The first night of the Democratic National Convention was, to put it mildly, weird. How else can we describe one of the biggest events in American politics turned into a glorified Zoom meeting?
But surreal as it was, the virtual convention included several powerful moments — some reminiscent of normal times, and others reflective of the tremendous abnormality of these times.
Michelle Obama said President Trump was “clearly in over his head.”
Casting aside her reluctance to engage in political combat, Michelle Obama delivered an impassioned keynote address to cap off the first night of the Democratic convention and offered a withering assessment of President Trump, accusing him of creating “chaos,” sowing “division” and governing “with a total and utter lack of empathy.”
“He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head,” she said. “He cannot meet this moment.”
Bernie Sanders gave Biden a full-throated endorsement.
Despite his disagreements with Mr. Biden on policy, Senator Bernie Sanders gave a forceful endorsement of his former rival.
Mr. Biden is much more moderate than the progressive wing of the party would like, Mr. Sanders acknowledged, but “if Donald Trump is re-elected, all the progress we have made will be in jeopardy,” he said. “This election is about preserving our democracy.”
George Floyd’s family led a moment of silence.
The family of George Floyd, whose killing by the Minneapolis police set off a national uprising over systemic racism, prefaced a moment of silence for Black people killed by the police by listing the names of just a few of the victims.
“George should be alive today,” Mr. Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd said. “Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. Eric Garner should be alive today. Stephon Clark, Atatiana Jefferson, Sandra Bland — they should all be alive today.”
Times commenters were watching the first virtual convention too:
I cried. Without the crowd it was better. it felt personal. Without cameras panning around a cavernous stadium, no din drowning out carefully chosen words. People connected with us, instead of standing at the podium delivering a speech. We got to sit a foot away from Michelle Obama, talking to us like she was in the room. God I miss her. Trump is all about the crowd, he needs the adulation validation. Tonight felt intimate, in keeping with the times.
— Judy O’Rourke, San Diego
Hundreds of commenters have shared their thoughts about the first night of the D.N.C. Join in the conversation here.
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August 18, 2020 at 10:40PM
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Here are some of the biggest moments from Monday. - The New York Times
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