaseyL

    OK, can we have this kind of convention from now on, even after we can gather in person again?  This is really really good.

    Losing the crowd and crowd noise is a plus.  I would say, an unmitigated plus.

  142. 142.

    lamh36

    @WaterGirl: Tracee Ellis Ross is an Emmy-nominated, Golden Globe winning actress for her role on ABC show Black-ish and is actually pretty well known Black actress/personality in her own right, but some folk may know her mother Diana Ross.

  146. 146.

    lamh36

    @bevysmith

    ·
    42s

    James Clyburn is calling out the racist history of South Carolina, it needs to be said! My Dad is from South Carolina & when he came back after serving in World War 2 he was unable to find work, he had to come North! #DNC2020

  147. 147.

    Yutsano

    @CaseyL:  I agree. This is lifting me up even more than a noisy crowd ever crowd. Except I would like the nominees to have that crowd.

  150. 150.

    germy

    @lamh36:  She recently starred in a movie about a singer (did her own vocals and very well) but it got lost when covid closed the theaters.

  158. 158.

    Patricia Kayden

    My guess is that there will be a lot of theater criticism about how weird this looks compared to previous conventions, but the weirdness is a reminder that we can't have a normal convention bc Trump is a terrible President that failed to prepare for and respond to the virus— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) August 18, 2020

  163. 163.

    lamh36

    @CaseyL: Agreed.

    @Purify_toast17

    ·
    21s

    One good thing about this virtual convention is we don’t have to see people in the crowd with their arms folded, face all scrunched up, acting a fool, mouth downturned, disgruntled boos etc etc. They can just cut to the next screen real quick.

  169. 169.

    dmsilev

    Cuomo pointing out that Trump is just a symptom. The GOP and the conservative movement are the disease.

  170. 170.

    Doug R

    @PsiFighter37:

     

    Boehner probably just sits at home, golfs, and smokes a ton of cigars and gets lit on awful red wine every day. He was less than useless as House Speaker.

    Crazy to think he was Orange Julius, before that clown in the White House with an even wackier tan showed up.

    Boehner is an investor in a legal weed company. Someone’s got to test the product

  172. 172.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @germy: great lin

    ETA:” Of course we will wear masks, because we are smart, and because I care about you an you care about me”

  173. 173.

    lamh36

    @juliaioffe

    I think a lot of political journalists are feeling frustrated because this American schlock was always the bread and butter of political conventions, but we were too busy schmoozing and reporting to pay attention until the keynotes. Now we have to watch everything. #DemConvention

    8:40 PM · Aug 17, 2020

  184. 184.

    jnfr

    @MisterForkbeard:

    I got totally sappy at the opening with people and kids singing, and that was embarrassing. Then they had a prayer to Jesus and I was able to get suitably cranky again.

    Regular people and music are great. BLM segment was really necessary. I’m liking it so far.

  194. 194.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @jnfr:

    I got totally sappy at the opening with people and kids singing, and that was embarrassing. Then they had a prayer to Jesus and I was able to get suitably cranky again

    come sit six feet away, et cetera et cetera. I get that we’re a minority so I roll my eyes and roll with it, but it was unpleasant jolt to me, too, after one of the best renditions of the anthem (which so often… is not well done) I’ve heard in a long time.

  196. 196.

    NotMax

    Talking about her father who died from COVID-19. “His only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump.”

    Bullseye.

  197. 197.

    Elizabelle

    Will put up the link tomorrow morning.  Sharon Stone (actress) lost her grandmother to COVID; her sister and BIL are suffering from it now.

    She put up a video (twitter??)  advocating voting for Biden.

  202. 202.

    Another Scott

    Kristen brings the truth.

    This is a great presentation.  Inspiring, unafraid to tell the truth.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  203. 203.

    Omnes Omnibus

    I was hoping for red, white, and blue hair from Rapinoe.  That’s it.  I am voting Stein.

  204. 204.

    Elizabelle

    Love Megan’s purple hair. It suits her.

    Loving this Vietnamese-American nurse.

