Real Kato Blog: The Democratic Convention

The Democratic National Convention got off to a rousing start, with stirring speeches from the party's biggest stars.

On the opening night of the Democratic National Convention, we saw the Democrats' opening salvos, setting the tone for their campaign. The message was as strong as any I can remember from this party.

For the first time, the Democrats have strengths in every arena, including national defense. The war in Iraq is becoming a liability for Bush, and the Democrats are pouncing on this. Many speakers noted how the current administration's unilateralism is isolating us from the world and making us more vulnerable to terrorism. President Carter's speech on this was moving; as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, he carries gravity and credibility. You could read the sadness in his face as he noted how Bush had frittered away all the Middle East goodwill he had worked for (without directly "Bush-bashing"; he didn't even mention Bush's name); and more importantly, how Bush squandered the unanimous international goodwill America had gained after 9/11. This will become an important theme, I think: the fact that we had a tremendous opportunity to influence the world in a positive way after 9/11, and that Bush wasted it with an ill-conceived invasion of Iraq.

It certainly doesn't hurt that Kerry is a decorated war hero. Many speakers alluded to Kerry's Vietnam experience, something Bush cannot hope to match with his spotty National Guard record.

On the economy, the Democrats can attack on two fronts. They will draw upon their traditional strengths in showing how tax cuts for the wealthy have resulted in cuts in social programs (including the "no child left behind" initiative from Bush's 2000 campaign). As a twist, though, they can appeal to economic conservatives in pointing out the horrendous budget deficits and lack of fiscal responsibility exhibited by the Bush administration. "Tax and spend" will be a tag that won't stick this time around, I think.

Clearly the rock star of the show was President Clinton. His speech was clever; he demonstrated how the Republican policies have benefited him personally, giving even Clinton-haters cause for ire at the Bush administration. But more importantly, he laid out in plain and compelling terms the issues that define the Democratic party as the party of the center, not the liberal extreme. He championed things like health care, homeland security, and the environment as causes we all believe in, while casting the Republican party as the defender of the wealthy and powerful.

It's a race to the center. The parties will try to sway the independent and undecided voters by portraying themselves as the centrists and the unifiers. (Note how things like unionized labor and abortion rights were minimalized; Democrats don't need to rally their base any more, and issues like those may be divisive.) The Democrats made a good first step; they planted their flag on strong foreign policy, environmental protection, affordable health care, better police protection, well-paying jobs, and a strong economy. If they can hammer on these issues with the same vigor that Republicans use for their "talking points", I think they will score well with the voters.

In this election, I think voters are more serious and less easily fooled; more than ever before, I can see people discussing politics with serious insight rather than flighty emotion. Regardless of the outcome, that, at least, will be good for the future of the country.

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