Basement House Party Vibes at the DNC
my analysis of how the Dems became "cool" at the most desperate moment of all time
Two drunk sisters in the kitchen on Christmas Day, IJBOLing and having a blast.
[You may be thinking “Stidrill, why are you writing about the election? Are you okay?” The answer is YES, I’m loving the show. Readers, please proceed!!!]
I’m not proud of it, but on a dark day about five weeks ago I watched a news segment from a Trump rally and thought, “I sort of get it.” This was after Trump was shot, and of course, before Biden stepped down. It was probably the same day Biden was being trotted out to do post-debate damage control and instead called Zelensky “Putin” and Kamala Harris “Vice President Trump”. Things were miserable. I remember listening to some white lady from Arkansas in a turquoise MAGA hat say she was voting red because she wanted her adult children to be stable enough to move out of her house, to have children of their own, to feel in control of their lives. She seemed decent, real, her concerns genuine and personal. I also thought: it’s annoying how fucking cool that stupid hat is. The Dems lack swag, they lack merch. I was simply planning on not voting. I know I’m not the only one.
Enter Kamala, not yet 60, impeccably-suited in “coconut brown” with a “bad bitch” image tailor-made for ethnic auntie WhatsApp groups, by her side the most progressive white man VP candidate she could muster, and we’re in an entirely new era overnight. Prosecutor vs. felon. California vs. New. York. Beautiful powerful modern woman vs creepy old man. For better or for worse, what could be more American than these prototypes? The optics of the moment could not be more prime for political theater. Complete whiplash: the rejuvenation of the left is palpable nationwide, Nancy Pelosi, one of the most universally hated liberals, is suddenly an iconic mob boss. Nobody seems to care that perhaps she pulled some strings to cinch her legacy in time for the release of her memoir, The Art of Power. Please, a moment for this cover, it’s giving SAUCY POLITICAL THRILLER:
We’re two nights into the Democratic National Convention and the three speeches I’ve found most affecting are Joe Biden’s from Night 1, and Doug Emhoff and Michelle Obama’s from Night 2. Odd, considering two of these people are not running for office, and one of them is the old guy I was refusing to vote for last month:
Joe “Too young for the senate, too old to be President” Robinette Biden
Even if Biden did need all of the United Center to hold giant “WE LOVE JOE” signs and cheer him on anytime he lost track of what he was saying, he gave an impassioned speech that cemented his legacy as Selfless Gov Worker and Randomly Progressive Guy. Never before in my life have I watched a man run victory laps after stepping down from his job. He should not have submitted a bid for re-election in the first place, but him setting an unprecedented example as a US politician realizing he’s too old, and too out of touch, to serve the American people??? Yass queen. THE NEW NORMAL, PERHAPS??
Doug “Chile Relleno and Plastic Covered Sofas” Emhoff
My boomer Latina mom texted me last night, “Who is Doug? He’s cute!” and then again, after his speech, “I love him!” And that’s why he’s up here. Isn’t it bizarre how these conventions become family affairs— I’m thinking about how they trotted out Trump’s granddaughter to talk about what a regular degular grandfather he is? I guess one of only ways to humanize these wheelin’ an dealin’ politicians is to get someone they live with to talk about what they’re like when they’re not at work. Good ol’ Jewish American Doug from NJ, talking about how Kamala makes a “mean brisket” that brings him back to his grandmother’s apartment in Brooklyn— “you know, the one with the plastic-covered couches,” he says, aligning himself with all types of working class metro area immigrant families in a single clichéd image. He also talks about Kamala’s delicious “chile rellenos” she makes for Christmas, and opts not to explain why Kamala, a Black South-Asian woman, is an expert in Mexican cooking. Iconic move, though puzzling. That’s just AMERICA in a nutshell, the melting pot, etc, I think that was the point, right? Would love to chat with the speechwriter he collaborated with to find out more.
Michelle “Do Something” Obama
She looked amazing from head to toe, and spoke with such intention and conviction for the entire twenty minutes I understand why so many pine for her to run for president. After listening to her ratio Trump and implore us to actively campaign in community, I was so moved and TBH, entirely disinterested in hearing Barack’s speech after that. There is an ickiness to seeing the elite-aligned establishment borrow the rhetoric of movement workers of the progressive left— no one at the DNC has yet to demand the US stop funding Israel or called for a Free Palestine (and I doubt they will— as long as we’re stuck in this two-party system our country’s immoral international policy rings non-negotiable)— but it’s also desperately true that here at home, there is so much work left to be done, and so many people to power it. *Clap emoji* LET’S *clap emoji* GO *clap emoji* BOOMERS! No more passive MSNBC watching allowed! *fire emoji*
If the USA were a high school (and it is, obviously), the Democratic National Convention would be considered the “party of the year.” I don’t know how they pulled this off. Not too long ago the MAGA crowd, with their prep aesthetic and iconic hats, laid claim not just to the flag, but to a slice of that classic American “coolness” factor that sells ideas and moves people. Well, now Abercrombie and Fitch belongs to US. Us includes you, me, Beyoncé, Addison Rae, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars in their new music video for that end of the world song, etc. We even got a good hat, even though Chappell Roan did it first. Sprinkle in some party guests like Jack Schlossberg, Ella Emhoff, Lil’ Jon doing Roll Call, and, as a joke I guess, the cast of Scandal, and it’s like a real fucking rager. This convention may be the most convincing political chess move I’ve been witness to as long as I’ve been paying attention. There’s still two more nights for cringe opportunities (I COULDN’T BELIEVE THEY PLAYED FIGHT SONG WHEN HILLARY WALKED OFF- seeing her felt like a bad throwback) but I felt inspired to reflect on this in live time because wow, what a time to be alive in this country. Forgive me for saying, but finally, the nonsense feels a little FUN.
💕💕💕