The Democrats appeal to America’s soul

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“Joe Biden has room in his heart for more than just himself.”

These powerful words were spoken by Jacquelyn Brittany, a 31-year-old Black security guard, who was the first person to put Mr. Biden’s name up for nomination for president on Tuesday evening, as part of the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

The moment poignantly captured what the Democrats are trying to do at their virtual convention. Such is the deterioration of the country’s morality under the Trump administration that the party seeks to market Mr. Biden as a man – as speaker after speaker emphasized – who would “restore the soul of America.” Bring back its humanity, its unity, its decency.

The strategy plays to the little guy from Scranton’s strengths. As the party’s new standard-bearer, Mr. Biden lacks the intellectual dexterity of a Bill Clinton or a Barack Obama. Better to highlight his person more than his policy book, one which Republicans will tear to pieces at their own convocation next week.

The Democrats’ show is coming across like an infomercial. Many awkward, canned and cheesy moments have marred the first two nights of their online convention. But there were enough pieces of emotional force, thanks mainly to the stirring presentations by Jill Biden and Michelle Obama, who has emerged as the conscience of the party, to overcome the dross.

Showing how much the party has changed, women are dominating the event. They are connecting with Americans better than the male party elders, some of whom have delivered flat speeches – Mr. Clinton among them.

While the online arrangement lacks the immediacy and passion of a live gathering, it has its advantages. There is no input from media stirring up controversy among delegates on a convention floor.

This is especially important because it has helped the Democrats present a united front. Their show is not well represented by youth or the left. The party gave only 90 seconds to its superstar social democrat, 30-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to speak Tuesday evening. She used her time to fulfill her role of nominating Bernie Sanders. She and her great many young followers in the party were not pleased with the time restriction.

Mr. Sanders helped the unity cause by giving unqualified support for Mr. Biden in his address Monday. He also delivered one of the convention’s best lines so far (next to Ms. Brittany’s). “Nero fiddled while Rome burned,” he said. “Trump golfs.” Also powerful was his assertion that “under this administration, authoritarianism has taken root in our country.”

A wise move was to give Tuesday’s prime-time speaking slot to Jill Biden. What a fine impression she made. Speaking live from a Delaware classroom where she once taught English, she referenced the country’s public-health, economic and racial crises in the context of the tragedies (losing his first wife and infant daughter, and later his son) her husband has had to cope with.

“The burdens we carry are heavy,” she said. “And we need someone with strong shoulders. I know that if we entrust this nation to Joe, he will do for your family what he did for ours.”

“How do you make a broken family whole?” Ms. Biden asked. “The same way you make a nation whole. With love and understanding and with small acts of kindness.”

With non-white delegates popping up regularly onscreen, the convention has nicely showcased the diversity of the Democrats and the broad coalition they are capable of building, in contrast to the narrow, divisive approach of the Republicans under Donald Trump.

Republicans were clearly hoping Mr. Biden would come across as they try to portray him: inarticulate and short on mental equipment. But despite his age, he was full of vim and vigour. Mr. Trump, meanwhile, was true to form – chafing on the sidelines as he did in Arizona on Tuesday, alleging that if elected Mr. Biden would allow “aliens with criminal records” to take American jobs and spread violence throughout the country.

He was surely chafing also at the sight of Republicans such as former Ohio governor John Kasich and former secretary of state Colin Powell endorsing Mr. Biden.

Given the format, this convention won’t have the impact such gatherings normally do. The television audience drawn in by the first night was down about 25 per cent from the 2016 convention. Any gains will likely be diminished given the Republicans’ own upcoming infomercial, scheduled for next week.

But some moments will remain emblazoned in voters’ minds. They will be better able to imagine a leader with a moral compass, one with room in his heart for more than just himself.

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