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Thanks to all of you for taking the time to answer questions during this busy week. While it was certainly seen as solid enough, in a few corners of the punditsphere there are folks saying that her speech was a let down, a missed opportunity, etc, and one Democratic strategist tweeted that it felt like it was assembled by committee and "watered down." Given that she is not as widely known to the general public not glued to social media and the news, I thought it worked well – it told us who she was. And with that out of the way, she's now free to move forward and take on Trump and Pence. She also had to follow the former president, whose speech has been widely praised, and for her to try to match his rhetoric in terms of sounding the alarm would not have been a good strategy. What say all of you about how she did?
I think she did what she needed to do, was introduce herself, familiarize Americans with her background and biracial identity, get a few headline-grabbing attacks on Trump. ("I know a predator when I see one," although she didn't directly tie it to the president), and then support Joe Biden. And also, do no harm by making any major missteps.
After their respective addresses to the convention, I think that we have not had such an accomplished pair as POTUS and FLOTUS since FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt lived in the White House.
It sure seemed to be a moment in which the Obama's fully supplanted the Clintons as the first family of Democratic politics -- if that wasn't already the case.
I never want to go back to the old way where floor interviews, joyful eruptions, and commercials interrupt the importance of the event.
Counterpoint: We don't get a true sense of what the activists love or don't love, which live conventions at least provide somewhat.
Can the Republican convention match the Democrats in terms of production quality? Seems like the DNC started planning for at least a partial virtual convention by May but the RNC only started less than a month ago.
It's a big question. Think about all the regular people they have included in these videos. I'm sure Republicans were preparing some of that for a live convention, but it places a much bigger emphasis on execution and production. Having things change so late in the game has plenty of people asking how they're going to pull this off.
As a citizen trying (and failing) to keep up with the veritable flood of news from the current administration, I have to stick my head in a bucket occasionally. But I just read about it, and it's your full time job. How do you stay sane?
Alcohol? Therapy?
Seriously though, we love our job because we get to try to explain, contextualize and analyze what's happening. While our amazing Washington Post reporting goes out and finds the "what," we at The Fix try to answer the "why" and "so what." Buuuuuuuut that keeps us busy. And tired.
I would usually say at this time of year, I'll decompress in the second week of November. But, readers, I take every opportunity to remind you that it's entirely likely this thing won't be called by then. So we'll decompress... sometime after that.
The news cycle makes my head want to spin off my body sometimes, and like everyone, we've all got personal stuff going on that's extra challenging in Covid times. But between us, I am having the best time I've had in months now that the campaign is front and center. Bring on the next 75 days.
Dear Fix Team, Forget all the hammering that the President is getting from the Democrats every night on TV this week, today Steve Bannon has been indicted for fraud and conspiracy, the bi-partisan Senate report makes it crystal clear that Trump's campaign manager colluded with the Russians in the 2016 election, and a Federal judge has ordered the President to turn his tax returns over to the state of New York. It almost makes me want to tune in to the Republican (aka, QAnon) Convention next week just to see how they explain all this as fake news.
I have stopped predicting awhile ago what any one controversy means for Trump. Except, of course, for his and his administration's handling of coronavirus. That one is pretty clear.
In February before coronavirus really hit America hard, Joe Biden was leading President Trump by an average of six points in high quality polls, as gathered by our Washington Post pollsters. In March, 7. May, 8. June, 11 points, to 12 points in a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll.
But I don't have any specific predictions for how this Bannon news affects Trump politically. It seems, from what we know now, only tangentially related to Trump in that he was trying to raise money for Trump's wall (money that Congress wouldn't give the president).
How does the Fix entertain itself on slow news days like today?
What do you think is the state of the race? What is the reason for the polls seeming to get closer? Are these outliers or is the race really becoming more competitive?
It appears that the polls showing the gap between Trump and Biden are pretty similar except for a few outliers.
But there could be a few reasons why Trump may be faring slightly better in August than he was in June. At the height of the anti-racism protests, Trump was regularly making racially insensitive comments that did not bode well with many Americans including some of those who have backed him in the past. And secondly, more affluent Americans have likely seen the worst of the economic downturn and have begun to recover financially. It is a reminder that for many voters, the economy trumps all and as long as that is going well, a president will have their approval.
