Denver as Metaphor

You will remember that the story going in to the Convention was that of a party divided.  The wounds of the Democratic primary for some 27% of Hillaryland remained undressed, and terms like "PUMA" and "discontent", dominated interviews.  As the Delegates began to arrive in the Mile High and anticipation began to rise, it was puzzling to me that Obama would give two of four full days to Bill and Hillary.  The media narrative echoed with ill portents of floor fights or the dangerous chance that a begrudging, unvetted speech by the Clintons could cost Obama the election.

Nonetheless, over the course of those four days, all fears were mightily assuaged.  On Monday, Michelle Obama introduced the family, the kids, her husband, as not some strange "other", but as a deeply American family dedicated to each other, their community, their nation.  On Tuesday, Hillary, in a daring, powerful, and emotional speech that will arguably go down as the best of her career, she challenged all of her supporters  to transcend personality, face the future and embrace Obama with open arms.  The emotional content of that speech cannot be overstated.  For her supporters in the hall it was a mix of emancipation and redemption, acceptance suffused with, frankly, hope.  It opened the way and released the spirits of Hillary's supporters.  It was an incredibly powerful experience for Democrats everywhere.
Hillary's speech, however, didn't close the deal.  That job was left to Bill, who on Wednesday upstaged Joe Biden with his billion dollar charisma and instant emotional connection.  He pointedly, forcefully, gracefully guided delegates beyond mere acceptance of the reality of Obama's candidacy deep into the terrain of corporeal excitement.  On policy, on qualification, on personal vouchsafe, Bill made it possible for Democrats to come together as one, in anticipation of the main event:  Obama at Invesco. Field.

To be at Invesco that Thursday night was to be at eye of the storm of history.  Obama established himself as the leader Progressives, Democrats, Americans need to lead at this critical time.  He extolled his qualifications, itemized his powerful agenda, denounced the petty politics of the culture wars and began a conversation on issues in which all Americans of good conscience could engage.

Combined, the four days of the DNC in Denver amounted to a party coming together.  Fears were assuaged, wounds healed, battles reconciled, and a new way forward cleared by a leader ready to re-embrace the fundamental American virtues of aspiration, empathy, and responsibility long betrayed by the angry right.

It was magnificent political theater.  Each of dozens, hundreds, thousands of players came together to common cause.  In retrospect, the experience proves something immensely powerful: that unity is possible.  There are still some who have their own reasons for remaining apart.  On the whole, however, the party emerged from Denver united as never before, old slights gone, a new way forward embraced and united in a fight for the future.  

The fact that a party can be united, was united, is evidence that this politically divided nation can come together as well.  What was orchestrated in 4 days for a party, could take 4 years for a nation, or 40 years, but the truth is that it can be done.  We have seen it.  America may be a nation that finds its political way as Senator Webb says along its points of "abrasion", but those points do not need to be the damaging, petty, contrived, hateful fault lines of the culture wars.  With mutual respect and shared grace, this truly can be one nation under God in a way it has not been since the founding.  Our fellow Americans are not the enemy, we have shared enemy enough in the real challenges we face in ecological destruction, economic degradation, violent extremism and a myriad other challenges we know so well.  The key lesson of the Convention in Denver, is that Americans can put faith in one another, can unite to overcome for the common good.  We can call it faith in God or faith in one another, but as Tim Kaine reminded us on Thursday, with the tiniest bit of faith, together, we can shout "Move Mountain", and the mountain will move.

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