
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Vice President Harris appears to have had three goals in her acceptance speech – and she was successful in accomplishing them. ; There were to (1) brag about her past experience (as would any politician), (2) make unspecific commitments to solve every problem while giving the American people everything on their wish list, and (3) avoid &#8230; avoid &#8230; and avoid anything about her past record of accomplishments(?) as Senator and Vice President in addressing – much less solving – any of the critical issues of concern to the voters. ; And certainly no reference to her past positions on such things as fracking and abolishing all private health insurance.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Overall, I would rate her as an okay, but not a great, orator. ; In terms of delivery and stage presence, Harris was outperformed by several earlier convention speakers, including Vice President nominee Tim Walz, Oprah Winfrey and several others. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Former White House Press Secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki, said Harris has “magical charisma.” ; WHAT? I understand pumping up the pr for your candidate but let us not get utterly ridiculous. ; Psaki sounded like a mother’s praise after her child had a mediocre performance at the sixth grade piano recital. In terms of presentation, I give Harris a “C.” ; The speech was more typical than exceptional.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In terms of the “who I am” portion of the speech, Harris has a good life history to tell, and she told it well. ; She is an example of the American dream – the child of immigrants who rises to great success. ; I give here a sold “B” and a nomination for a Horatio Alger Award.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Harris&#8217; next mission was to lay out what she would do as President. On that subject, Harris picked up on the President Biden approach &#8212; promise everyone everything, including a lot of things she has no power to deliver. It was platitudes over policy (as was much of the convention). In terms of substance, I give Harris a “D-minus” and the Snake Oil Salesperson of the Year Award</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Harris speech was drenched in the Democrat convention “we love America” theme. ; I found that particularly interesting. ; Harris’ speech, the convention rhetoric and the major theme of the 2025 Democrat campaign is to wrap themselves around the flag as super patriots. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is not a new theme. Those with memories are longer than a gimme putt will recall that the same theme was used very successfully in the 2008 Obama campaign. ; The Obama commercials and his speeches could have been selling Ronald Reagan’s “morning in America” campaign.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">At the time I credited the genius of political consultant David Axelrod for making the candidate most unlike any past President (Obama) look and sound more like a President than the guy (Senator John McCain) who really looked like every past President.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This play for patriotism is important. ; It pushes back on the perception of the Democratic Party being less than American cheerleaders. ; That anti-American perception – and arguably reality – of the Democratic Party is conceded even by such folks as Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough. ; They say it has now been put to rest. But perhaps not entirely in view of the left-wing protestors outside the convention hall. ; (If you are not aware of the occasionally violent protests, you obviously watch MSNBC or other left-leaning networks that censored that portion of the news as a favor to Team Harris.) ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Yes, the convention hall was filled with American flags and the rafters shook in response to the chants of “USA! USA!” ; What it has not drowned out are the Biden/Harris (now Harris/Walz) policies that have weakened America as a world leader in commerce, military and democracy.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There is no need to question Harris as a loyal American, but one can question whether her policies are good for America – and we the people. ; That is the question Harris has avoided in her speech &#8212; and hopes to avoid for the next several weeks.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In terms of the attempt at making Democrats the super patriots, I grade Harris’ speech as a good effort, but she gets an “F” for plagiarism – automatically making her a recipient of the Joe Biden Award for Literature.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What we got from Harris is a lot of political fairy dust designed to blind voters to the political realities – the issues that most concern the public. ; You might say that we the people have been Puck-ed. ; (If you do not get it, read Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream.)</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, there ‘tis.</p>

Harris speech … a collection of platitudes and fairy dust
