# 2020 Virtual convention thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 17, 2020, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353 "2020-08-17T23:18:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/162 "2020-08-20T22:27:34Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > Honestly, when a candidate is running, they want as many people to hear them as possible. That feel like a rule that you just made up. Campaigns are not required to follow rules that you just made up. Also, Joe Biden is not hiding. That’s right wing radio nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/163 "2020-08-20T23:17:32Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Not to mention that Joe Biden’s whole political persona is working class everyman. That’s what the whole riding Amtrak every day stuff is about. That may be his persona to the people who have followed his career in politics. The majority of America hasn’t. Before this election, the one and only thing that 99% of people would be able to say, if asked, about Biden is that he was Obama’s VP. Maybe. I feel bad for Biden, seriously, because I know he WANTS to be out there visiting factories and talking to workers in the Midwest, but because of Covid, the ‘gladhanding’ phase of his campaign is simply not possible. I am going to lay a very uncomfortable truth out here. For many Americans, watching a series of inspirational montages about “black and brown Americans” is NOT heartwarming, it’s - at best - going to leave them cold. At worst it’s going to make them feel marginalized. And make no mistake, I am _not talking about racist people here_, I’m just talking about average blue collar white people who don’t really think about race one way or the other unless it relates to some kind of public controversy. Again, for the (third? fourth?) time, I fully acknowledge the importance of minority voters in this election. I also understand that they themselves _overlap_ with the working class. I am speaking specifically about a demographic of white working class voters who comprise a significant portion of the electorate in swing states. The English settlers came here to colonize the Northeast. The Scots-Irish came here to farm. But the later waves of Irish, German, Polish, Italian, Greek, Slovakian, Hungarian, etc, came here to by and large to work in factories, which they did - for generations - in what is now regrettably called “the Rust Belt.” And they help decide elections. This campaign needs to directly speak to them if it is going to be as strong as it can be. And it can’t afford to be any less strong than that. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/164 "2020-08-21T00:13:07Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > For many Americans, watching a series of inspirational montages about “black and brown Americans” is NOT heartwarming, it’s - at best - going to leave them cold. At worst it’s going to make them feel marginalized. And make no mistake, I am _not talking about racist people here_ , Kind of sounds like you are. If they are left cold by the stories of black and brown people, they sound like racists to me. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/165 "2020-08-21T00:21:11Z")
Seconded. Why would they be left in the cold by struggles of black and brown Americans? Not to mention the number of white Americans (whether on farms, small businesses, or with ALS) that have been focused on during this convention as mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![putnam6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/putnam6/32/4082_2.png) [@putnam6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/putnam6)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/166 "2020-08-21T00:29:16Z")
Joe will allay some of those concerns tonight, how many president campaigns for him 3 or 4? this is his shining moment his coronation it’s got to be all systems Joe. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/167 "2020-08-21T01:10:02Z")
Pardon me for being a couple of days late to this party, but I think the progressives are going to support Biden more than some people think. What makes me say this? I haven’t seen one complaint that they let the superdelegates vote (and they did), which, presumably, padded Biden’s margin of victory. I did notice that most of California’s delegates went to Biden, even though Sanders got 20% more of the popular vote and 53% of the pledged delegates. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/168 "2020-08-21T01:28:46Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > I haven’t seen one complaint that they let the superdelegates vote (and they did), which, presumably, padded Biden’s margin of victory. I’ve seen one such complaint – my wife’s cousin, who is on the far left side of the political spectrum (and who is a big Bernie supporter) posted exactly that complaint on his Facebook wall on Tuesday night. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/169 "2020-08-21T01:33:50Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Seconded. Why would they be left in the cold by struggles of black and brown Americans? Not to mention the number of white Americans (whether on farms, small businesses, or with ALS) that have been focused on during this convention as mentioned. Let’s flip the script - if the convention consisted of NOTHING BUT white farmers and white factory workers and white suburbanites talking about their problems, do you think minorities would NOT feel left out in the cold? Because they would. Humans are tribal, at the end of the day, and there’s nothing to be done about it but pander to all the tribes equally. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/170 "2020-08-21T01:34:27Z")
