For those of us who struggle to commit to anything past 9 pm, catching up on all things DNC has been something of a small joy this week. And Michelle Obama's speech, which I watched over some coffee and leftover tacos this morning, did not disappoint.
Buoyed by an absolute thunderous reception, the former first lady tore into Donald Trump with a series of bruising but LOL-worthy zingers—"Who is going to tell him the job he is currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?"—while she built a powerful case for Kamala Harris' historic candidacy. Together, in my opinion, the lines and her delivery made it the best speech of the DNC so far. But as Clara Jeffery writes, it was Doug Emhoff's speech that was the night's most groundbreaking. That's because of his direct and celebratory embrace of his blended family. Here's Clara:
Any kind of family takes work. And demands grace. Blended families can be extra work, and sometimes demand extra grace. Whatever the reasons your relationship ended, it ain’t easy to set them aside to co-parent your kids. It ain’t easy to welcome your ex’s new partner into your life, and it ain’t easy to figure out the role of a stepparent. Children navigate (and sometimes exploit) any rifts among the adults. Surely Kamala, Doug, Kerstin, Cole, and Ella have had their differences and fights. What family doesn’t?
But unlike the famously lazy Trump, they’ve put in the work. And unlike the unbearably sanctimonious Vance, they show each other grace.
All of which make this moment—the return of optimism, hope, and energy—a rare opportunity for Dems to feel good. But as I cautioned in my note yesterday, all this joy should not give way to another era of cringe naivety, or worse, willful ignorance of the work that remains; the hell that continues daily; and the threat of believing that MAGA could be a thing of the past. I'll see you tomorrow over another round of coffee and weird leftovers.
—Inae Oh
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