vox--2020-08-21--5 winners and 4 losers from the last night of the Democratic convention

Share All sharing options for : 5 winners and 4 losers from the last night of the Democratic convention Thursday was supposed to be the last night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee .
Almost no part of that sentence turned out to be true .
It was not just in Milwaukee ; it was spread across videoconferencing setups in dozens of locations .
It was not a convention , at least not in the sense we ’ re familiar with ; it felt like half Zoom call , half infomercial .
But it concluded with the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nationally televised speech by the party ’ s nominee .
Joe Biden , who has been attending Democratic conventions since 1972 and addressing them since 1980 , has had more preparation for this moment than just about any prior nominee .
He overcame the bizarre circumstances , and questions about his stamina at age 77 , to deliver a compelling address making a comprehensive case not just against Donald Trump but for himself .
It wasn ’ t just the Joe Show , though .
Other 2020 contenders , from Mike Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made remarks , and the whole thing was hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus .
Here ’ s what stood out on the final night of the Democratic convention .
Joe Biden delivered an excellent speech on Thursday night that stayed true to his campaign , foregrounding his leadership and reason in a time of crisis .
His address overwhelmingly focused on the coronavirus crisis and the economic recession , the issues that Americans name as their top concerns in 2020 .
These are also issues , particularly the economic recovery , where Democrats absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not very popular ; Democratic promises to expand access to health care and raise wages are .
Biden lingered on those as well , with an address squarely aimed at the persuadable voters whom the campaign sees as the key to the election .
It was a speech that made political sense .
Conventions are the biggest earned media opportunity ( that is , media that campaigns don ’ t have to pay for with ad money ) until the debates , so it ’ s important to use that time smartly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the candidate , to deemphasize issues where they disagree , and to make the strongest possible persuasive case .
But conventions are also exercises in building a coalition , which can make persuasion hard .
A candidate might not want to talk about , say , gun control for fear of alienating gun owners in states like Arizona or Ohio — but gun control activists are an important part of the Democratic coalition , which means you have to give the issue some airtime .
Biden and the Democratic National Convention sidestepped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do much of the work on firing up the base on issues dear to Democrats ’ hearts : climate change , immigration , gun control .
While Biden invoked the Charlottesville rally and the George Floyd protests , they weren ’ t the centerpiece of the speech .
The word “ police ” did not even appear .
Biden made his case against Trump less on the grounds that he ’ s racist and more that he ’ s an inept and corrupt president who will take money out of your family ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom-and-pop businesses will close their doors , and this time for good .
Working families will struggle to get by , and yet the wealthiest 1 percent will get tens of billions of dollars in new tax breaks , ” Biden warned .
“ We don ’ t need a tax code that rewards wealth more than it rewards work , ” he said later .
To older adults , the most reliable voting demographic in terms of age , he promised , “ If I ’ m your president , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicare ” — a classic Democratic appeal .
Joe Biden did not deliver a radical speech , because Joe Biden is not a radical , either in policy or in tone ; as Andrew Yang noted earlier in the evening , whatever Biden endorses suddenly becomes the reasonable position .
Biden ’ s speech made clear why he ’ s a politician with that particular superpower : He knows how to talk about the popular stuff ( to marginal voters ) .
That ’ s what he did Thursday night , and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win in November .
The 2020 Democratic National Convention had … a lot of Republicans .
We saw Mike , the Republican from Rhode Island , explaining why he ’ s supporting Joe Biden three of the four nights .
And on Thursday , we got the Big Mike : billionaire former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg , who joked , “ I ’ ve never been much for partisan politics .
I ’ ve supported Democrats , Republicans , and independents .
Hell , I ’ ve actually been a Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaign believes he has some crossover appeal to disaffected Republicans who are put off by President Trump .
Throughout the week , the convention really bent over backward to let members of the GOP know they are more than welcome .
On Monday , former Ohio Gov .
John Kasich stood at an actual crossroads ( in case you didn ’ t get the metaphor ) as he talked about his support for Biden .
Colin Powell made an appearance this week , as did former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate Meg Whitman .
Viewers also saw compilations of former Republican voters saying they were now on Team Biden .
Thursday evening , the convention showcased 95-year-old World War II veteran Ed Good , who has been a Republican since the 1960s .
He ’ s a member of the National Rifle Association , he said , and he voted for Trump in 2016 .
He ’ s now had a change of heart .
“ You ’ ve got to vote for Joe Biden .
You have to .
I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of person we have in the White House any longer , ” he said .
Many progressives chafed at the heavy-handed overtures to Republicans .
It ’ s not like Democrats didn ’ t try this in 2016 , and Trump still won ( at least the Electoral College ) .
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ’ s single minute could have been extended if the content lost a Republican speaker or two .
But quibbles over who got what speaking time aside , this facet of the convention made clear that Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House goes through some conservative and centrist voters who are fed up with Trump .
On Thursday , 13-year-old Brayden Harrington made a more succinct and eloquent argument to vote for Joe Biden than many former presidents and heads of states who had spoken before him .
Harrington has a stutter .
For many years , so did Biden .
The two bonded over this shared fact when they met at one of Biden ’ s campaign events during the New Hampshire primary .
“ He told me that we were members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Harrington recalled in a pretaped video recorded at his home .
“ I ’ m just a regular kid , and in the short amount of time , Joe Biden made me more confident about something that ’ s bothered me my whole life.
” Harrington ’ s story underscored a message at the heart of Biden ’ s campaign : kindness over cruelty .
Without even mentioning Trump ’ s name , Harrington drew a contrast between Biden and the Republican incumbent .
“ Joe Biden cared , ” Harrington said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all of us .
Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to.
” From the beginning of his campaign , Biden has run on the idea of restoring America ’ s moral compass .
In just a few minutes , Harrington was able to convey that feeling better than any campaign slogan .
If Biden wins , he is likely to spend more time fighting the courts than any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt .
Trump has filled the federal bench with some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bench since the Roosevelt presidency , including two Supreme Court justices .
All five members of the Court ’ s Republican majority have signaled they plan to strip the executive branch of much of its power to regulate .
And any major legislation enacted by a Democratic Congress is likely to run into immediate roadblocks in the courts , as with the never-ending stream of lawsuits attacking Obamacare .
Yet the courts received almost no mention across four days of the DNC ( Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did mention the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a widespread perception that the topic of judicial appointments favors Republicans .
Certainly many of the GOP ’ s top leaders believe that ’ s true .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell once claimed that “ the single biggest issue that brought nine out of 10 Republican voters home to Donald Trump , just like nine out of 10 voted for Mitt Romney , was the Supreme Court.
” But Republicans are willing to march to the polls to shape the judiciary because the courts play such a central role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its voters .
If Democrats are unwilling to make the case for a judiciary that respects equal rights and liberal democracy , then they are unlikely to have one .
A party convention is , by definition , political theater .
Parties want to tell a story , convey a mood , hammer home a message .
The Democratic National Convention had been going smoothly through its first three nights but faltered somewhat on its final night .
Hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus , the night oscillated awkwardly between the urgent mood of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flat in a studio with no live audience .
Early in the evening , the convention aired a highly effective package on the nominee ’ s religious faith .
“ It ’ s important because it gives me some reason to have hope and purpose , ” Biden said before the feed cut back to Louis-Dreyfus .
Louis-Dreyfus , rather than let a powerful moment linger , jabbed at Trump .
“ Just remember , Joe Biden goes to church so regularly that he doesn ’ t even need tear gas and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get there , ” she said .
Nobody laughed , because nobody was there to laugh .
And some viewers were not impressed .
Meanwhile , a moving tribute to the late Rep. John Lewis was followed by a dry collegiate lecture from historian Jon Meacham .
A fun segment with some of the losing Democratic candidates , hosted by a jovial Cory Booker , gave way to a typically stilted , if affably awkward , Mike Bloomberg .
Look , none of this probably matters all that much .
One could argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all when it comes to the election results .
Nobody is going to remember in November an awkward one-liner from Julia Louis-Dreyfus or Mike Bloomberg ’ s inexplicable fist pump to conclude his remarks .
But judged as a production , the convention ’ s final night fell short of the high standards the previous nights had set .
There ’ s a myth that in American public life , likely stemming from the “ religious right ” and “ Moral Majority ” positioning of the modern conservative movement , that religion is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even a cursory look at ( for example ) the political activity of Black or Jewish communities suggests it ’ s a dramatic oversimplification .
And the final night of the Democratic convention went out of its way to highlight the role of faith leaders in the party ’ s coalition , opening with a segment on Biden ’ s Catholicism featuring Sister Simone Campbell , Sen. Chris Coons , and a moving video of Biden speaking with a Black pastor .
Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rabbi reminisced about Biden visiting a prayer service .
Democrats have long been eager to prove the party isn ’ t ( as some Republicans claim ) against God — think about the way President Obama spoke about his faith — but the amount of religious rhetoric stood out .
“ There was ample religious rhetoric at multiple recent Democratic conventions , including 2012 and 2016 , ” writes Jack Jenkins , the author of American Prophets , a recent book on the American religious left .
“ But this year was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian .
Donald Trump is ... well , you know .
For the many Americans who find value in their faith as a source of solace and moral clarity , the contrast certainly works in Democrats ’ favor .
“ Build Back Better ” is both the name of Joe Biden ’ s economic policy agenda and a common refrain Democrats used at the convention .
And something about it just didn ’ t quite work .
For one , it ’ s not particularly catchy , and , honestly , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Former President Barack Obama modified it to “ build it back better ” during his speech on Wednesday night . )
More broadly , the idea of “ building back ” speaks to what many feared about Joe Biden ’ s candidacy : It emphasizes the need for a return to normalcy , and not much beyond that .
The addition of “ better ” certainly helps but doesn ’ t exactly pack much of a punch , either .
The cautious nature of the slogan also echoes similar issues faced by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for failing to include more progressive speakers and offer the party an ambitious , forward-looking vision .
As Vox ’ s Ella Nilsen has written , Biden has backed a policy platform in line with the sweeping changes pushed by FDR , but the language that he and other Democrats have used just hasn ’ t matched up in tone .
In the context of a party that ’ s looking to both defeat Trump and carve out its own future , “ Build Back Better ” feels far from the transformative rallying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( D-WI ) was in the running to be Biden ’ s running mate — and her speech on Thursday proved why she was considered , with a speech that struck many of the themes Democrats have tried to highlight throughout the convention .
“ When I was 9 years old , I got sick — really sick .
I was hospitalized .
But since my grandparents were the ones raising me and our family ’ s health plan didn ’ t cover grandkids , they were forced to pay out of pocket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baldwin said .
“ I got better .
But the insurance companies didn ’ t .
They refused to cover me at any cost because I was marked : child with a preexisting condition.
” Baldwin leveraged that to draw a broader critique of the system : “ We all have stories like this .
Stories about a time when the system was rigged against us , when we were counted out , left out , pushed out.
” And she drew the connection to many of the issues featured at the convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have the protective gear they need .
Young people whose asthma will get worse as our air quality does .
Workers who are afraid of losing their jobs.
” Surveys show that Americans are most worried about the coronavirus , that Democratic voters are especially concerned about health care , and that both groups are , as always , also largely focused on the economy .
Baldwin ’ s speech did a good job speaking to the concerns of both the Democratic base and the broader electorate .
Loser : Bruce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ My City of Ruins ” off the 2002 LP The Rising It is no secret that the Democratic Party loves Bruce Springsteen , and Bruce Springsteen loves the Democratic Party .
His 1984 tune “ No Surrender ” scored John Kerry ’ s campaign , while Barack Obama made frequent use of 2002 ’ s “ The Rising ” in his 2008 run .
Springsteen is one of the greatest songwriters ever to live , and his heartfelt evocations of blue-collar , union-loving America are the definition of the sorts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unfortunately , this year ’ s DNC reduced the entirety of Springsteen ’ s sprawling , nearly 50-year discography to 10 seconds off “ My City of Ruins , ” the track that closes his terrific 2002 album The Rising .
Written as a paean to down-on-its-luck New Jersey , “ My City of Ruins ” was later turned into a beautiful tribute to a nation brought to its knees by the 9/11 terrorist attacks .
It ’ s a great song !
It probably didn ’ t need to be boiled down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ C ’ mon rise up !
C ’ mon rise up !
” before every new DNC segment , then another five seconds of Springsteen singing , “ C ’ mon ri-hi-hi-hise u-hu-up , ” after each segment .
DNC !
Joe Biden seems like he ’ d really love , I don ’ t know , “ Cadillac Ranch ” or something .
Let ’ s see him dance like he ’ s at a wedding !
Will you become our 20,000th supporter ?
When the economy took a downturn in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for financial contributions , we weren ’ t sure how it would go .
Today , we ’ re humbled to say that nearly 20,000 people have chipped in .
The reason is both lovely and surprising : Readers told us that they contribute both because they value explanation and because they value that other people can access it , too .
We have always believed that explanatory journalism is vital for a functioning democracy .
That ’ s never been more important than today , during a public health crisis , racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a presidential election .
But our distinctive explanatory journalism is expensive , and advertising alone won ’ t let us keep creating it at the quality and volume this moment requires .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will help keep Vox free for all .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

Share All sharing options for: 5 winners and 4 losers from the last night of the Democratic convention
Thursday was supposed to be the last night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee.
Almost no part of that sentence turned out to be true. It was not just in Milwaukee; it was spread across videoconferencing setups in dozens of locations. It was not a convention, at least not in the sense we’re familiar with; it felt like half Zoom call, half infomercial.
But it concluded with the most important part of any party convention: a nationally televised speech by the party’s nominee. Joe Biden, who has been attending Democratic conventions since 1972 and addressing them since 1980, has had more preparation for this moment than just about any prior nominee. He overcame the bizarre circumstances, and questions about his stamina at age 77, to deliver a compelling address making a comprehensive case not just against Donald Trump but for himself.
It wasn’t just the Joe Show, though. Other 2020 contenders, from Mike Bloomberg to Cory Booker to Andrew Yang, made remarks, and the whole thing was hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Here’s what stood out on the final night of the Democratic convention.
Winner: Joe Biden
Joe Biden delivered an excellent speech on Thursday night that stayed true to his campaign, foregrounding his leadership and reason in a time of crisis.
His address overwhelmingly focused on the coronavirus crisis and the economic recession, the issues that Americans name as their top concerns in 2020. These are also issues, particularly the economic recovery, where Democrats absolutely demolish Republicans. Republican tax cut policies are not very popular; Democratic promises to expand access to health care and raise wages are. Biden lingered on those as well, with an address squarely aimed at the persuadable voters whom the campaign sees as the key to the election.
It was a speech that made political sense. Conventions are the biggest earned media opportunity (that is, media that campaigns don’t have to pay for with ad money) until the debates, so it’s important to use that time smartly, to emphasize issues where Americans agree with the candidate, to deemphasize issues where they disagree, and to make the strongest possible persuasive case.
But conventions are also exercises in building a coalition, which can make persuasion hard. A candidate might not want to talk about, say, gun control for fear of alienating gun owners in states like Arizona or Ohio — but gun control activists are an important part of the Democratic coalition, which means you have to give the issue some airtime.
Biden and the Democratic National Convention sidestepped this problem by having surrogates and supporters do much of the work on firing up the base on issues dear to Democrats’ hearts: climate change, immigration, gun control. While Biden invoked the Charlottesville rally and the George Floyd protests, they weren’t the centerpiece of the speech. The word “police” did not even appear.
Biden made his case against Trump less on the grounds that he’s racist and more that he’s an inept and corrupt president who will take money out of your family’s pocket if reelected. “More mom-and-pop businesses will close their doors, and this time for good. Working families will struggle to get by, and yet the wealthiest 1 percent will get tens of billions of dollars in new tax breaks,” Biden warned.
“We don’t need a tax code that rewards wealth more than it rewards work,” he said later. To older adults, the most reliable voting demographic in terms of age, he promised, “If I’m your president, we’re going to protect Social Security and Medicare” — a classic Democratic appeal.
Joe Biden did not deliver a radical speech, because Joe Biden is not a radical, either in policy or in tone; as Andrew Yang noted earlier in the evening, whatever Biden endorses suddenly becomes the reasonable position. Biden’s speech made clear why he’s a politician with that particular superpower: He knows how to talk about the popular stuff (to marginal voters). That’s what he did Thursday night, and what he’ll need to do to win in November.
—Dylan Matthews
Winner: Anti-Trump Republicans
The 2020 Democratic National Convention had … a lot of Republicans. We saw Mike, the Republican from Rhode Island, on three of the four nights explaining why he’s supporting Joe Biden. And on Thursday, we got the Big Mike: billionaire former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg, who joked, “I’ve never been much for partisan politics. I’ve supported Democrats, Republicans, and independents. Hell, I’ve actually been a Democrat, Republican, and independent.”
Biden’s campaign believes he has some crossover appeal to disaffected Republicans who are put off by President Trump. Throughout the week, the convention really bent over backward to let members of the GOP know they are more than welcome.
On Monday, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich stood at an actual crossroads (in case you didn’t get the metaphor) as he talked about his support for Biden. Colin Powell made an appearance this week, as did former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman and former California GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman.