Donald Trump's standing in the polls, and likewise the GOP, seem to have improved slightly over the past few weeks. To what would you attribute this bump? Granted, he is still significantly behind, but what would have arrested the decline.
I think there was always going to be a little bit of the partisans coming home. His standing in the polls has always been close to his approval rating, but maybe some reliable GOP voters who don't approve of him are relenting a bit. It's kind of inevitable -- at least to an extent.
Can you explain the QAnon folks to me? Are they right wing disruptors? Conservative trolls? Racist Klan types bent on causing chaos? Trumpsters who want to destroy the traditional Republican party? All of the above? What do they hope to achieve by spreading ridiculous conspiracy theories and misinformation?
I talked to a few experts about this in June, about the psychological need among some for conspiracy theories. Here's what they said:
“People believe because they feel powerless, uncertain, or they feel like they lost some control,” said Joanne Miller, who studies the political psychology of conspiracy theories at the University of Delaware.
Certainly, a lot of Americans are anxious now. “It doesn’t mean we’ll end up believing in conspiracy theories,” Miller said, “but we all seek explanations, seek to understand why. Because if we can come up with a reason and an explanation, at the very least we think it’s going to help us regain some control. That ‘knowledge’ in some sense is control.”
Conspiracy theories can also help bolster people’s world views, Miller said. So if QAnon is gaining any momentum right now, perhaps it’s driven by Trump’s drop in poll numbers. Instead of reckoning with the fact the president may lose his reelection, QAnon offers an opportunity to blame a secret group of elites, alleged pedophiles or society for their struggles.
But experts The Fix spoke to say to keep in mind that QAnon is still on the fringes of society.
Is the Democrats' top line focus on saving the democracy too vague to get out the vote? A focus on healthcare in 2018 seemed to work well.
It does seem a bit general, but many voters seem to understand that a lot is online and that the country is going in a direction that they disapprove of in many areas. I haven't seen recent polling that says that healthcare is the top issue for left-leaning voters, but perhaps the Democratic Party is hoping that the pandemic (obviously a health issue), the economic downturn and racial uprisings are all significant enough to make one conclude that the democracy as a whole needs to be saved from Trump.
Electoral politics seems to be off the table for the former first lady, but would she accept a Cabinet post? It seems that she has all the credentials, and she doesn't seem to be the kind of person who wants to sit back and wait for grandchildren.
I would assume she would resist that idea for the same reasons she resists running for office -- all the things that come with the scrutiny. But at least it wouldn't involve a campaign.
I'm trying to figure out what kind of post she would want or accept. Any ideas?
holding a virtual convention, how do you anticipate that the Rep convention next week will be different than the Dem convention (other than the obvious idolatry of Trump)? The Dems were planning for this eventuality a lot longer than the Reps, will that matter? BTW, are any events still being held in FL or NC?
One thing I'll be on the lookout for is to see how the GOP attempts to math the diversity of the Democratic Convention. We know that the Republican Party is more white than the Democratic Party, but they have generally done a fair job of trying to downplay that at conventions. However, that gap between the two camps might be so wide this year that it could be hard to ignore.
I also wonder if the GOP will feature as many liberal voices in support of Trump as the Democratic Party featured conservatives in support of Biden.
Let's get beyond the removal of the equipment from various locations. If the machines still function, what are you doing throwing them into dumpsters? Can a future administration go after DeJoy for money to replace them in a civil complaint? Might there be criminal codes for destruction of property? I'm probably way out on a limb, but I'd sure love to see it.
I don't know about that, but I did talk to an elections expert last week at The Brennan Center, and she said we can fully expects lawsuit against the Postal Service for its changes to its operations (which the Postal Service says it walked back but Democrats are skeptical of), especially depending on how ballots get delivered this election. Already 20 states were planning to sue the Postal Service; I'm not sure where those lawsuits stand now that the Postal Service is supposedly rolling back changes.
I miss August being boring. Think it'll be quiet and boring next year?
