Is there any explanation given for how decisions regarding who will speak at the convention are made? Is it solely up to the nominee? Is there a committee? Is there a procedure to apply to speak at the convention? Were many other prospective speakers turned down as well?
I'm one of those readers you said may be upset by your remarks. Perhaps upset is not the right word. It's more like disappointed. In my opinion, "Don't come here" anti-immigrant, pro-prison, tone deaf "I'm speaking" Kamala Harris is a loser. Regardless of whether she wins the 2024 election or not, she has lost.
If (it's a big if tbh) she wins, it'll be a very slim majority and will result in another 'paralyzed' senate and congress where corporated-backed politicians always seem to vote yes on stuff that slides us further into militarized fascism and no on everything else.
If she loses, the DNC can whine about those dastardly entitled college kids throwing their votes away by demanding such outrageous things like functional infrastructure and not starting WW3 or major regional wars.
The worst demand was clearly demanding we stop sending *billions* of dollars worth of materials and equipment to a theocratic regime that's currently on trial for genocide.
I am disappointed in the lack of definitive action by the Biden administration on the war that we are supplying weapons. The “Line in the Sand” was crossed and no action stopping the flow of weapons has occurred. We need to hold Biden and Harris accountable for their complicity in this. Harris is still a much better option than trump. She should have allowed some of her time to let a Palestinian American an opportunity to speak, or incorporated some of the banned representative was to say into her speech. It may have pissed the DNC off, but I wish she would have had the courage to do it. As Fred Jones has said, “They think it will cost them votes”, contrary to what the data suggests that Qasim has collected. It will not stop my vote, but I am disappointed she did not do it.
Not allowing a Palestinian speaker at the DNC was a huge error on the part of the Harris/Walz campaign. Does AIPAC have a choke hold on the DNC? We all need to demand a genuine response to the genocide that is taking place in Gaza. I, too, remain committed to getting the first black female in the white house, but because I love my country and democracy, I will not remain silent on this issue.
I'm not an insider when it comes to Dem decision makers, but my strong guess is that Dems are afraid that letting a Palestinian or other Muslim speak, and certainly shutting off the spigot that supplies Israel, would cost them American votes. I think that they either don't know what Qasim quoted about Georgia voters, or they don't (are afraid to) believe it. But whether it's the boy who said the Emperor wasn't wearing clothes, or JFK's "Profiles in Courage," there's critically important value in doing, and saying, the right thing. Of course, the six Senators JFK profiled suffered badly for going against their constituents, and that, I strongly suspect, is what paralyzes Biden and Harris. If I could, I would strongly urge them to take a deep breath, and take a risk. These are the people who are generally the loudest advocates of freedom of speech.
I agree with you, sir. That is the bottom line: they are afraid that the embrace of Palestinian and Muslims will continue them votes. She needs to take a step in courage, and pledge to stop the flow of weapons to Israel as long as they continue to bomb civilians. I guess the AIPAC is stronger than we realize.
I think many people realize how strong AIPAC money is. It cost us Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush.
This kind of thing is why it's so critically important in what we tell ourselves is a democracy to get all private money out of it.
I want Biden and Harris to be courageous. Georgia tells them they can not only afford it, but will profit by it. They just need to know that and believe it. Harris is not going to get the MAGA crowd no matter what she does. She already owns the Dems, and she has reason to have confidence that she not only won't lose the "undecideds," but she'll pick them up. Everyone (except AIPAC) is disgusted with this. Israeli Jews are protesting. Harris needs to "man up."
I kept wondering on the last day of the convention when we would see the Palestinian speaker. Then it didn’t happen. It was a major disappointment in an otherwise perfect DNC Convention.
BTW look up the meaning of the word “virtually”. Overused and misused. Sorry, English Major.
Yes! In a moving array of voices in the "big tent" it was more than a missed opportunity to silence the powerful message of our Palestinian sister. I am still 100% committed to Harris-Walz, but this was a heartbreaker. And a reminder of the work ahead of us to co-create that future we know is possible.
You missed another significant minority excluded from the Convention: many Disabled people. The COVID denial was staggering. On the DNC's YouTube coverage, if they accidentally got a shot of even one delegate wearing a mask, they swiftly cut away. All that rhetoric about taking care of our neighbors when they couldn't be bothered to do the very simplest interventions to take care of the people in attendance, let alone the rest of the American people. Equally ugly ableism has been on display in my state party recently. Julia Doubleday is brutally accurate: https://www.thegauntlet.news/p/the-planet-the-democrats-live-on
when i first read the proposed border bill i was appalled. i am really desirous of a rewrite prior to it being brought up for votes. i feel great concern that there’s a push to pass it as written… tho “bipartisan “ it’s overly intensive.