Viewers also saw compilations of former Republican voters saying they were now on Team Biden. Thursday evening, the convention showcased 95-year-old World War II veteran Ed Good, who has been a Republican since the 1960s. He’s a member of the National Rifle Association, he said, and he voted for Trump in 2016. He’s now had a change of heart. “You’ve got to vote for Joe Biden. You have to. I don’t think we can deal with the type of person we have in the White House any longer,” he said.
Many progressives chafed at the heavy-handed overtures to Republicans. It’s not like Democrats didn’t try this in 2016, and Trump still won (at least the Electoral College). Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s single minute could have been extended if the content lost a Republican speaker or two. But quibbles over who got what speaking time aside, this facet of the convention made clear that Biden’s campaign believes his path to the White House goes through some conservative and centrist voters who are fed up with Trump.
—Emily Stewart
Winner: Brayden Harrington
On Thursday, 13-year-old Brayden Harrington made a more succinct and eloquent argument to vote for Joe Biden than many former presidents and heads of states who had spoken before him.
Harrington has a stutter. For many years, so did Biden. The two bonded over this shared fact when they met at one of Biden’s campaign events during the New Hampshire primary.
“He told me that we were members of the same club. We stutter,” Harrington recalled in a pretaped video recorded at his home. “I’m just a regular kid, and in the short amount of time, Joe Biden made me more confident about something that’s bothered me my whole life.”
Harrington’s story underscored a message at the heart of Biden’s campaign: kindness over cruelty. Without even mentioning Trump’s name, Harrington drew a contrast between Biden and the Republican incumbent.
“Joe Biden cared,” Harrington said. “Imagine what he can do for all of us. Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to.”
From the beginning of his campaign, Biden has run on the idea of restoring America’s moral compass. In just a few minutes, Harrington was able to convey that feeling better than any campaign slogan.
—Ella Nilsen
Loser: The courts
If Biden wins, he is likely to spend more time fighting the courts than any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Trump has filled the federal bench with some of the most reactionary judges to serve on the bench since the Roosevelt presidency, including two Supreme Court justices. All five members of the Court’s Republican majority have signaled they plan to strip the executive branch of much of its power to regulate. And any major legislation enacted by a Democratic Congress is likely to run into immediate roadblocks in the courts, as with the never-ending stream of lawsuits attacking Obamacare.
Yet the courts received almost no mention across four days of the DNC (Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did mention the Supreme Court in his brief appearance).
There’s a widespread perception that the topic of judicial appointments favors Republicans. Certainly many of the GOP’s top leaders believe that’s true. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell once claimed that “the single biggest issue that brought nine out of 10 Republican voters home to Donald Trump, just like nine out of 10 voted for Mitt Romney, was the Supreme Court.”
But Republicans are willing to march to the polls to shape the judiciary because the courts play such a central role in the GOP’s pitch to its voters. If Democrats are unwilling to make the case for a judiciary that respects equal rights and liberal democracy, then they are unlikely to have one.
—Ian Millhiser
Loser: Tonal consistency
A party convention is, by definition, political theater. Parties want to tell a story, convey a mood, hammer home a message. The Democratic National Convention had been going smoothly through its first three nights but faltered somewhat on its final night.
Hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the night oscillated awkwardly between the urgent mood of the previous nights and scripted zingers that fell flat in a studio with no live audience. Early in the evening, the convention aired a highly effective package on the nominee’s religious faith. “It’s important because it gives me some reason to have hope and purpose,” Biden said before the feed cut back to Louis-Dreyfus.
Louis-Dreyfus, rather than let a powerful moment linger, jabbed at Trump.
“Just remember, Joe Biden goes to church so regularly that he doesn’t even need tear gas and a bunch of federalized troops to help him get there,” she said. Nobody laughed, because nobody was there to laugh. And some viewers were not impressed.
Meanwhile, a moving tribute to the late Rep. John Lewis was followed by a dry collegiate lecture from historian Jon Meacham. A fun segment with some of the losing Democratic candidates, hosted by a jovial Cory Booker, gave way to a typically stilted, if affably awkward, Mike Bloomberg.
Look, none of this probably matters all that much. One could argue that conventions don’t matter at all when it comes to the election results. Nobody is going to remember in November an awkward one-liner from Julia Louis-Dreyfus or Mike Bloomberg’s inexplicable fist pump to conclude his remarks.
I think Michael Bloomberg just tried to punch me through my TV set. pic.twitter.com/VTtNcIvj02 — Dalton Ross (@DaltonRoss) August 21, 2020
But judged as a production, the convention’s final night fell short of the high standards the previous nights had set.
—Dylan Scott
Winner: The religious left
There’s a myth that in American public life, likely stemming from the “religious right” and “Moral Majority” positioning of the modern conservative movement, that religion is an overwhelmingly or even exclusively conservative force.
Even a cursory look at (for example) the political activity of Black or Jewish communities suggests it’s a dramatic oversimplification. And the final night of the Democratic convention went out of its way to highlight the role of faith leaders in the party’s coalition, opening with a segment on Biden’s Catholicism featuring Sister Simone Campbell, Sen. Chris Coons, and a moving video of Biden speaking with a Black pastor. Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg spoke about his faith. In primetime, a rabbi reminisced about Biden visiting a prayer service.
Democrats have long been eager to prove the party isn’t (as some Republicans claim) against God — think about the way President Obama spoke about his faith — but the amount of religious rhetoric stood out.
“There was ample religious rhetoric at multiple recent Democratic conventions, including 2012 and 2016,” writes Jack Jenkins, the author of American Prophets, a recent book on the American religious left. “But this year was something else.”
Biden is a practicing Christian. Donald Trump is ... well, you know. For the many Americans who find value in their faith as a source of solace and moral clarity, the contrast certainly works in Democrats’ favor.
—Zack Beauchamp
Loser: Build Back Better
“Build Back Better” is both the name of Joe Biden’s economic policy agenda and a common refrain Democrats used at the convention. And something about it just didn’t quite work.
For one, it’s not particularly catchy, and, honestly, it’s quite difficult to say. (Former President Barack Obama modified it to “build it back better” during his speech on Wednesday night.) More broadly, the idea of “building back” speaks to what many feared about Joe Biden’s candidacy: It emphasizes the need for a return to normalcy, and not much beyond that. The addition of “better” certainly helps but doesn’t exactly pack much of a punch, either.
The cautious nature of the slogan also echoes similar issues faced by the Democratic National Convention, which got flak for failing to include more progressive speakers and offer the party an ambitious, forward-looking vision. As Vox’s Ella Nilsen has written, Biden has backed a policy platform in line with the sweeping changes pushed by FDR, but the language that he and other Democrats have used just hasn’t matched up in tone.
In the context of a party that’s looking to both defeat Trump and carve out its own future, “Build Back Better” feels far from the transformative rallying cry Democrats need.
—Li Zhou
Winner: Tammy Baldwin
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) was in the running to be Biden’s VP pick — and her appearance on Thursday proved why she was considered, with a speech that struck many of the themes Democrats have tried to highlight throughout the convention.
“When I was 9 years old, I got sick — really sick. I was hospitalized. But since my grandparents were the ones raising me and our family’s health plan didn’t cover grandkids, they were forced to pay out of pocket for my three-month hospital stay,” Baldwin said. “I got better. But the insurance companies didn’t. They refused to cover me at any cost because I was marked: child with a preexisting condition.”
Baldwin leveraged that to draw a broader critique of the system: “We all have stories like this. Stories about a time when the system was rigged against us, when we were counted out, left out, pushed out.” And she drew the connection to many of the issues featured at the convention: “Health care professionals who don’t have the protective gear they need. Young people whose asthma will get worse as our air quality does. Workers who are afraid of losing their jobs.”
Surveys show that Americans are most worried about the coronavirus, that Democratic voters are especially concerned about health care, and that both groups are, as always, also largely focused on the economy. Baldwin’s speech did a good job speaking to the concerns of both the Democratic base and the broader electorate.
—German Lopez
Loser: Bruce Springsteen’s discography beyond 10 seconds of “My City of Ruins” off the 2002 LP The Rising
It is no secret that the Democratic Party loves Bruce Springsteen, and Bruce Springsteen loves the Democratic Party. His 1984 tune “No Surrender” scored John Kerry’s campaign, while Barack Obama made frequent use of 2002’s “The Rising” in his 2008 run. Springsteen is one of the greatest songwriters ever to live, and his heartfelt evocations of blue-collar, union-loving America are the definition of the sorts of voters Joe Biden hopes to attract.
