Fahrenthold: First night of DNC focused more on Trump than rallying Democrats
Aug 18, 2020, 10:00 AM | Updated: Oct 7, 2024, 9:20 am
KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross and Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold are no strangers to covering political conventions. But this year’s virtual Democratic National Convention had a much different feel.
Fahrenthold told Dave that as a reporter, he missed the energy of the crowd, but he thought the Democrats did a good job with the presentation Monday night. He also appreciated that the moments were split up into shareable clips.
Ross: The only reason not to vote is if you’re dead
That said, Fahrenthold says he didn’t recognize a moment that was meant to fire up hardcore Democrats to spread the good word on Joe Biden.
“Maybe that will come on a different night,” Fahrenthold said. “I saw an effort to make a case that Trump is the wrong person for the moment. Michelle Obama’s speech did that. They had a speech from someone [Kristin Urquiza] who’s father had died from COVID-19 because they sort of trusted Trump and didn’t take precautions.”
Trump responded to Obama on Tuesday, tweeting that he wouldn’t be in the “beautiful White House” today if it “weren’t for the job done by her husband,” former President Barack Obama. He ended with a sarcastic thanks to Michelle Obama for her “very kind words.”
The president sought to steal focus from the convention Monday by hosting a political rally in Wisconsin, where Biden’s party had originally planned this week’s convention. He will be on the road again Tuesday, traveling to the southern border in Arizona, and reviewing recent storm damage in Iowa.
Biden’s wife, Jill, will get top billing at the second night of the Democratic convention Tuesday. A longtime teacher, she’ll speak from her former classroom at Brandywine High School near the family home in Wilmington, Delaware.
The convention will culminate with Joe Biden formally accepting the nomination on Thursday.
Fahrenthold’s latest piece in the Washington Post focuses on Trump’s donations to Kamala Harris’ campaigns in 2011 and 2013.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
