Democrats portray Biden as their nice guy

The Democratic National Convention (DNC) ended on a strong note last week, with speakers insisting that Donald Trump is not fit to serve four more years as president of the US. They promoted their ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the alternative. They did their best to tarnish the legacy of Trump.

Because of the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, this year’s convention was the first in American history to be held online. It lasted four days and had a line-up of many speakers. It offered a chance for the likes of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi to address the American public and warn them of the dangers of a second term for Trump. A number of Republicans, including Cindy McCain, the widow of John McCain, who was the Republican nominee for president in 2008, also spoke in support of their former rivals.

The political messages conveyed at the convention included the failure of the Trump administration to meet the challenges America has been facing, with a strong emphasis on the ravaging impacts of COVID-19. However, while the Democrats condemned the president, they did not offer many alternatives on how to improve the record of the Trump administration. They did not outline any other plan on how to end the coronavirus crisis and, surprisingly, the convention contained very little talk of foreign policy.

The convention dealt more with domestic issues. There was a strong representation of African-American speakers. Some of the issues talked about had a bearing on their communities. For example, the DNC attacked a favorite topic of the Republicans, which is the right to bear arms. They charged that this had led to massacres, with many of the victims being black, and school shootings. Accordingly, the Republicans were held responsible for these actions of violence, which victimized minorities and children.

The convention also lampooned Trump for his denial of the phenomenon of global warming. One advertisement showed the president saying “it’s a hoax.” The Democratic Governor of New Mexico Michelle Lujan Grisham gave a speech appealing to voters to stop the environmental damage caused by the Trump administration.

In general, the convention made many strides toward the empowerment of women, including projecting an image of Jill Biden as a potential great First Lady and an educator who will continue her job as a teacher if and when her husband becomes president.

Overall, the DNC painted a very kind picture of presidential candidate Joe Biden as a family man with deep middle-class roots, and as someone who has faced many tragedies in his life, like the deaths of his first wife, his baby daughter and, more recently, his son Beau. He is a politician who commutes by train to Washington from his home state of Delaware, and who recognizes people and remembers their names. He even helped a child overcome his stutter as Biden had a similar speech impediment as a child.

The convention featured what it called the young leaders of the Democratic Party. This meant offering an invitation to speak to Democrats whose careers in politics and public service have only just begun. The convention was a great opportunity for them to be elevated to national prominence, and could even make them even future national leaders.

The DNC also saw the party’s 2020 election platform discussed. It covers many issues, like making the capital, Washington, the nation’s 51st state, self-determination for the people of Puerto Rico, reinstating all the programs of the health care system known as “Obamacare,” and ending what it designated as “the race to war with Iran.” In addition, the platform called for a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented workers.

How can the Democratic Party reconcile its apparent image of being a centrist party, even though it has moved a great deal to the left?

Maria Maalouf

One of the most important aspects of the DNC was that all those who ran against Biden endorsed his candidacy for president. This included Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg and Michael Bloomberg. While they all announced that they intend to vote for Biden in November, does this ensure that their supporters will do the same? Not all of their bases will cast their ballots in favor of Biden. At least a segment of them will not vote at all or maybe even opt for Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins, who is more appealing to the radical wing of the party represented by Sanders and Warren.

Ultimately, how can the Democratic Party reconcile its apparent image at the convention of being a centrist party, even though it has moved a great deal to the left, as expressed by many of its candidates and some of Biden’s policies?

The DNC projected a very endearing image of Biden as an affable and loving human being. But will this be enough to win him the American presidency? It is often said that nice guys finish last.

• Maria Maalouf is a Lebanese journalist, broadcaster, publisher and writer. She holds an MA in political sociology from the University of Lyon. Twitter: @bilarakib