Unfortunately, this year’s DNC reduced the entirety of Springsteen’s sprawling, nearly 50-year discography to 10 seconds off “My City of Ruins,” the track that closes his terrific 2002 album The Rising. Written as a paean to down-on-its-luck New Jersey, “My City of Ruins” was later turned into a beautiful tribute to a nation brought to its knees by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
It’s a great song! It probably didn’t need to be boiled down to five seconds of Springsteen singing, “C’mon rise up! C’mon rise up!” before every new DNC segment, then another five seconds of Springsteen singing, “C’mon ri-hi-hi-hise u-hu-up,” after each segment. DNC! Joe Biden seems like he’d really love, I don’t know, “Cadillac Ranch” or something. Let’s see him dance like he’s at a wedding!
—Emily VanDerWerff
Will you become our 20,000th supporter? When the economy took a downturn in the spring and we started asking readers for financial contributions, we weren’t sure how it would go. Today, we’re humbled to say that nearly 20,000 people have chipped in. The reason is both lovely and surprising: Readers told us that they contribute both because they value explanation and because they value that other people can access it, too. We have always believed that explanatory journalism is vital for a functioning democracy. That’s never been more important than today, during a public health crisis, racial justice protests, a recession, and a presidential election. But our distinctive explanatory journalism is expensive, and advertising alone won’t let us keep creating it at the quality and volume this moment requires. Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation, but it will help keep Vox free for all. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-20--Joe Biden officially accepted his party’s nomination for president. Read his speech.

Former Vice President Joe Biden accepted the Democratic Party ’ s nomination for president Thursday at the Democratic National Convention , at long last making him the official major-party challenger to President Donald Trump .
Biden ’ s political career has lasted more than five decades .
His first presidential campaign was 33 years ago and ended in disaster , but his second was followed by Barack Obama ’ s fateful decision to pick Biden as his running mate .
And now Biden has finally obtained the nomination he ’ s so long wanted — and he ’ ll officially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The coronavirus pandemic has made this a low-key campaign season so far , and Biden particularly has been criticized for doing relatively few public events and interviews .
So his convention speech was a high-stakes event — it was one of the longest , clearest looks at Biden the American electorate has gotten in months .
In keeping with the Democrats ’ remotely conducted proceedings , Biden spoke from a convention center in Wilmington , Delaware , to a sparse audience of journalists .
Below is a transcript of Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DNC .
Ella Baker , a giant of the civil rights movement , left us with this wisdom : Give people light and they will find a way .
Those are words for our time .
The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long .
Too much anger .
Too much fear .
Too much division .
Here and now , I give you my word : If you entrust me with the presidency , I will draw on the best of us , not the worst .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ light , not of the darkness .
It ’ s time for us , for we the people , to come together .
For make no mistake .
United we can , and will , overcome this season of darkness in America .
We will choose hope over fear , facts over fiction , fairness over privilege .
I am a proud Democrat and I will be proud to carry the banner of our party into the general election .
So , it is with great honor and humility that I accept this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America .
But while I will be a Democratic candidate , I will be an American president .
I will work as hard for those who didn ’ t support me as I will for those who did .
That ’ s the job of a president .
To represent all of us , not just our base or our party .
This is not a partisan moment .
This must be an American moment .
It ’ s a moment that calls for hope and light and love .
Hope for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way forward , and love for one another .
America isn ’ t just a collection of clashing interests of red states or blue states .
We ’ re so much bigger than that .
We ’ re so much better than that .
Nearly a century ago , Franklin Roosevelt pledged a New Deal in a time of massive unemployment , uncertainty , and fear .
Stricken by disease , stricken by a virus , FDR insisted that he would recover and prevail and he believed America could as well .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This campaign isn ’ t just about winning votes .
It ’ s about winning the heart , and yes , the soul of America .
Winning it for the generous among us , not the selfish .
Winning it for the workers who keep this country going , not just the privileged few at the top .
Winning it for those communities who have known the injustice of the “ knee on the neck ” .
For all the young people who have known only an America of rising inequity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America ’ s promise in full .
No generation ever knows what history will ask of it .
All we can ever know is whether we ’ ll be ready when that moment arrives .
And now history has delivered us to one of the most difficult moments America has ever faced .
Four historic crises .
All at the same time .
A perfect storm .
The worst pandemic in over 100 years .
The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression .
The most compelling call for racial justice since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and accelerating threats of climate change .
So , the question for us is simple : Are we ready ?
I believe we are .
We must be .
All elections are important .
But we know in our bones this one is more consequential .
America is at an inflection point .
A time of real peril , but of extraordinary possibilities .
We can choose the path of becoming angrier , less hopeful , and more divided .
Or we can choose a different path , and together , take this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to unite .
A path of hope and light .
This is a life-changing election that will determine America ’ s future for a very long time .
Character is on the ballot .
Compassion is on the ballot .
Decency , science , democracy .
They are all on the ballot .
Who we are as a nation .
What we stand for .
And , most importantly , who we want to be .
That ’ s all on the ballot .
And the choice could not be clearer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 170,000 Americans have died .
By far the worst performance of any nation on Earth .
More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year .
More than 10 million people are going to lose their health insurance this year .
Nearly 1 in 6 small businesses have closed this year .
If this president is reelected we know what will happen .
Cases and deaths will remain far too high .
More mom-and-pop businesses will close their doors for good .
Working families will struggle to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 percent will get tens of billions of dollars in new tax breaks .
And the assault on the Affordable Care Act will continue until it ’ s destroyed , taking insurance away from more than 20 million people — including more than 15 million people on Medicaid — and getting rid of the protections that President Obama and I passed for people who suffer from a preexisting condition .
And speaking of President Obama , a man I was honored to serve alongside for eight years as vice president .
Let me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t say nearly enough .
Thank you , Mr. President .
You were a great president .
A president our children could — and did — look up to .
No one will say that about the current occupant of the office .
What we know about this president is if he ’ s given four more years he will be what he ’ s been the last four years .
A president who takes no responsibility , refuses to lead , blames others , cozies up to dictators , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He will wake up every day believing the job is all about him .
Never about you .
Is that the America you want for you , your family , your children ?
One that is generous and strong .
It ’ s an America we can rebuild together .
As president , the first step I will take will be to get control of the virus that ’ s ruined so many lives .
Because I understand something this president doesn ’ t .
We will never get our economy back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our kids safely back to school , we will never have our lives back , until we deal with this virus .
The tragedy of where we are today is it didn ’ t have to be this bad .
Just look around .
It ’ s not this bad in Canada .
Or Europe .
Or Japan .
Or almost anywhere else in the world .
The president keeps telling us the virus is going to disappear .
He keeps waiting for a miracle .
Well , I have news for him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead the world in confirmed cases .
We lead the world in deaths .
Our economy is in tatters , with Black , Latino , Asian American , and Native American communities bearing the brunt of it .
And after all this time , the president still does not have a plan .
If I ’ m president , on day one we ’ ll implement the national strategy I ’ ve been laying out since March .
We ’ ll develop and deploy rapid tests with results available immediately .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment our country needs .
And we ’ ll make them here in America .
So we will never again be at the mercy of China and other foreign countries in order to protect our own people .
We ’ ll make sure our schools have the resources they need to be open , safe , and effective .
We ’ ll put the politics aside and take the muzzle off our experts so the public gets the information they need and deserve .
The honest , unvarnished truth .
They can deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a national mandate to wear a mask — not as a burden , but to protect each other .
In short , I will do what we should have done from the very beginning .
Our current president has failed in his most basic duty to this nation .
He failed to protect us .
And , my fellow Americans , that is unforgivable .
As president , I will make you this promise : I will protect America .
I will defend us from every attack .
Seen , and unseen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Look , I understand it ’ s hard to have hope right now .
On this summer night , let me take a moment to speak to those of you who have lost the most .
I know how it feels to lose someone you love .
I know that deep black hole that opens up in your chest .
That you feel your whole being is sucked into it .
I know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes .
First , your loved ones may have left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart .
They will always be with you .
And second , I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose .
As God ’ s children each of us have a purpose in our lives .
And we have a great purpose as a nation : To open the doors of opportunity to all Americans .
To save our democracy .
To be a light to the world once again .
To finally live up to and make real the words written in the sacred documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and women are created equal .
Endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights .
Among them life , liberty , and the pursuit of happiness .
You know , my dad was an honorable , decent man .
He got knocked down a few times pretty hard , but always got up .
He worked hard and built a great middle-class life for our family .
He used to say , “ Joey , I don ’ t expect the government to solve my problems , but I expect it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say : “ Joey , a job is about a lot more than a paycheck .
It ’ s about your dignity .
It ’ s about respect .
It ’ s about your place in your community .
It ’ s about looking your kids in the eye and say , honey , it ’ s going to be okay.
