So, the Democrats held the first night of their audiovisual convention Monday night. There were, watching, millions of us who are not Democrats, but are yet resolved and confirmed against Trump his autocratic nativism. Although some like us have melted away, for the remnant of which we are a part Never Trump means never Trump. We find ourselves, fortunately and happily, part of a grand coalition of opposition and resistance, against a true threat to the American constitutional order. It is, necessarily, around the large, established Democratic Party that this grand coalition will fight this fall. No one of us can assure victory; without the Democrats we would be assured of defeat.
For all the prominent speakers at the first night of the Democratic convention, perhaps no one will remain so long in memory as Kristin Urquiza, speaking of her late father, Mark Anthony Urquiza:
Kristin Urquiza, who recently lost her father to COVID-19, addressed Democrats on Aug. 17 during the first night of the Democratic National Convention. Urquiza’s father died this year at the age of 65 as a result of the coronavirus. She said her dad was healthy, but by trusting President Donald Trump’s assurances that the coronavirus was under control, he “paid with his life.” “Donald Trump may not have caused the coronavirus, but his dishonesty and irresponsible actions made it so much worse,” Urquiza said, calling for a leader with a national, data-driven response to COVID-19. Urquiza’s remarks were part of the convention’s first night of programming. The coronavirus pandemic upended both parties’ traditional conventions. Instead, the program each night featured a number of speakers and musical performances virtually across the country.