The difference between the two parties was on full display in their respective conventions.
The promise of the two party system is to present differing views about how to run the country. Now that both parties have shown their convention styles, the differences could hardly be starker. The look and feel of each convention in many ways reflects the messaging of each party. The Democrats presented a Hollywood production, professionally hosted, with jokes and asides, greenscreen backgrounds, videos, and chats between the hosts. Colors were bright and TV-friendly. The convention could have easily substituted for a pandemic era awards show, with Joe Biden receiving the lifetime achievement award. The Republicans chose more of a White House After Dark look, essentially extending the work day, even throwing in some homework that Trump didn’t get around to like pardoning felons and inducting immigrants. The look and feel was the familiar Palladio-Roman White House settings that we see daily on the news. The fact that the White House has only sparingly served as a campaign backdrop in the past caused ethical conniptions for many of the Twitterati, but with virtually all enforcement power now vested in Trump and his supporters, the “Hatch act violation” warnings fell on uncaring ears.
