One way to tell that something is good? You want more! The viewers of the Democratic National Convention know exactly what that felt like on Friday night a day after the Democrats broke camp in Chicago and headed back to their districts and campaigns: we wanted more. That's how good it was.
Each night nearly 22 million of us on average tuned in on TV (countless more streamed it) to a Hollywood production of a contemporary real life Broadway play. Everything was perfect, the cast, the script, the off-script stuff, the delivery, the score, the cinematography, the multi-media, the set, and the crowd. It was an inspiring, entertaining and clever experience to take in.
Fortunately, there was no time for a hangover after the parties ended. As inbound planes from Chicago landed around the country, energized delegates and voters learned the Democratic National Convention indeed drew more viewers each night than Trump’s dark carnival of doom a month earlier in Milwaukee. The strawberry on top was Vice President Harris attracting more eyeballs than Trump did in the keynote speaking spot.
As the momentum out of Chicago held through the middle of weekend, Democrats were again jolted by news the Harris-Walz campaign raised $82 million the week of the convention, bringing the total amount raised since Vice President Harris launched her campaign to a whopping $540 million in contributions. For perspective, according to Trump's last reported fundraising figures, the GOP candidate's campaign and affiliated PACs announced raised $138.7 million in July and Trump had $327 million in cash on hand at the start of August. It was a great week. It's been a great month.
An uprising of the individual mind and spirit has exploded into a movement of the many. Harris-Walz has signed up nearly 400,000 volunteers since Vice President Harris launched her campaign. Electrified Democrats are taking the initiative at every level. The Harris-Walz campaign is pushing aggressively into states like Georgia and Nebraska, keeping Trump off balance and having to play catch-up. Senate and House candidates are putting into play states and districts that at the very least had been tilting Republican. Democrats are indeed playing offense heading into Labor Day.
At the core of this movement is the fight to preserve democracy, protect the Constitution of the United States, ensure individual rights and choices, and enable Americans' continued pursuit of happiness.
It was around this time two years ago when President Biden spoke the words "semi-facism" to describe a GOP overrun by Trump, theocratic extremists, white nationalists, and billionaire oligarchs. Most anyone who has watched President Biden over a half century in government recognized the magnitude of his choice of words, but the tipping point was the Supreme Court's ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization two months earlier that ended 50 years of womens' constitutionally protected reproductive rights. A polite institutionalist like Joe Biden had to have walked some long miles in his head and heart to get to the point of calling the Republicans semi-fascists, but it was a necessary escalation that recognized the strength and capability of the enemies of democracy.
The following months, Democrats took their fight against fascist and anti-democratic Republicans out for a good test run in the 2022 midterm elections. Pro-democracy Democrats followed up with a dramatic and consequential string of victories in special elections, the 2023 off-year elections and ballot initiatives. We take those lessons learned seriously as our coalition engages now in the showdown with Trump himself, and let there be no doubt that the Democrats have the high ground in this dispute.
Vice President Kamala Harris is the only pure pro-democracy candidate for president on any ballot. Gov. Tim Walz is the only pure pro-democracy candidate for vice president on any ballot. Trump and Vance are obviously a clear and present danger to American democracy and the Constitution, aided and abetted knowingly or unknowingly (it does not matter which) by third party candidates.
There has not been a single workable new innovation, idea or proposal by any third party presidential candidate in this election. Not a single third party presidential candidate has shown even a modicum of meaningful support from voters. There is no one on the planet who can chart a roadmap to victory for any third party presidential candidate in this election. When conspiracy theorists and people who just won't take yes for an answer outnumber altruists, leftists, and libertarians among your supporters, are you really running a legitimate insurgent campaign? Well, ask the guy who's ballot access depends on GOP lawyers, the lady who is mobbed up with Putin, or the lost soul who might not have a seat at his family's Thanksgiving Dinner table this year.
The Democrats’ big tent has done the most to try to make third party candidates irrelevant. Think about it. If you're a progressive, who is more likely to get results on climate change and wage fairness, a third party Trump asset, or the Justice Democrats? Looking for rugged individualism with a conscience? The Democrats have a cowboy rancher who hangs with Pearl Jam. If your values are ‘roll up your sleeves and get it done’ American pragmatism, who do you trust, Vance or prairie populist (and neighbor you wish you had), Gov. Tim Walz?
It's a big tent. It was evident at the convention. Nine weeks out from election day is a good time to get involved. If you sign up with a local candidate, the hands-on work you do will flow upward. Joining a strong regional or statewide campaign will generate positive results up and down the ballot. If you get on board with the top of the ticket you will be part of the umbrella that most of the party infrastructure is relying on. It’s all right there. Nobody is going to say no to honest, committed campaign volunteers.
And make no mistake, just because it will take a lot of work and some sacrifice doesn't mean it won't be fun too. As we just saw, the Democrats’ joy offensive at their convention freaked out Trump, Fox News and The New York Times all at once. If smiles and joy are a burr under Trump’s saddle, let's help him ride that horse until he gets thrown off. It will be fun.
Written by Ken Bazinet, a former White House correspondent, has covered three presidents and five presidential elections. Still writing, he works with organizations and individuals that focus on opening and expanding ballot access to Black, Latino, Women, Native American, pro-worker and rural voters. He is third generation organized labor.
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