” That ’ s why my economic plan is all about jobs , dignity , respect , and community .
Together , we can , and we will , rebuild our economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll not only build it back , we ’ ll build it back better .
With modern roads , bridges , highways , broadband , ports and airports as a new foundation for economic growth .
With pipes that transport clean water to every community .
With 5 million new manufacturing and technology jobs so the future is made in America .
With a health care system that lowers premiums , deductibles , and drug prices by building on the Affordable Care Act he ’ s trying to rip away .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the best jobs of the 21st century , where cost doesn ’ t prevent young people from going to college , and student debt doesn ’ t crush them when they get out .
With child care and elder care that make it possible for parents to go to work and for the elderly to stay in their homes with dignity .
With an immigration system that powers our economy and reflects our values .
With newly empowered labor unions .
With equal pay for women .
With rising wages you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re going to do more than praise our essential workers .
We ’ re finally going to pay them .
We can , and we will , deal with climate change .
It ’ s not only a crisis , it ’ s an enormous opportunity .
An opportunity for America to lead the world in clean energy and create millions of new good-paying jobs in the process .
And we can pay for these investments by ending loopholes and the president ’ s $ 1.3 trillion tax giveaway to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most profitable corporations , some of which pay no tax at all .
Because we don ’ t need a tax code that rewards wealth more than it rewards work .
I ’ m not looking to punish anyone .
Far from it .
But it ’ s long past time the wealthiest people and the biggest corporations in this country paid their fair share .
For our seniors , Social Security is a sacred obligation , a sacred promise made .
The current president is threatening to break that promise .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that pays for almost half of Social Security without any way of making up for that lost revenue .
I will not let it happen .
If I ’ m your president , we ’ re going to protect Social Security and Medicare .
You have my word .
One of the most powerful voices we hear in the country today is from our young people .
They ’ re speaking to the inequity and injustice that has grown up in America .
Economic injustice .
Racial injustice .
Environmental injustice .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you can hear them too .
And whether it ’ s the existential threat posed by climate change , the daily fear of being gunned down in school , or the inability to get started in their first job — it will be the work of the next president to restore the promise of America to everyone .
I won ’ t have to do it alone .
Because I will have a great vice president at my side .
Senator Kamala Harris .
She is a powerful voice for this nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She knows about all the obstacles thrown in the way of so many in our country .
Women , Black women , Black Americans , South Asian Americans , immigrants , the left-out and left-behind .
But she ’ s overcome every obstacle she ’ s ever faced .
No one ’ s been tougher on the big banks or the gun lobby .
No one ’ s been tougher in calling out this current administration for its extremism , its failure to follow the law , and its failure to simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both draw strength from our families .
For Kamala , it ’ s Doug and their families .
For me , it ’ s Jill and ours .
No man deserves one great love in his life .
But I ’ ve known two .
After losing my first wife in a car accident , Jill came into my life and put our family back together .
She ’ s an educator .
A mom .
A military mom .
And an unstoppable force .
If she puts her mind to it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because she ’ s going to get it done .
She was a great Second Lady and she will make a great First Lady for this nation , she loves this country so much .
And I will have the strength that can only come from family .
Hunter , Ashley , and all our grandchildren , my brothers , my sister .
They give me courage and lift me up .
And while he is no longer with us , Beau inspires me every day .
So I take very personally the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief .
I will be a president who will stand with our allies and friends .
I will make it clear to our adversaries the days of cozying up to dictators are over .
Under President Biden , America will not turn a blind eye to Russian bounties on the heads of American soldiers .
Nor will I put up with foreign interference in our most sacred democratic exercise — voting .
I will stand always for our values of human rights and dignity .
And I will work in common purpose for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosperous world .
History has thrust one more urgent task on us .
Will we be the generation that finally wipes the stain of racism from our national character ?
I believe we ’ re up to it .
Just a week ago yesterday was the third anniversary of the events in Charlottesville .
Remember seeing those neo-Nazis and Klansmen and white supremacists coming out of the fields with lighted torches ?
Veins bulging ?
Spewing the same anti-Semitic bile heard across Europe in the ’ 30s ?
Remember the violent clash that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the courage to stand against it ?
Remember what the president said ?
There were , quote , “ very fine people on both sides.
” It was a wake-up call for us as a country .
And for me , a call to action .
At that moment , I knew I ’ d have to run .
My father taught us that silence was complicity .
And I could not remain silent or complicit .
At the time , I said we were in a battle for the soul of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of the most important conversations I ’ ve had this entire campaign is with someone who is too young to vote .
I met with 6-year-old Gianna Floyd a day before her daddy , George Floyd , was laid to rest .
When I leaned down to speak with her , she looked into my eyes and said , “ Daddy changed the world.
” Her words burrowed deep into my heart .
Maybe George Floyd ’ s murder was the breaking point .
However it has come to be , America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s words , to lay down “ the heavy burdens of hate at last , ” and to do the hard work of rooting out our systemic racism .
America ’ s history tells us that it has been in our darkest moments that we ’ ve made our greatest progress .
That we ’ ve found the light .
And in this dark moment , I believe we are poised to make great progress again .
That we can find the light once more .
I have always believed you can define @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That in America , everyone , and I mean everyone , should be given the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them .
We can never lose that .
In times as challenging as these , I believe there is only one way forward .
As a united America .
United in our pursuit of a more perfect Union .
United in our dreams of a better future for us and for our children .
United in our determination to make the coming years bright .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a good and decent people .
This is the United States of America .
And there has never been anything we ’ ve been unable to accomplish when we ’ ve done it together .
Don ’ t hope on this side of the grave , But then , once in a lifetime Of justice can rise up , This is our moment to make hope and history rhyme .
With passion and purpose , let us begin — you and I together , one nation , under God — united in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our love for each other .
For love is more powerful than hate .
Hope is more powerful than fear .
Light is more powerful than dark .
This is our moment .
This is our mission .
May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight as love and hope and light joined in the battle for the soul of the nation .
And this is a battle that we , together , will win .
And may God bless you .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you become our 20,000th supporter ?
When the economy took a downturn in the spring and we started asking readers for financial contributions , we weren ’ t sure how it would go .
Today , we ’ re humbled to say that nearly 20,000 people have chipped in .
The reason is both lovely and surprising : Readers told us that they contribute both because they value explanation and because they value that other people can access it , too .
We have always believed that explanatory journalism is vital for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been more important than today , during a public health crisis , racial justice protests , a recession , and a presidential election .
But our distinctive explanatory journalism is expensive , and advertising alone won ’ t let us keep creating it at the quality and volume this moment requires .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will help keep Vox free for all .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

Former Vice President Joe Biden accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for president Thursday at the Democratic National Convention, at long last making him the official major-party challenger to President Donald Trump.
Biden’s political career has lasted more than five decades. His first presidential campaign was 33 years ago and ended in disaster, but his second was followed by Barack Obama’s fateful decision to pick Biden as his running mate. And now Biden has finally obtained the nomination he’s so long wanted — and he’ll officially begin a two-and-a-half-month battle to defeat Trump.
The coronavirus pandemic has made this a low-key campaign season so far, and Biden particularly has been criticized for doing relatively few public events and interviews. So his convention speech was a high-stakes event — it was one of the longest, clearest looks at Biden the American electorate has gotten in months.
In keeping with the Democrats’ remotely conducted proceedings, Biden spoke from a convention center in Wilmington, Delaware, to a sparse audience of journalists. Below is a transcript of Biden’s full prepared remarks, emailed out by the DNC.
Joe Biden’s full prepared remarks at the 2020 Democratic National Convention
Good evening.
Ella Baker, a giant of the civil rights movement, left us with this wisdom: Give people light and they will find a way.
Give people light.
Those are words for our time.
The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long. Too much anger. Too much fear. Too much division.
Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not of the darkness.
It’s time for us, for we the people, to come together.
For make no mistake. United we can, and will, overcome this season of darkness in America. We will choose hope over fear, facts over fiction, fairness over privilege.
I am a proud Democrat and I will be proud to carry the banner of our party into the general election. So, it is with great honor and humility that I accept this nomination for President of the United States of America.
But while I will be a Democratic candidate, I will be an American president. I will work as hard for those who didn’t support me as I will for those who did.
That’s the job of a president. To represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment.
It’s a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our futures, light to see our way forward, and love for one another.
America isn’t just a collection of clashing interests of red states or blue states.
We’re so much bigger than that.
We’re so much better than that.
Nearly a century ago, Franklin Roosevelt pledged a New Deal in a time of massive unemployment, uncertainty, and fear.
Stricken by disease, stricken by a virus, FDR insisted that he would recover and prevail and he believed America could as well.
And he did.
And so can we.
