[Edit: I wrote this before the DNC started for the evening LOL] I think I may have finally stopped tearing up at any mention of last night’s DNC; it took most of today to get here. But rest assured I will be bawling later, probably when the Obamas take the stage but most definitely as the roll call happens, where Kamala will be officially nominated as the Democratic candidate for President. (As a dorky aside, this article from Politico is a fascinating look at what it takes to mount such an event like the DNC; it’s filled with great details and juicy tidbits that anyone who has attended a conference will appreciate, not to mention the political nerds.)
Many moments from last night’s speeches stand out for me. I cried when Steve Kerr, head coach of NBA champions Golden State Warriors and key player on the legendary 1990s Chicago Bulls team, took the stage. Of course, Hillary’s speech was a barn-burner that left every woman in the United Center in tears, including the First Lady of Minnesota (def Google the video if you haven’t seen). “I want my grandchildren and their grandchildren to know I was here at this moment, that we were here and that we were with Kamala Harris every step of the way. This is our time, America. This is when we stand up. This is when we break through. The future is here. It’s in our grasp. Let’s go win it.” Now I’m crying all over again.
AOC’s address was no less fiery or powerful. Out of all the great things she said, one thing has stuck with me: “We cannot send Kamala and Tim to the White House alone. Together we must elect strong democratic majorities in the House and in the Senate so we can deliver on an ambitious agenda for the people.” This is an important point that must not get lost: We have to do everything possible to elect a Democratic trifecta in government. If we don’t, nothing on the Harris/Walz agenda will be accomplished, that’s a given. But the only bulwark against the inevitable attempts by the GOP to contest the election results and potentially overturn them is for us to win by a landslide. Huh, why am I thinking about Georgia right now?
The Peachtree State has no statewide elections in 2024 other than Congressional races and those for state and local legislatures. However, Georgia might end up being the most pivotal of all fifty states this November because of its electoral votes and how they will figure into the decisive total. Georgia Republicans know this, which is why they have been scheming to change the rules that govern the state’s election board. Everyone should read this; tl;dr, far right Republicans have taken over the board’s majority, and one of their first actions has been to make major changes to its mission: “Since the takeover, the Georgia State Election Board has approved a host of rules on certifications and investigations backed by right-wing election activists who claim, falsely, that the 2020 election was stolen from Mr. Trump. The moves underscore a sharp rightward turn for what is supposed to be an apolitical body and have alarmed Democrats, election officials and even some Republicans.” (Not for nothing, but it’s worth noting how the current chair of the Georgia GOP bears a strong resemblance to a certain WWII-era white supremacist.)
If the 2024 presidential election comes down to 11,779 votes, as it did in Georgia in 2020, such a rules change would trigger a recount that would end up dependent upon the discretion of this highly partisan board. Needless to say, whatever we can do to get out the vote as enormously as possible is essential. I’ve only dipped into this briefly and a good resource seems to be The New Georgia Project. And of course there is the Georgia Democratic Party and Georgia-specific groups within Indivisible to tap for ideas. And if you don’t already follow their work, check out Democracy Docket: they are the legal group responsible for fighting back GOP’s many spurious claims of election fraud in 2020 and they have active cases all over the country right now in advance of 2024. As for what I’m doing, I’m keeping my eye out for any postcard-writing or phone-banking events that support turning out the vote in GA, along with those that help voters in the state check their registration status, because what goes hand-in-hand with the efforts to overturn the election results are those aimed at purging Democratic voters from the rolls. I’d happily spend hours calling people to ask them to check their registration, looking past the fact that I can’t remember a time when I’ve spent more than 30 continual minutes talking on the phone, voluntarily. ;-)