    “We know there’s a Round Two coming.”  *shiver

  206. 206.

    germy

    @Betty Cracker:  The networks that cut away for their own babbling analysis don’t understand that the speeches from our regular citizens are just as powerful as the big names.

  209. 209.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Elizabelle:

    I’m loving the stories, and the infinite number of beautiful colours we humans come in. The Dems are doing a very good job.

  210. 210.

    Adam L Silverman

    Good!

  212. 212.

    NotMax

    @Baud

    Diff’rent strokes. I find it both too busy and too blah. Doesn’t ‘pop,’ just sort of sits there.

  214. 214.

    The Moar You Know

    Cuomo pointing out that Trump is just a symptom. The GOP and the conservative movement are the disease.

    @dmsilev:  Good on him for pointing that out.  IF we win, a lot of people are going to take the attitude that the war is over and we can all go home.  When in reality, it’s just starting.  We’re going to be fighting these people for the rest of my life, and I’m not that old.  It’s gonna be long.  But we have to do it and we have to win.

  216. 216.

    Barbara

    Lacking a leader who cares. Yep. Thanks Michelle Boyle from my hometown for telling it like it is.

  217. 217.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    If you love Megan Rapinoe, then you’ll love this touching and badass podcast she recently did on ESPN (link)

  221. 221.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Elizabelle: Here you go:

  224. 224.

    lamh36

    Hmmm…good to know –>

     

    @AlGiordano · 1m Keep in mind watching the convention show that ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX are only doing the next hour live. The first hour was for cable news junkies and party faithful. The next hour the show will likely up its game.

  226. 226.

    jnfr

    I’m feeling sappy again. I want to feel more hopeful than I do. I think that’s why Biden pulled head, really. I mean, not because of =me=, but you know.

  230. 230.

    TS (the original)

    @WaterGirl:

    Thank you for the side links, I just go there, select the day/event & click on  watch the livestream. No commentary, no ads.

    And I’m still impressed with the technology – I knew they could do it – but this is beyond excellence.

  231. 231.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    Love the locations they’ve put people in, not just a bunch of home offices on Zoom. This is about as slick a live event as you could produce in the era of Covid.

  232. 232.

    MisterForkbeard

    @lamh36: It appears to be getting a lot of attention from news orgs.

    Also a lot of screeching from Trumpists yelling about how Democrats are just about hate, ignoring the previous hour of hopeful messages.

  233. 233.

    West of the Cascades

    I am really enjoying this, in a way I never have previous conventions. Not having a live audience lets the messages of the people speaking come through more intimately and clearly, and the music interludes have been pitch-perfect so far

    Having to actually listen to what people are saying amplifies the Democrats’ message. By contrast, without mindless screaming acolytes (and a virtual convention tossed together over three weeks), the Trump convention is going to suck balls when you actually can hear what their messages are.

  241. 241.

    Another Scott

    @SiubhanDuinne: Yup, we need to win everywhere.  Joe can’t do it alone.  (As we all know, but people watching need to take it to heart too.)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  242. 242.

    HumboldtBlue

    Bruce, the bike-riding community involved 60-plus Census worker just knocked on my door to remind me about the census and he was thorough.

    Listened to me as I stammered “snorgle-did-it-borgle-florgle-got-it-right-here” and then made sure I was a confirmed contact.

    I gave Bruce a real piece of my thanks.

  244. 244.

    aliasofwestgate

    I may live in WI now, but i helped vote Gov Whitmer into office when I lived in MI and i’m glad of it. XD  She remains awesome.

  247. 247.

    Elizabelle

    Bret “Bedbug” Stephens might be on board.

    Headline at the FTF NY Times.  Have not read the column.

    On Being a Biden Conservative
    It’s about upholding your principles at the expense of your politics.

  252. 252.

    NotMax

    WaterGirl, humbly suggest you specify in the sidebar that it’s C-SPAN Radio Live Stream, so as not to confuse with the video stream also linked there, a bit above.

  266. 266.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Baud: Welp, gotta admit I’m slightly curious about who they got from the Republican end. Whitman and Kasich aren’t that interesting.

  275. 275.