Agreed. My heart sank when Harris said she would take it up & sign it, without acknowledging the issues. Everything else about the joy, heartfelt emotion, and positivity of the convention was such an uplift, and of course I'm all in for Harris-Walz in this election--but not for the exclusion of Palestinian American voices, and not that border bill. I know the negotiations were hard-fought, and it may be a miracle in this MAGA Congress that it was completed. Now we can work even harder in this election to reduce the power of MAGA voices in Congress, and raise up voices of humanity and, you know, legality for a more just border policy. Thank you, Qasim, for this newsletter and for remaining one of those voices of humanity.
Qasim, it was worse than a missed opportunity. It strengthened either the idea of having no complaint, being afraid of AIPAC, or both. It wasn't an oversight. It had been discussed, and the decision to sidestep this crisis was made.
Wow! Excellent summary of convention. I would only add that I felt Harris's acceptance speech was a masterclass in articulating the issues... and it was not only what she said, but HOW she spoke and emoted on various issues. I loved that she said- Let's get down to business" at the start of her talk, and her deep seriousness about trump and Project 2025. She seems point on regarding issues, and to be a truly genuine person with the right motives for taking this on. We are very fortunate...
Agree it was a HUGE mistake not to let the Palestinian speech happen... it is so well conceived, would have done no harm and would have met the moment. The party is less than for not doing this, and it is a fault that the party has exhibited too many times... it parallels their primarying of progressives and their blocking of Bernie when he ran for President.
Ms Breakey, we as Dems hold ourselves to a higher standard. But the fact is that neither major party has addressed this. And you can be sure it's not because Reps have some unique fondness for Jews or Israelis. Everyone is afraid of having AIPAC money deployed against them. They all need to man up, and none of them have...what it takes.
My top three DO IT NOW! Need to be addressed (even if only in stages). Each is an urgent matter for people’s lives in current danger.
1. Israelis vs. Palestinians - we must uplift and protect innocent civilians. Netanyahu and Hamas must be held accountable.
2. Reproductive health - women are at even greater risk than ever before. It is appalling that the medical community is fearful to provide care and hospitals are doing what that typically do - protect their ass from lawsuits,
No doctor should be stopped from doing their duty. No state should stop travel for a legal abortion. No woman should be turned away to go home and miscarry alone or to have to sit in her car in a hospital parking lot praying to get just the right “sick” so she can be treated on an emergency basis.
3. Immigration - this bedrock of our country’s start and growth and the key to a healthy, economically stable and prosperous society. It is way past time to create a humanitarian immigration system. The Democrats must steer this so we can have equitable laws, efficient legal routes to residency and citizenship. The wall to “protect” us is really the millions of MAGA cultists with black hearts filled with racism and fearful that the other will steal their “white privileges.”
Protecting human life must take precedence. It’s our duty as a Americans.
How about free speech & free votes to add to the list. Censoring is against the 1st amendment, yet it happened all during Covid & continues.
BLOCKING BALLOTS -taking away someome’s voice & choice? It is WRONG. DNC blocking 50++ ballots-for 3rd party is WRONG. And akin to voter suppression, we accuse the orange guy. The DNC with MASSIVE maligning of a good man-RFK jr-is WRONG. That MSM refused to play RFK jr’s goodbye & only lates a portion for the nation to see, was WRONG & controlled. Controlling the free press & free speech-WRONG.
I agree absolutely with these summaries, especially the missed opportunity by refusing to have a Palestinian representative speak at the DNC. I will vote for the Harris- Walz ticket, but the disappointment is difficult to ignore. I’m not sure who controlled that refusal - it doesn’t make any sense to me.
I agree. The disappointment at the mealy-mouthed reference to the sufferings of Palestinians was like a body blow. I was half-prepared for the DNC’s refusal, but when it came, after nine months of unspeakable carnage, of three days of the promise of hope, my heart sank. It didn’t make sense - Ms Harris is a thoughtful, intelligent, kindly woman. I simply cannot understand it.
Is there any explanation given for how decisions regarding who will speak at the convention are made? Is it solely up to the nominee? Is there a committee? Is there a procedure to apply to speak at the convention? Were many other prospective speakers turned down as well?
I'm one of those readers you said may be upset by your remarks. Perhaps upset is not the right word. It's more like disappointed. In my opinion, "Don't come here" anti-immigrant, pro-prison, tone deaf "I'm speaking" Kamala Harris is a loser. Regardless of whether she wins the 2024 election or not, she has lost.
If (it's a big if tbh) she wins, it'll be a very slim majority and will result in another 'paralyzed' senate and congress where corporated-backed politicians always seem to vote yes on stuff that slides us further into militarized fascism and no on everything else.