This campaign isn’t just about winning votes.
It’s about winning the heart, and yes, the soul of America.
Winning it for the generous among us, not the selfish. Winning it for the workers who keep this country going, not just the privileged few at the top. Winning it for those communities who have known the injustice of the “knee on the neck”. For all the young people who have known only an America of rising inequity and shrinking opportunity.
They deserve to experience America’s promise in full.
No generation ever knows what history will ask of it. All we can ever know is whether we’ll be ready when that moment arrives.
And now history has delivered us to one of the most difficult moments America has ever faced.
Four historic crises. All at the same time. A perfect storm.
The worst pandemic in over 100 years. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
The most compelling call for racial justice since the ’60s. And the undeniable realities and accelerating threats of climate change.
So, the question for us is simple: Are we ready?
I believe we are.
We must be.
All elections are important. But we know in our bones this one is more consequential.
America is at an inflection point. A time of real peril, but of extraordinary possibilities.
We can choose the path of becoming angrier, less hopeful, and more divided.
A path of shadow and suspicion.
Or we can choose a different path, and together, take this chance to heal, to be reborn, to unite. A path of hope and light.
This is a life-changing election that will determine America’s future for a very long time.
Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot. Decency, science, democracy.
They are all on the ballot.
Who we are as a nation. What we stand for. And, most importantly, who we want to be.
That’s all on the ballot.
And the choice could not be clearer.
No rhetoric is needed.
Just judge this president on the facts.
5 million Americans infected with Covid-19.
More than 170,000 Americans have died.
By far the worst performance of any nation on Earth.
More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year.
More than 10 million people are going to lose their health insurance this year.
Nearly 1 in 6 small businesses have closed this year.
If this president is reelected we know what will happen.
Cases and deaths will remain far too high.
More mom-and-pop businesses will close their doors for good.
Working families will struggle to get by, and yet, the wealthiest 1 percent will get tens of billions of dollars in new tax breaks.
And the assault on the Affordable Care Act will continue until it’s destroyed, taking insurance away from more than 20 million people — including more than 15 million people on Medicaid — and getting rid of the protections that President Obama and I passed for people who suffer from a preexisting condition.
And speaking of President Obama, a man I was honored to serve alongside for eight years as vice president. Let me take this moment to say something we don’t say nearly enough.
Thank you, Mr. President. You were a great president. A president our children could — and did — look up to.
No one will say that about the current occupant of the office.
What we know about this president is if he’s given four more years he will be what he’s been the last four years.
A president who takes no responsibility, refuses to lead, blames others, cozies up to dictators, and fans the flames of hate and division.
He will wake up every day believing the job is all about him. Never about you.
Is that the America you want for you, your family, your children?
I see a different America.
One that is generous and strong.
Selfless and humble.
It’s an America we can rebuild together.
As president, the first step I will take will be to get control of the virus that’s ruined so many lives.
Because I understand something this president doesn’t.
We will never get our economy back on track, we will never get our kids safely back to school, we will never have our lives back, until we deal with this virus.
The tragedy of where we are today is it didn’t have to be this bad.
Just look around.
It’s not this bad in Canada. Or Europe. Or Japan. Or almost anywhere else in the world.
The president keeps telling us the virus is going to disappear. He keeps waiting for a miracle. Well, I have news for him, no miracle is coming.
We lead the world in confirmed cases. We lead the world in deaths.
Our economy is in tatters, with Black, Latino, Asian American, and Native American communities bearing the brunt of it.
And after all this time, the president still does not have a plan.
Well, I do.
If I’m president, on day one we’ll implement the national strategy I’ve been laying out since March.
We’ll develop and deploy rapid tests with results available immediately.
We’ll make the medical supplies and protective equipment our country needs. And we’ll make them here in America. So we will never again be at the mercy of China and other foreign countries in order to protect our own people.
We’ll make sure our schools have the resources they need to be open, safe, and effective.
We’ll put the politics aside and take the muzzle off our experts so the public gets the information they need and deserve. The honest, unvarnished truth. They can deal with that.
We’ll have a national mandate to wear a mask — not as a burden, but to protect each other.
It’s a patriotic duty.
In short, I will do what we should have done from the very beginning.
Our current president has failed in his most basic duty to this nation.
He failed to protect us.
He failed to protect America.
And, my fellow Americans, that is unforgivable.
As president, I will make you this promise: I will protect America. I will defend us from every attack. Seen, and unseen. Always. Without exception. Every time.
Look, I understand it’s hard to have hope right now.
On this summer night, let me take a moment to speak to those of you who have lost the most.
I know how it feels to lose someone you love. I know that deep black hole that opens up in your chest. That you feel your whole being is sucked into it. I know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes.
But I’ve learned two things.
First, your loved ones may have left this Earth but they never leave your heart. They will always be with you.
And second, I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose.
As God’s children each of us have a purpose in our lives.
And we have a great purpose as a nation: To open the doors of opportunity to all Americans. To save our democracy. To be a light to the world once again.
To finally live up to and make real the words written in the sacred documents that founded this nation, that all men and women are created equal. Endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. Among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
You know, my dad was an honorable, decent man.
He got knocked down a few times pretty hard, but always got up.
He worked hard and built a great middle-class life for our family.
He used to say, “Joey, I don’t expect the government to solve my problems, but I expect it to understand them.”
And then he would say: “Joey, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It’s about your dignity. It’s about respect. It’s about your place in your community. It’s about looking your kids in the eye and say, honey, it’s going to be okay.”
I’ve never forgotten those lessons.
That’s why my economic plan is all about jobs, dignity, respect, and community. Together, we can, and we will, rebuild our economy. And when we do, we’ll not only build it back, we’ll build it back better.
With modern roads, bridges, highways, broadband, ports and airports as a new foundation for economic growth. With pipes that transport clean water to every community. With 5 million new manufacturing and technology jobs so the future is made in America.
With a health care system that lowers premiums, deductibles, and drug prices by building on the Affordable Care Act he’s trying to rip away.
With an education system that trains our people for the best jobs of the 21st century, where cost doesn’t prevent young people from going to college, and student debt doesn’t crush them when they get out.
With child care and elder care that make it possible for parents to go to work and for the elderly to stay in their homes with dignity. With an immigration system that powers our economy and reflects our values. With newly empowered labor unions. With equal pay for women. With rising wages you can raise a family on. Yes, we’re going to do more than praise our essential workers. We’re finally going to pay them.
We can, and we will, deal with climate change. It’s not only a crisis, it’s an enormous opportunity. An opportunity for America to lead the world in clean energy and create millions of new good-paying jobs in the process.
And we can pay for these investments by ending loopholes and the president’s $1.3 trillion tax giveaway to the wealthiest 1 percent and the biggest, most profitable corporations, some of which pay no tax at all.
Because we don’t need a tax code that rewards wealth more than it rewards work. I’m not looking to punish anyone. Far from it. But it’s long past time the wealthiest people and the biggest corporations in this country paid their fair share.
For our seniors, Social Security is a sacred obligation, a sacred promise made. The current president is threatening to break that promise. He’s proposing to eliminate the tax that pays for almost half of Social Security without any way of making up for that lost revenue.
I will not let it happen. If I’m your president, we’re going to protect Social Security and Medicare. You have my word.
One of the most powerful voices we hear in the country today is from our young people. They’re speaking to the inequity and injustice that has grown up in America. Economic injustice. Racial injustice. Environmental injustice.
I hear their voices and if you listen, you can hear them too. And whether it’s the existential threat posed by climate change, the daily fear of being gunned down in school, or the inability to get started in their first job — it will be the work of the next president to restore the promise of America to everyone.
I won’t have to do it alone. Because I will have a great vice president at my side. Senator Kamala Harris. She is a powerful voice for this nation. Her story is the American story. She knows about all the obstacles thrown in the way of so many in our country. Women, Black women, Black Americans, South Asian Americans, immigrants, the left-out and left-behind.
But she’s overcome every obstacle she’s ever faced. No one’s been tougher on the big banks or the gun lobby. No one’s been tougher in calling out this current administration for its extremism, its failure to follow the law, and its failure to simply tell the truth.
Kamala and I both draw strength from our families. For Kamala, it’s Doug and their families.
For me, it’s Jill and ours.
No man deserves one great love in his life. But I’ve known two. After losing my first wife in a car accident, Jill came into my life and put our family back together.
She’s an educator. A mom. A military mom. And an unstoppable force. If she puts her mind to it, just get out of the way. Because she’s going to get it done. She was a great Second Lady and she will make a great First Lady for this nation, she loves this country so much.
And I will have the strength that can only come from family. Hunter, Ashley, and all our grandchildren, my brothers, my sister. They give me courage and lift me up.