    MisterForkbeard

    @germy: That one crazy Democratic congresswoman from Florida, maybe? The one that keeps winning with lots of Republican money but is just batshit insane and also loves Trump?

    EDIT: Maybe Nina Turner or Briahna Joy Gray? I’m sure both of them would LOVE the chance.

  276. 276.

    cain

    I hope that the ratings are noted because we can literally do an attack ad that simply crows about how much bigger our ratings are.

  277. 277.

    TaMara (HFG)

    I’m liking this (and MSNBC has been unobtrusive).

    These Republicans for Biden are good. No matter what you think of them – they aren’t talking to us, anyway.

  281. 281.

    Adam L Silverman

    So the freak out about letting the four Republicans talk was sound and fury signifying nothing. It was short, sweet, and to the point. And the cognitive hook for Republican leaning Independents and on the fence Republicans in terms of giving them permission to go ahead and vote for Biden to put country over party is worth the five minutes or so it took on the program.

  286. 286.

    Marcopolo

    Evening everyone. This format is working much better than I thought it would. Don’t miss the crowd stuff at all. And it’s moving a lot faster. I’m also really liking the short speeches—no doubt because my attention span has been destroyed by modern society :).

    Anyways, the only downside is I did not prepare adequately. I totally forgot to buy snacks of any kind to munch on while I watch.

    Also too, you think a live crowd would have booed Kasich off the floor after his AOC comments?

  291. 291.

    Baud

    Damn, all these Republicans are all white.  Such a contrast from the Dem part of the convention..

  297. 297.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    These short speeches are effective;  they’re direct and straight to the point.

  306. 306.

    trnc

    @germy:

    Will trump get any democrats to speak at his convention?

    Maybe Alan Dershowitz.

    Does he still call himself a democrat? If so, I would really prefer he switch parties.

  307. 307.

    Another Scott

    I know it’s too much to expect that these Republicans will actually do more than say that it’s all Donnie’s fault, that there’s nothing wrong with the GOP.  But, still, it’s grating when they say that it’s not about party, that we all have to be respectful and listen to each other and find a better way forward and…

    Still, it’s good that they’re willing to speak up against Donnie.  And I recognize I’m not the audience.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  314. 314.

    mrmoshpotato

    PBS is now taking to reporters.  Switching to Joe Biden’s YouTube stream.

    Senator Klobuchar is up.

  315. 315.

    trnc

    @germy: He made a career on Fox being the “even the democrats say” guy.

    Yeah, but when was the last time Dersh was caught on camera saying anything most democrats actually say?

  320. 320.

    Kay

    @lamh36:

    I do give them credit. I, for one, would have trouble doing it.

    I had an R (female) judge tell me she’s voting for Biden today. “I just hope he doesn’t go too far LEFT”

    I wasn’t feeling generous enough to reassure her. I’m not her mom.

  322. 322.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Adam L Silverman: I bet they might do it. They’re scrambling to put something together for the convention, and they’re behind by a lot in the polls. “Put Tara Reade back in the news” is probably a good idea for them, given the situation.

    She’s full of shit, but it gives them another run at Biden and to pretend that Biden’s a rapist, Kamala doesn’t care, etc and to do it on a national platform that will get a lot of media attention.

  327. 327.

    Marcopolo

    As I listen to Wilmer I picture him leaning out of an open window of some high rise trying to talk one of his more fervent supporters off the ledge & into the voting booth. Hope it works!

  328. 328.

    trnc

    @MisterForkbeard:

    “Put Tara Reade back in the news” is probably a good idea for them, given the situation.

    She’s full of shit, but it gives them another run at Biden and to pretend that Biden’s a rapist, Kamala doesn’t care, etc and to do it on a national platform that will get a lot of media attention.

    She got a lot of media attention a few months ago, and it didn’t really work out for her. I doubt she moves the needle if she gets  a spot.

  330. 330.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    Powerful choice of closing song. Raising those echoes of 1968 many of us have been feeling all year. And I saw at least one peace sign.

  331. 331.

    MisterForkbeard

    @trnc: The goal would be to get the media talking about it again, which they’d do.

    But it might still backfire tremendously.

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