If she loses, the DNC can whine about those dastardly entitled college kids throwing their votes away by demanding such outrageous things like functional infrastructure and not starting WW3 or major regional wars.
The worst demand was clearly demanding we stop sending *billions* of dollars worth of materials and equipment to a theocratic regime that's currently on trial for genocide.
I am disappointed in the lack of definitive action by the Biden administration on the war that we are supplying weapons. The “Line in the Sand” was crossed and no action stopping the flow of weapons has occurred. We need to hold Biden and Harris accountable for their complicity in this. Harris is still a much better option than trump. She should have allowed some of her time to let a Palestinian American an opportunity to speak, or incorporated some of the banned representative was to say into her speech. It may have pissed the DNC off, but I wish she would have had the courage to do it. As Fred Jones has said, “They think it will cost them votes”, contrary to what the data suggests that Qasim has collected. It will not stop my vote, but I am disappointed she did not do it.
Not allowing a Palestinian speaker at the DNC was a huge error on the part of the Harris/Walz campaign. Does AIPAC have a choke hold on the DNC? We all need to demand a genuine response to the genocide that is taking place in Gaza. I, too, remain committed to getting the first black female in the white house, but because I love my country and democracy, I will not remain silent on this issue.
I'm not an insider when it comes to Dem decision makers, but my strong guess is that Dems are afraid that letting a Palestinian or other Muslim speak, and certainly shutting off the spigot that supplies Israel, would cost them American votes. I think that they either don't know what Qasim quoted about Georgia voters, or they don't (are afraid to) believe it. But whether it's the boy who said the Emperor wasn't wearing clothes, or JFK's "Profiles in Courage," there's critically important value in doing, and saying, the right thing. Of course, the six Senators JFK profiled suffered badly for going against their constituents, and that, I strongly suspect, is what paralyzes Biden and Harris. If I could, I would strongly urge them to take a deep breath, and take a risk. These are the people who are generally the loudest advocates of freedom of speech.
I agree with you, sir. That is the bottom line: they are afraid that the embrace of Palestinian and Muslims will continue them votes. She needs to take a step in courage, and pledge to stop the flow of weapons to Israel as long as they continue to bomb civilians. I guess the AIPAC is stronger than we realize.
I think many people realize how strong AIPAC money is. It cost us Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush.
This kind of thing is why it's so critically important in what we tell ourselves is a democracy to get all private money out of it.
I want Biden and Harris to be courageous. Georgia tells them they can not only afford it, but will profit by it. They just need to know that and believe it. Harris is not going to get the MAGA crowd no matter what she does. She already owns the Dems, and she has reason to have confidence that she not only won't lose the "undecideds," but she'll pick them up. Everyone (except AIPAC) is disgusted with this. Israeli Jews are protesting. Harris needs to "man up."
I concur with you on all of these points! This is one place where she can make a difference!
I kept wondering on the last day of the convention when we would see the Palestinian speaker. Then it didn’t happen. It was a major disappointment in an otherwise perfect DNC Convention.
BTW look up the meaning of the word “virtually”. Overused and misused. Sorry, English Major.
I, too, was disappointed. Also, I used "virtually" correctly, didn't I?
vir·tu·al·ly
/ˈvərCH(əw)əlē/
adverb
1.
nearly; almost.
"the college became virtually bankrupt"
Yes! In a moving array of voices in the "big tent" it was more than a missed opportunity to silence the powerful message of our Palestinian sister. I am still 100% committed to Harris-Walz, but this was a heartbreaker. And a reminder of the work ahead of us to co-create that future we know is possible.
You missed another significant minority excluded from the Convention: many Disabled people. The COVID denial was staggering. On the DNC's YouTube coverage, if they accidentally got a shot of even one delegate wearing a mask, they swiftly cut away. All that rhetoric about taking care of our neighbors when they couldn't be bothered to do the very simplest interventions to take care of the people in attendance, let alone the rest of the American people. Equally ugly ableism has been on display in my state party recently. Julia Doubleday is brutally accurate: https://www.thegauntlet.news/p/the-planet-the-democrats-live-on
Thank you for keeping this critical human rights issue at the forefront.
It was a conspicuously missed opportunity the cherry on the top so to speak.
when i first read the proposed border bill i was appalled. i am really desirous of a rewrite prior to it being brought up for votes. i feel great concern that there’s a push to pass it as written… tho “bipartisan “ it’s overly intensive.