And while he is no longer with us, Beau inspires me every day.
Beau served our nation in uniform. A decorated Iraq War veteran.
So I take very personally the profound responsibility of serving as commander in chief.
I will be a president who will stand with our allies and friends. I will make it clear to our adversaries the days of cozying up to dictators are over.
Under President Biden, America will not turn a blind eye to Russian bounties on the heads of American soldiers. Nor will I put up with foreign interference in our most sacred democratic exercise — voting.
I will stand always for our values of human rights and dignity. And I will work in common purpose for a more secure, peaceful, and prosperous world.
History has thrust one more urgent task on us. Will we be the generation that finally wipes the stain of racism from our national character?
I believe we’re up to it.
I believe we’re ready.
Just a week ago yesterday was the third anniversary of the events in Charlottesville.
Remember seeing those neo-Nazis and Klansmen and white supremacists coming out of the fields with lighted torches? Veins bulging? Spewing the same anti-Semitic bile heard across Europe in the ’30s?
Remember the violent clash that ensued between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it?
Remember what the president said?
There were, quote, “very fine people on both sides.”
It was a wake-up call for us as a country.
And for me, a call to action. At that moment, I knew I’d have to run. My father taught us that silence was complicity. And I could not remain silent or complicit.
At the time, I said we were in a battle for the soul of this nation.
And we are.
One of the most important conversations I’ve had this entire campaign is with someone who is too young to vote.
I met with 6-year-old Gianna Floyd a day before her daddy, George Floyd, was laid to rest.
She is incredibly brave.
I’ll never forget.
When I leaned down to speak with her, she looked into my eyes and said, “Daddy changed the world.”
Her words burrowed deep into my heart.
Maybe George Floyd’s murder was the breaking point.
Maybe John Lewis’s passing, the inspiration.
However it has come to be, America is ready to, in John’s words, to lay down “the heavy burdens of hate at last,” and to do the hard work of rooting out our systemic racism.
America’s history tells us that it has been in our darkest moments that we’ve made our greatest progress. That we’ve found the light. And in this dark moment, I believe we are poised to make great progress again. That we can find the light once more.
I have always believed you can define America in one word: Possibilities.
That in America, everyone, and I mean everyone, should be given the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them.
We can never lose that. In times as challenging as these, I believe there is only one way forward. As a united America. United in our pursuit of a more perfect Union. United in our dreams of a better future for us and for our children. United in our determination to make the coming years bright.
Are we ready?
I believe we are.
This is a great nation.
And we are a good and decent people.
This is the United States of America.
And there has never been anything we’ve been unable to accomplish when we’ve done it together.
The Irish poet Seamus Heaney once wrote:
“History says,
Don’t hope on this side of the grave,
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up,
And hope and history rhyme”
This is our moment to make hope and history rhyme.
With passion and purpose, let us begin — you and I together, one nation, under God — united in our love for America and united in our love for each other.
For love is more powerful than hate.
Hope is more powerful than fear.
Light is more powerful than dark.
This is our moment.
This is our mission.
May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight as love and hope and light joined in the battle for the soul of the nation.
And this is a battle that we, together, will win.
I promise you.
Thank you.
And may God bless you.
And may God protect our troops.
Will you become our 20,000th supporter? When the economy took a downturn in the spring and we started asking readers for financial contributions, we weren’t sure how it would go. Today, we’re humbled to say that nearly 20,000 people have chipped in. The reason is both lovely and surprising: Readers told us that they contribute both because they value explanation and because they value that other people can access it, too. We have always believed that explanatory journalism is vital for a functioning democracy. That’s never been more important than today, during a public health crisis, racial justice protests, a recession, and a presidential election. But our distinctive explanatory journalism is expensive, and advertising alone won’t let us keep creating it at the quality and volume this moment requires. Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation, but it will help keep Vox free for all. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-20--Andrew Yang said the smartest thing about Biden at the DNC

During the Democratic primary , entrepreneur Andrew Yang built a bit of a reputation as an interesting , blunt voice on American politics .
So it ’ s perhaps not surprising that , on the final night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention , Yang had the sharpest analysis on what makes Joe Biden an effective candidate in this year ’ s cycle .
“ The magic of Joe Biden is that everything he does becomes the new reasonable , ” Yang said during a roundtable discussion among former 2020 contenders .
“ If he comes with an ambitious template @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sudden , everyone is going to follow his lead.
” During the Democratic primary , Biden was often described as the half-measures moderate in the field .
But if you look beyond political labels to the meat of the policy Biden is proposing , his agenda is shockingly ambitious .
He ’ s proposing a significant expansion of government health care that includes a public option and has floated a climate plan that would decarbonize the US economy by 2035 .
Waleed Shahid , the communications director for Justice Democrats , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ the most progressive platform of any Democratic nominee in the modern history of the party.
” President Trump has tried to run with this , arguing that Biden is a “ Trojan horse ” for leftists like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
But polls show that voters see Biden as more moderate than Trump himself .
“ It ’ s an argument that founders since Americans just watched Biden win an extended primary campaign in which he was repeatedly assailed for failing to meet various progressive litmus tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Biden won the primary handily by convincingly slapping a moderate label on a policy agenda that is nonetheless far bolder than the one pursued by Barack Obama or proposed by Hillary Clinton in 2016.
” This is what Yang is pointing to .
Biden is proposing an incredibly progressive policy agenda and a massive government mobilization to deal with the coronavirus pandemic .
But he still seems like the safe choice , in contrast to Trumpian chaos , because he ’ s a familiar face with a moderate reputation — earned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes in the Senate earlier in his career .
Will you become our 20,000th supporter ?
When the economy took a downturn in the spring and we started asking readers for financial contributions , we weren ’ t sure how it would go .
Today , we ’ re humbled to say that nearly 20,000 people have chipped in .
The reason is both lovely and surprising : Readers told us that they contribute both because they value explanation and because they value that other people can access it , too .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vital for a functioning democracy .
That ’ s never been more important than today , during a public health crisis , racial justice protests , a recession , and a presidential election .
But our distinctive explanatory journalism is expensive , and advertising alone won ’ t let us keep creating it at the quality and volume this moment requires .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will help keep Vox free for all .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

During the Democratic primary, entrepreneur Andrew Yang built a bit of a reputation as an interesting, blunt voice on American politics. So it’s perhaps not surprising that, on the final night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Yang had the sharpest analysis on what makes Joe Biden an effective candidate in this year’s cycle.
“The magic of Joe Biden is that everything he does becomes the new reasonable,” Yang said during a roundtable discussion among former 2020 contenders. “If he comes with an ambitious template to address climate change, all of a sudden, everyone is going to follow his lead.”
During the Democratic primary, Biden was often described as the half-measures moderate in the field. But if you look beyond political labels to the meat of the policy Biden is proposing, his agenda is shockingly ambitious.
He’s proposing a significant expansion of government health care that includes a public option and has floated a climate plan that would decarbonize the US economy by 2035. Waleed Shahid, the communications director for Justice Democrats, told Vox that Biden’s policy slate is “the most progressive platform of any Democratic nominee in the modern history of the party.”
President Trump has tried to run with this, arguing that Biden is a “Trojan horse” for leftists like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But polls show that voters see Biden as more moderate than Trump himself.
“It’s an argument that founders since Americans just watched Biden win an extended primary campaign in which he was repeatedly assailed for failing to meet various progressive litmus tests,” my colleague Matt Yglesias writes. “Biden won the primary handily by convincingly slapping a moderate label on a policy agenda that is nonetheless far bolder than the one pursued by Barack Obama or proposed by Hillary Clinton in 2016.”
This is what Yang is pointing to. Biden is proposing an incredibly progressive policy agenda and a massive government mobilization to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
Related Joe Biden has a plan for that
But he still seems like the safe choice, in contrast to Trumpian chaos, because he’s a familiar face with a moderate reputation — earned, in part, by more moderate votes in the Senate earlier in his career.
Will you become our 20,000th supporter? When the economy took a downturn in the spring and we started asking readers for financial contributions, we weren’t sure how it would go. Today, we’re humbled to say that nearly 20,000 people have chipped in. The reason is both lovely and surprising: Readers told us that they contribute both because they value explanation and because they value that other people can access it, too. We have always believed that explanatory journalism is vital for a functioning democracy. That’s never been more important than today, during a public health crisis, racial justice protests, a recession, and a presidential election. But our distinctive explanatory journalism is expensive, and advertising alone won’t let us keep creating it at the quality and volume this moment requires. Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation, but it will help keep Vox free for all. Contribute today from as little as $3.


vox--2020-08-20--When is the first presidential debate? September 29.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed a lot about the 2020 presidential campaign , but at least one thing is set to proceed mostly as planned : the debates .
