"The Democratic National Convention this year was strange, but also scientifically effective." So begins the Fast Company article The Democrats pulled off a brilliant psychological maneuver at the convention
Mark Wilson, the writer, noted that while Barack Obama wowed the 2004 convention with "the most electric 17 minutes of political speaking the country had ever seen, culminating in a frenzied standing ovation" the Democrats went on to lose the election.
This time Obama spoke again, but "he stood alone in a room, looking straight into the camera, and he spoke to just one person: you."
No roaring crowds distracted you. No cutaways to how other listeners were reacting cued you how to respond. The excitement might be lower as a consequence. But the impact to every person watching seems to have been greater.
Obama was not alone in speaking this way. You were not watching him address a crowd, this time. Nearly every speaker spoke directly to you, and they looked directly at you as they did.
Wilson spoke to Professor Jari Hietanen, "one of the leading researchers studying the subtleties of eye contact on human psychology and physiology." The professor noted that eye contact affects your attention, your emotion, and "how you evaluate someone as trustworthy or intelligent."
This effect, of finding the speakers more trustworthy and the speeches more emotionally affecting is what struck me (a retired social scientist). I had even teared up more than once, and given 30 years of watching politicians speaking and many of those years as a professional analyst of public addresses by politicians, this reaction surprised me, to say the least. I saw the same effects in comment after comment by others on various boards discussing the speeches at the convention, with many saying this or that speaker brought tears to their eyes too.
I also was particularly struck by Biden's performance (and my reaction). He was not my top choice in the primary season, partially because I worried that he was probably too old, too feeble, and had been in politics too long to really be persuasive as the leader we need in the horrible circumstances we face right now. Could he fight for us? Did he have the steel to lead in what has to be the worst time to become president in American history since the time the nation mourned the murder of Abraham Lincoln and then spent three years under the impeached and nearly convicted Andrew Johnson? The president that assumed office after that traumatic period, U.S. Grant, was much younger than Biden, had been the general who led the union to victory, and was an undoubtedly strong commander.
But Biden looked me in the eye and convinced me he could and would lead as he said: "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." He continued:
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.
Politicians know that if they give their word about something, they better do it or in future they will not be trusted ever again. When Biden looked ME in the eye and said "I give you my word" somehow I felt he really meant it. The phrase I WILL permeated his speech, and while he did speak about other things the way politicians do, the I WILL parts strike me as particularly significant.
For example his commitment to protect:
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.
This is a commitment as strong as steel.
And as a semi-retiree, his commitment to Social Security also stood out:
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.
Again, there can be no doubt about the strength of this pledge. I have his word on it. Nor about this part:
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.
Defend and cooperate with those who share our values in defense of those values. What a refreshing restatement and pledge of faith to restore the system of alliances and cooperation that has secured our prosperity and peace since the Grand Alliance of WWII. American will stood resolute for peace and global cooperation until George W. Bush, but even Bush came to recognize he needed the rest of the world to bring terrorism under control. The man pretending to be president today is as clueless now as he was in November 2016.
Biden’s final commitment was different. Still personal. Maybe even more so. Still he said I will, but this time most importantly it was not his commitment to us that was most important.
He ended his speech by saying: "
One of the most important conversations I’ve had this entire campaign is with someone who is too young to vote. I met with six-year old Gianna Floyd, a day before her Daddy George Floyd was laid to rest.
She is incredibly brave. I’ll never forget.
This from the man who lost his first daughter so tragically and so suddenly, just as suddenly and tragically as this little girl lost her father. He could feel how this little girl felt. And I felt it too.
"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." He said.
Then he turned to us and looked us directly in the eye:
Maybe George Floyd’s murder was the breaking point.
Maybe John Lewis’ 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."
Yes. We are. And we will. It is OUR systemic racism we must face and address. Biden cannot make this commitment to us, or for us. It is up to us to honor that little girl’s bravery and her loss (along with the loss of many others in similar circumstances). It is up to us to cross John Lewis’ bridge, in our time.
This was an unforgettable convention during an unforgettable time. We have the people ready, and able--I am confident--more than able, to lead us out of this dark time in our nation's history.
For the first time since that dark night in early November 2016, I have hope.