Agreed. My heart sank when Harris said she would take it up & sign it, without acknowledging the issues. Everything else about the joy, heartfelt emotion, and positivity of the convention was such an uplift, and of course I'm all in for Harris-Walz in this election--but not for the exclusion of Palestinian American voices, and not that border bill. I know the negotiations were hard-fought, and it may be a miracle in this MAGA Congress that it was completed. Now we can work even harder in this election to reduce the power of MAGA voices in Congress, and raise up voices of humanity and, you know, legality for a more just border policy. Thank you, Qasim, for this newsletter and for remaining one of those voices of humanity.
Thank you Abbie. We must speak truth to power if we are unapologetic about upholding justice.
Just subscribed-happy to support independent journalism
I appreciate you Les. Thank you!
I seriously question the grave omission of not having the Palestinian voice heard at the convention.
Appreciate your concise summary.
Thanks Mimi and agreed. Huge missed opportunity.
Qasim, it was worse than a missed opportunity. It strengthened either the idea of having no complaint, being afraid of AIPAC, or both. It wasn't an oversight. It had been discussed, and the decision to sidestep this crisis was made.
By sidestepping it, they've ensured a lot of potential voters will simply not vote or will vote for somebody else (3rd party most likely).
The DNC knows how doing this would play out, and chose to do it anyway.
That's how much they care about "winning" when both parties are funded by the same organizations.
Wow! Excellent summary of convention. I would only add that I felt Harris's acceptance speech was a masterclass in articulating the issues... and it was not only what she said, but HOW she spoke and emoted on various issues. I loved that she said- Let's get down to business" at the start of her talk, and her deep seriousness about trump and Project 2025. She seems point on regarding issues, and to be a truly genuine person with the right motives for taking this on. We are very fortunate...
Agree it was a HUGE mistake not to let the Palestinian speech happen... it is so well conceived, would have done no harm and would have met the moment. The party is less than for not doing this, and it is a fault that the party has exhibited too many times... it parallels their primarying of progressives and their blocking of Bernie when he ran for President.
Ms Breakey, we as Dems hold ourselves to a higher standard. But the fact is that neither major party has addressed this. And you can be sure it's not because Reps have some unique fondness for Jews or Israelis. Everyone is afraid of having AIPAC money deployed against them. They all need to man up, and none of them have...what it takes.
Agreed and well said, Gail.
My top three DO IT NOW! Need to be addressed (even if only in stages). Each is an urgent matter for people’s lives in current danger.
1. Israelis vs. Palestinians - we must uplift and protect innocent civilians. Netanyahu and Hamas must be held accountable.
2. Reproductive health - women are at even greater risk than ever before. It is appalling that the medical community is fearful to provide care and hospitals are doing what that typically do - protect their ass from lawsuits,
No doctor should be stopped from doing their duty. No state should stop travel for a legal abortion. No woman should be turned away to go home and miscarry alone or to have to sit in her car in a hospital parking lot praying to get just the right “sick” so she can be treated on an emergency basis.
3. Immigration - this bedrock of our country’s start and growth and the key to a healthy, economically stable and prosperous society. It is way past time to create a humanitarian immigration system. The Democrats must steer this so we can have equitable laws, efficient legal routes to residency and citizenship. The wall to “protect” us is really the millions of MAGA cultists with black hearts filled with racism and fearful that the other will steal their “white privileges.”
Protecting human life must take precedence. It’s our duty as a Americans.
Well said.
How about free speech & free votes to add to the list. Censoring is against the 1st amendment, yet it happened all during Covid & continues.
BLOCKING BALLOTS -taking away someome’s voice & choice? It is WRONG. DNC blocking 50++ ballots-for 3rd party is WRONG. And akin to voter suppression, we accuse the orange guy. The DNC with MASSIVE maligning of a good man-RFK jr-is WRONG. That MSM refused to play RFK jr’s goodbye & only lates a portion for the nation to see, was WRONG & controlled. Controlling the free press & free speech-WRONG.
https://www.malone.news/p/rf-kennedy-jr-and-political-realignment/comments?publication_id=583200&post_id=148080499&isFreemail=true&comments=true&action=post-comment
Right on as to all three points.
I agree absolutely with these summaries, especially the missed opportunity by refusing to have a Palestinian representative speak at the DNC. I will vote for the Harris- Walz ticket, but the disappointment is difficult to ignore. I’m not sure who controlled that refusal - it doesn’t make any sense to me.
Yes truly confounding and upsetting.
I agree. The disappointment at the mealy-mouthed reference to the sufferings of Palestinians was like a body blow. I was half-prepared for the DNC’s refusal, but when it came, after nine months of unspeakable carnage, of three days of the promise of hope, my heart sank. It didn’t make sense - Ms Harris is a thoughtful, intelligent, kindly woman. I simply cannot understand it.
Yes, who made those decisions?
Kamala & Walz
Thanks Allen.