The first of those , between Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump , is set to take place next month in Cleveland , Ohio .
Currently , the debate is scheduled for September 29 on the joint campus shared by Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic .
It will run from 9 to 10:30 pm Eastern time .
It will be the first of the three standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will follow in October .
According to Cleveland Clinic chief clinical transformation officer Dr. James Merlino , the September debate audience will be kept small , likely no more than 200 people , and now-familiar public health protocols — “ sanitizing hands , testing , doing health screenings , wearing masks , all of that ” — will be in place for the debate .
That ’ s what we know so far .
As with everything else this year , though , the debates have been beset with some uncertainty .
Though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set to host the first debate , it pulled out in late July , citing coronavirus concerns .
“ In the end , the constraints the coronavirus pandemic put on the event — as understandable and necessary as they are — have led us to withdraw , ” Notre Dame president Rev .
John Jenkins said of the change .
Notre Dame isn ’ t the only host to back out ; the University of Michigan Ann Arbor was set to host the second debate but canceled in June .
And the changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting by Cleveland ’ s ABC affiliate , a live debate audience could be nixed entirely if the coronavirus risk is too great .
That ’ s just the Covid-related uncertainty , though .
Earlier this month , the Trump campaign tried to request a schedule change : In a letter to the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates , Rudy Giuliani petitioned either for the addition of a fourth debate — there are three currently scheduled — or for the third debate to be moved from late October to early September , arguing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the candidates debate before early and mail-in voting starts .
“ How can voters be sending in Ballots starting , in some cases , one month before the First Presidential Debate , ” Trump tweeted at the time .
“ Move the First Debate up.
” Giuliani also included a list of suggested debate moderators , including Fox News ’ s Bret Baier and Maria Bartiromo and conservative pundit Hugh Hewitt .
The commission , however , roundly rejected the Trump campaign ’ s requests , writing that “ any voter who wishes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting will be well aware of that opportunity.
” Moderators for all three presidential debates have yet to be announced .
In addition to the Trump team ’ s suggested revisions to the debate schedule , there was also a short-lived faux controversy over whether Biden would appear at the debates , prompted in part by a WSJ editorial board op-ed .
As the Washington Post ’ s Dave Weigel pointed out earlier this month though , “ the ‘ Biden wants to cancel the debates ’ meme is a TV invention.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign ever considered withdrawing from the debates .
When Biden and Trump do take the stage late next month , they ’ re likely to be facing a political reality — a raging pandemic , an economy in crisis , and a national reckoning over race — that doesn ’ t look too different from right now .
Biden ’ s polling lead , which stands at 8.4 points in the FiveThirtyEight national polling average , has remained fairly steady over the summer .
And while polls are more of “ a ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessarily predictive of the election ’ s final result , ” as my colleague Li Zhou explained , the underlying structures of American life right now don ’ t look like they ’ ll change in the near term .
The US continues to report tens of thousands of daily new coronavirus cases .
Weekly jobless claims have dipped below 1 million only once since late March .
And public approval on Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic has remained below 40 percent since early July .
Absentee ballots will start going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in North Carolina ) , and the general election will be just 35 days away when the candidates meet in Cleveland .
The second and third debates will take place on October 15 and 22 , respectively , in Miami and Nashville , Tennessee .
Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence will also meet at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City for a debate of their own on October 7 .
Will you become our 20,000th supporter ?
When the economy took a downturn in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial contributions , we weren ’ t sure how it would go .
Today , we ’ re humbled to say that nearly 20,000 people have chipped in .
The reason is both lovely and surprising : Readers told us that they contribute both because they value explanation and because they value that other people can access it , too .
We have always believed that explanatory journalism is vital for a functioning democracy .
That ’ s never been more important than today , during a public health crisis , racial justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election .
But our distinctive explanatory journalism is expensive , and advertising alone won ’ t let us keep creating it at the quality and volume this moment requires .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will help keep Vox free for all .
Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

The coronavirus pandemic has changed a lot about the 2020 presidential campaign, but at least one thing is set to proceed mostly as planned: the debates. The first of those, between Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, is set to take place on September 29 in Cleveland, Ohio.
The debate will be held on the joint campus shared by Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic. The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates has announced that Fox News anchor Chris Wallace will moderate, and the debate will run from 9 to 10:30 pm Eastern time.
Two more presidential debates and a vice-presidential debate will follow in October.
According to Dr. James Merlino, a Cleveland Clinic executive, the September debate audience will be kept small, likely no more than 200 people, and now-familiar public health protocols — “sanitizing hands, testing, doing health screenings, wearing masks, all of that” — will be in place for the debate.
As with everything else this year, the debates have been beset with uncertainty. Though the University of Notre Dame was originally set to host the first debate, it pulled out in late July, citing coronavirus concerns.
“In the end, the constraints the coronavirus pandemic put on the event — as understandable and necessary as they are — have led us to withdraw,” Notre Dame president Rev. John Jenkins said at the time.
Notre Dame isn’t the only host to back out; the University of Michigan Ann Arbor was set to host the second debate but canceled in June. And the changes might not stop there: According to reporting by Cleveland’s ABC affiliate, a live debate audience could be nixed entirely if the coronavirus risk is too great.
And that’s just the Covid-related uncertainty. Earlier this month, the Trump campaign tried to request a schedule change: In a letter to the CPD, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani petitioned either for the addition of a fourth debate — there are three currently scheduled — or for the third debate to be moved from late October to early September, arguing that voters need a chance to watch the candidates debate before early and mail-in voting starts.
“How can voters be sending in Ballots starting, in some cases, one month before the First Presidential Debate,” Trump tweeted at the time. “Move the First Debate up.”
How can voters be sending in Ballots starting, in some cases, one month before the First Presidential Debate. Move the First Debate up. A debate, to me, is a Public Service. Joe Biden and I owe it to the American People! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 6, 2020
Giuliani also included a list of suggested debate moderators, including Fox News’s Bret Baier and Maria Bartiromo and conservative pundit Hugh Hewitt.
The commission, however, roundly rejected the Trump campaign’s requests — none of the four debate moderators announced Wednesday were names from Giuliani’s list.
In addition to the Trump team’s suggested revisions to the debate schedule, there was also a short-lived faux controversy over whether Biden would appear at the debates, prompted in part by a WSJ editorial board op-ed.
As the Washington Post’s Dave Weigel pointed out in August though, “the ‘Biden wants to cancel the debates’ meme is a TV invention.” There are no signs that the Biden campaign ever considered withdrawing from the debates.
In a statement after the moderators were announced, Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates reiterated that point: “As Joe Biden has said for months — without farcical antics — he looks forward to participating in the debates set by the commission, regardless of who the independently chosen moderators are,” Bates said Wednesday.
Biden has a steady polling lead
When Biden and Trump do take the stage late next month, they’re likely to be facing a political reality — a raging pandemic, an economy in crisis, and a national reckoning over race — that doesn’t look too different from right now.
Biden’s polling lead, which stands in early September at 7.5 points in the FiveThirtyEight national polling average, has remained fairly steady, though it’s down from its high of better than 9 points earlier this summer. And while polls are more of a “‘snapshot’ in time, and not necessarily predictive of the election’s final result,” as my colleague Li Zhou has explained, the underlying structures of American life right now don’t look like they’ll change in the near term.
The US continues to report tens of thousands of daily new coronavirus cases. Weekly jobless claims have dipped below 1 million only once since late March. And public approval on Trump’s handling of the pandemic has remained below 40 percent since early July.
Absentee ballots will start going out as early as September 4 (in North Carolina), and the general election will be just 35 days away when the candidates meet in Cleveland.
The second and third debates will take place on October 15 and 22, respectively, in Miami and Nashville, Tennessee. C-SPAN editor Steve Scully will moderate the Miami debate, and NBC anchor Kristen Welker has been announced as the moderator for the final debate in Tennessee. Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence will also meet at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City for a debate of their own on October 7, moderated by USA Today Washington bureau chief Susan Page.
Will you become our 20,000th supporter? When the economy took a downturn in the spring and we started asking readers for financial contributions, we weren’t sure how it would go. Today, we’re humbled to say that nearly 20,000 people have chipped in. The reason is both lovely and surprising: Readers told us that they contribute both because they value explanation and because they value that other people can access it, too. We have always believed that explanatory journalism is vital for a functioning democracy. That’s never been more important than today, during a public health crisis, racial justice protests, a recession, and a presidential election. But our distinctive explanatory journalism is expensive, and advertising alone won’t let us keep creating it at the quality and volume this moment requires. Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation, but it will help keep Vox free for all. Contribute today from as little as $3.