I don't know if we'll ever have boring again, but you know what would be awesome? Quiet and boring nonelection news cycle coinciding with the Olympics, which are now scheduled for late July/early August. Let's all be really good, we deserve this.
Will any of the recent revelations (well, confirmations) make any difference to Trump supporters. I'm thinking of Bannon's indictment, Trump's enthusiasm for QAnon, and the bipartisan Senate report on election collusion with Russia. Is that cake long baked now or would anything shake some supporters loose?
Supposedly about 15 percent of voters remain undecided. And I was having a conversation earlier this week with a previous Trump voter who does not yet know what they are going to do. It is fair to assume that diehard Trump supporters will not be dissuaded from supporting the president by these revelations. But it's possible that enough of those who are on the fence living in the states that matter most could be disappointed in the recent revelations to stay home or at least vote against him.
I see that there are plans to bring Congress back early from the recess. Any sense for the agendas? Will the House try to pass legislation on various subjects for the Senate and White House to ignore? Will there be movement on relief packages in the Senate, or even nominations?
Well on Saturday, the House is planning to vote on legislation to prevent the Postal Service from making anymore changes to its operations before the election. (If it passes, it won't go anywhere in the Republican-controlled Senate.)
But the two big things they'll be trying to pass in both chambers are:
1. Coronavirus relief, including unemployment help. Some Republicans are considering proposing a smaller bill than what Democrats want. Will Democrats be more receptive to it?
2. Funding the government before the Oct. 1 deadline. Maybe they just kick the can down the road, but sometimes even that can be a challenge.
And that's about it for legislation we can expect from Congress this year!
A comment, not a question.... Remember that there are many of us out here not hooked to cable tv connections. We do not have cable but are watching the convention through the Washington Post website.
Please tell me that WI, MI, PA and OH are trending Biden. The thought of 4 more years of Trump in the WH is too much to bear. If Biden could even get 3, excluding OH, can he carry the ball over the goal line? Should I start researching Irish citizenry now?
So here's an average of high quality polls from this summer for those states, according to our Washington Post polling team:
Michigan: Biden leads by an average of 9 points. This is the state Trump won in 2016 that Biden is most pulling away with.
Wisconsin: Biden leads by an average of 7.
Pennsylvania: Biden leads by an average of 9
Ohio: It's a tougher state for Biden, with polling show them tied. Still, given Trump won it 8 points, all this suggests that Biden is in a position to win the states he needs to for an Electoral College win. But strategists on both sides warn these poll numbers will tighten as more people pay attention to the election and get decided.
Tell Glenn Kessler not to worry. He will be working overtime next week.
I haven't seen much of a bump yet for the Democrats as a result of their convention. Is it too early? Or does the format work against this sort of thing?
WAY too early to tell. We probably won't know until this weekend, at the earliest.
No fewer than three times tonight, at the Democratic convention, I was told, quite frustratingly, that the only way to vote by mail is to "text" something. Doesn't it occur to the younger generation(s) that some of us don't have mobile telephones, let alone "apps" (-properly "applications," right?), either because we don't like cell-phone "culture" (that's my wife and me) or because they can't afford it (more folks more than people say)? I wish someone would tell us how else we can access the information on how to vote by mail. I particularly don't like the Democratic Party telling me something I would expect to hear from Trump: that if I'm not plugged into several commercial outfits I'm not connected to the system and don't deserve to vote.
Hi! You definitely deserve to vote.
I'm going to point you to a website, two actually, to try to help you figure out how to vote by mail this November. You're right that it's going to take more work than usual for voters this year, and that means doing your research. So, here's my step by step guide on how to figure out how to vote by mail (or in person if you want) in your state.
The main link to know there is this one, which will help you find your local elections office. Then pick up the phone and call them and ask all your questions! Because each jurisdiction is different, which is one of the trickier aspects of voting by mail this year. There is no national plan.
Laura Loomer won't beat Frankel -- But given that she has gobs of money and will be buying ads in the WPB and Miami media markets (and the vocal support of the president) -- will any other GOP incumbents suddenly find themselves in trouble due to the party's embrace of this right-wing troll? Could it have larger implications at the presidential level?
