Was it compelling television? Of course not. But Democrats got the job done.
Get Jonathan Bernstein’s newsletter every morning in your inbox. Click here to subscribe. Modern political conventions have two basic jobs. They need to offer a compelling speaker with a compelling speech in the slim prime-time broadcast window. And they must produce lots of video clips that can be repurposed across all sorts of platforms, from news programs to social media to paid advertisements. The Democrats achieved both on the first night of their first virtual convention. Former First Lady Michelle Obama gave an outstanding speech, and the rest of the two-hour program included plenty of usable clips. Some of the highlights: former Vice President Joe Biden listening to Black Lives Matter activists and advocates of criminal-justice reform; an Arizona woman remembering her father, who died in the pandemic; a panel of health-care workers who’ve been fighting the virus. Some of the politicians’ speeches were fine, too. Senator Bernie Sanders gave a strong unity speech, telling his supporters what Biden and the party wanted them to hear. Alabama Senator Doug Jones showed why he’s popular among Democrats, although he’s unlikely to win re-election.
