Life of Wry

I was going to write about the fires, air quality, yellow air, red sun and brown sky, the heat… but never mind.

I’m feeling a different fire, so want to say a couple things about that.

I’ll leave it to pundits and wonky wonks to distill the last four days of the Democratic National Convention, which I watched start to finish, all 8 hours plus the pre and post game shows. Definitely some rough points, misses, awkward transitions and such. But 90% worked for me. They pulled together a great narrative, covered a lot of bases, told Joe’s story well. Seems like they picked their main themes and then pounded them and did so strategically and effectively.

I have a full on reason to vote FOR him. Not against Trmp. In my heart of hearts but also deep into the most discerning part of my brain, I feel like he strikes the right tone and balance for government work, and especially for these times. I WANT a government guy. I LIKE the idea of government. I like how it’s SUPPOSED to work. I WANT someone who knows how to put together a team and then listens to them and makes reasoned decisions. I like the structure and accountability of a functioning bureaucracy.

I am desperate for a head of government that honors the process, works it, knows how to count votes and compromise and I can live with the chip chip chip of progress.

Most important to me, though, is having a president who is a president for everyone. Which means he can’t be just the president of me. Much as I personally want our country to take a hard left turn, I’m willing to get to better places in a way that doesn’t further the divide. I believe it’s in everybody’s interest to have an Elizabeth Warren government, but I’m willing to live under a Joe Biden middle spot in the interest of having everybody feel like government listens to and serves them.  I just want it to be just. I want the fights to be fair.  I want a leader who is decent and truthful, smart, engaged and one who understands and respects government.  I want someone I trust.

I don’t think anybody could have met this moment any better. I wish Joe were about 10 years younger, but other than that, he’s the perfect anti-Trump. Kamala checks a lot of boxes — in the strategic ways of presidential campaigns — and if she remains honorable and applies her considerable intellectual chops to the task, I think they’re formidable. I think most of their tendrils extend leftward and they will be open minded and open hearted and I think we can get there. I think conversations that need to happen will happen. And there are a lot of those conversations. I trust.

With a flipped Senate and Nancy in the house (if she stays in the job), we can make some progress.

I am so hopeful.

And…. I can’t wait to read this in a year.

I could write a book about that convention and a dozen of its most brilliant touches. Even as I know it was a lot of preaching to a desperate, starved choir..  it still inspired and affirmed. And I leave feeling certain about my support for Biden.. which I wasn’t before.

So.. how ’bout a young Beau and Joe baseball photo…