If anyone wants to see the real difference between the modern democratic and republican parties all you have to do is take a look at television shots of the two convention floors. Last week in Cleveland there was a nearly unbroken sea of white faces. Compare that to last night in Philadelphia where you were met by a vast tapestry of ethnic and racial diversity which truly mirrors 21st century America.
Of course that doesn't mean everyone in Philly was happy yesterday. In fact some of the die hard Bernie Sanders' fans were not just inconsolable, they were down right pissed. So much so they're refusing to do what their candidate is now asking of them--support Hillary Rodham Clinton. They are mostly young and for many of them this is their first serious foray into presidential politics.
It's not like we haven't seen this before. Their idealism and at times immaturity, is so super heated it drives them straight into behavior which can only be described as nihilistic. I know because a little over 40 years ago I was one of them. And what did I get for my trouble? Over five years of Dick, fucking, Nixon.
Actually we don't have to go that far back to see how the left edge can lead us into disaster. Just ask, Al Gore. Without Ralph Nader in the mix we wouldn't have been stuck with George W. Bush for two terms. A White House not infested by either Bush, or Cheney would have certainly kept us out of the deadly morass of an endless war in Iraq. It could have also meant the worst economic disaster since the great depression wouldn't have happened.
None of that matters right now to the howling cadre of Sanders' fanatics. Neither does cold reality. Let's face it, even if Sanders were to win the presidency, he wouldn't be able to get a single piece of his program through a house of representatives which will still be teeming with mouth breathing tea party wankers after election day.
On the upside, after Debbie Wasserman Schultz was sacked for good reason, last night's speakers addressed the convention with varying degrees of success. Michelle Obama and Anastasia Somoza were particularly eloquent and moving. Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, although earnest and enthusiastic, both delivered speeches which seemed a tad canned. Sanders himself did everything Clinton could have possibly hoped for when it came to supporting her.
So much so, it moved Don Trump to tweet about how it was sad to see Senator Sanders abandoning his "revolution." Later he tweeted that Sanders had, "Totally sold out to crooked Hillary Clinton." There was no mention of, Ted Cruz who was assailed as treasonous by the GOP candidate and his staff last week after he didn't sell out.
Well what can you expect from a guy whose concept of the truth is it's whatever pops into his diseased brain at any given moment?
Various democratic pols and media types claim 80% of Sanders' people are currently in line to support Secretary Clinton. Where they got that number and how accurate it is remains to be seen. What we do know is green party candidate, Jill Stein is circling the convention like a vulture actively recruiting Sanders' supporters.
Tonight, despite the passion and fury of the young and naïve, Hillary Rodham Clinton will become the first woman nominated by any major party for the office of president of the United States. And despite the denials and boos, her nomination will be the second most progressive moment in the history of American politics.
While most of us justly celebrate such a thing there are a vocal few who should come to accept it and move on. After all, there is real evil afoot in the land and it must be confronted by all of us during this campaign.
sic vita est
7-26-17
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