‘STRONGER TOGETHER’
Clinton’s vision for nation guided her convention
PHILADELPHIA — It had been a good week for Hillary Clinton, even before she took the stage Thursday night to accept her party’s historic nomination.
After a week of soaring speeches by others, her job was to stick the landing.
And she did, delivering a measured, inspirational message that drew a sharp contrast with her bombastic opponent Donald Trump.
Capitalizing on the advantage of following the Republican convention, Clinton chose “stronger together” as the theme of the night to highlight Trump’s emphasis on how he alone could solve the nation’s problems.
“America needs every one of us to lend our energy, our talents, our ambition to making our nation better and stronger. I believe that with all my heart,” Clinton told the nation.
“That’s why “Stronger Together” is not just a lesson from our history. It’s not just a slogan for our campaign.
“It’s a guiding principle for the country we’ve always been and the future we’re going to build,” she said, some 20 years after authoring a book making the same case titled: “It Takes A Village.”
Just the same, it IS a campaign slogan, and a good one when you consider Trump’s divisive rhetoric.
“Stronger together” was also a fitting theme when you realize how heavily she leaned on those who preceded her to the podium this week to convince a reluctant American public she should be president.
Clinton acknowledged that reluctance in her address.
“I get it that some people just don’t know what to make of me,” she said, describing herself as a person who “sweats the details,” another contrast with Trump, who says he doesn’t.
Helping make Clinton stronger this week were:
Michelle Obama going high in response to Donald Trump’s Republican convention going low — and lifting up the crowd in the Wells Fargo Center with her.
Bernie Sanders shepherding the Democrats in his democratic socialist movement back to the fold, the socialists still unhappy to learn this really was the Democratic National Convention.
Husband Bill reminding folks why they liked him before they didn’t.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg skillfully skewering his pale by comparison Big Apple counterpart.
President Barack Obama with a warm embrace.
They wove a patchwork of themes: Hillary, a fighter who never quits, the “best darn change maker,” the first woman president but not the last. Clinton stitched on the cover. Those of us who still can’t conceive why anyone would vote for Trump after his Mussolini imitation in Cleveland probably aren’t the best judges of how this convention was received.
But I believe a majority of Americans still want to support the candidate who wants to bring us together.