Can’t wait for Kamala to debate this Punce guy. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/171 "2020-08-21T01:56:42Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Let’s flip the script - if the convention consisted of NOTHING BUT white farmers and white factory workers and white suburbanites talking about their problems, do you think minorities would NOT feel left out in the cold? Because they would. This feels like the saying “When you’re accustomed to privilege equality feels like oppression.” There have been white guys all through the convention. [https://www.demconvention.com/schedule-and-speakers/?\_sft\_post\_tag=convention-program](https://www.demconvention.com/schedule-and-speakers/?_sft_post_tag=convention-program) this is the list of speakers at the convention. I’m not seeing a dearth of white men on the list. During the “We the people” montages, I’m seeing people of all ethnicities (though I have not done an actual count.) I do notice that right now the “You built America” panel (which is all Labor), two of the people are older, white males. Also, if you’re right, I think it’s unfortunate that they can only feel a connection if the other people look like them rather than through any of the myriad other ways they have things in common with people who aren’t white. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/172 "2020-08-21T01:58:13Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > > > Seconded. Why would they be left in the cold by struggles of black and brown Americans? Not to mention the number of white Americans (whether on farms, small businesses, or with ALS) that have been focused on during this convention as mentioned. > > Let’s flip the script - if the convention consisted of NOTHING BUT white farmers and white factory workers and white suburbanites talking about their problems, do you think minorities would NOT feel left out in the cold? Because they would. > > Humans are tribal, at the end of the day, and there’s nothing to be done about it but pander to all the tribes equally. But there have been white working class people in the convention, sometimes during those montages with black and brown people. And most of the speakers are white and grew up working class (and Sanders and Biden both are seen as people who have fought for white working class people). It almost does seem that if people are thinking they aren’t seen enough do want just white farmers and factory workers to be shown. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/173 "2020-08-21T02:01:40Z")
Julia Louis Dreyfuss isn’t even pretending to go high. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/174 "2020-08-21T02:11:49Z")
I burst out laughing when she mentioned texting to 30330, “which is easy to remember because it would be Donald Trump’s golf score if he didn’t cheat.” (Paraphrased, but I think it’s pretty close.) ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/175 "2020-08-21T03:02:15Z")
Joe is doing great. He has empathy, hope, and courage. And speaks in complete sentences. Exact opposite of the incumbent. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/176 "2020-08-21T03:06:13Z")
The opposition seems to consist entirely of “Biden is senile” memes. Any of those voters who stumble on Joes speech by accident may be in for a surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/177 "2020-08-21T03:06:55Z")
Seems to be emphasizing that “we” will succeed instead of me, me, me all the time from Kumquat. I think Biden should’ve called it “season of orange-ness” instead of darkness. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/178 "2020-08-21T03:08:42Z")
I’ve never been worried about Joe Biden. He’s older than we’d like, sure. But all that means to me is _experience_. I’m really sick of the ‘senile’ meme. It’s so ignorant. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/179 "2020-08-21T03:18:10Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > I mean… Technically that’s true. But I could say that Barack Obama’s was the most progressive at the time. > > It’s just that the resistance is so blatant, they know why people would be upset that AOC was only given 90 seconds. They don’t care… So under different circumstances why would I vote for them? This is so stupid. They resist it because more moderate positions are much much much more popular nationally. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/180 "2020-08-21T03:18:55Z")
Biden hit a home run when he needed it most. One of the best speeches I’ve heard him give. I really loved the light/dark dichtomy. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353/181 "2020-08-21T03:24:59Z")
Given all the constraints, I thought they did a fantastic job. I’ve watched all 4 nights, and I needed every moment of the corny hopey-changey talk. I went through a whole box of tissues and still have a lump in my throat. I’m so sick of the endless despair. It’s as welcome as it can be to have a few evenings of what feels like normalcy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-virtual-convention-thread/918353.md?page=10)