It's not a bad theory, though I wonder how much people will truly consume her actual views (1 of 27 congressional districts) and attach them to the presidential race. It's clear that's she's a liability, and everyone in the party except Trump seems to know that.
Why hasn’t Nia Malika- Henderson been called out for using a derogatory word like that and why did Cooper let her get by with it. Unless she is a lesbian trying to reclaim the word and taking away its power, she needs to explain herself. In talking about representation in the keynote address, she named women, Blacks, ethnic groups and queer. I think CNN owes an apology. I doubt I am the only one offended. After all the good feeling of the convention, it was a jolt.
I use the term queer to self-identify and know many people in the LGBTQ community who also use it to describe their sexuality, worldview, politics, etc. After all, the Q literally stands for queer. And Nia-Malika -- a friend of mine and a former member of the Fix team -- reports often on identity politics and is aware of that as well.
I've watched more of this convention than any other convention that I can recall. The format has been much more viewer friendly for me. Any leaks on how the Republicans will be doing their convention? If no leaks, any thoughts on what they need to do? Does their delay in realizing the convention would have to be more virtual put them behind?
So here's what we know about it. It will be in Charlotte, N.C., but extremely pared down, to basically business only. Instead of thousands of attendees, there will be a couple hundred, and the president won't be there. He's said he may be giving his speech at the White House, which is legal but some ethics experts argue not necessarily ethical. In Charlotte, Republicans will have six delegates from each state and territory.
There aren't many more details beyond that, on speakers and whether they will be piped in from their homes.
As a die-hard Democrat, I've enjoyed watching the display of diversity, the focus on Biden's biography and slams against Trump for his attacks on democracy, his character flaws, and his mismanagement of the pandemic. The one thing I'm concerned about, though, is that the extensive focus on diversity, democracy and social issues may distract from a focus on bread-and-butter economic issues that matter to many voters in the Midwest and other swing states--especially given Trump's still-solid polling numbers on the economy question. Do you think the Democrats are underemphasizing the economic message?
I'm curious to see what Joe Biden's speech is mostly characterized by. Because Kamala Harris (and most other speakers) have made an effort to talk to the party's base, Black Lives Matter protesters and younger people.
Fox is not covering the Democratic Convention at all. Any chance we could convince ABC, CBS and NBC not to cover the Republican Convention next week?
Doubtful! The journalism philosophy of ABC, CBS and NBC leads them to strive to be more balanced in their coverage of the political spectrum than Fox.
Eugene was right and I've been pretty surprised they haven't shown full coverage. But then again, it's hard to imagine most of their viewers sitting through that programming that has really leaned into diversity, Trump prosecution and Democratic stars (I'm thinking of my Fox-watching relatives). Practically no one has only Fox News as an option on their cable menu, so everyone can get that somewhere else. But still, it's pretty remarkable.
What are the chances former President George W. Bush endorses Biden? He's never been a Trump guy. His family, other than George P. Bush, is done running for office. And they never have to worry about money.
I'd wager that he stays out of it. He's been very careful. It is notable that Jeb continues to speak out, including on QAnon -- even with his son continuing to embrace the Trump brand.
They've been content to let Jeb handle this stuff. George W. getting involved would certainly be an escalation.
I like your reporting and agree the roll call was great. Will the basic decency of the ticket make an impact on the misogyny and Hate rhetoric? What are the watch stats and among undecided in swing states? That is all that matters (alas)
Honestly, I doubt it for many people. Many individuals who are invested in discriminating against people based on their gender and/or race really don't care how decent of a human being that person is. Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton can testify to that. The swing states to watch are Arizona, North Carolina and Florida. Also keep your eye on Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania as usual.
Do you see Donald Trump Jr. running for office in the future? Does he start smaller (House, Senate, governor) or jump right into a presidential run in 2024?
I'd be surprised if he did anything below the statewide level, and if it wasn't running for president, I'd be surprised if it wasn't in Florida rather than New York. Better odds down there, and he has a national brand.
How big a problem is this for Trump in Ohio? Enough to cost a few votes, but not enough to lose the state entirely?
I'd imagine it will blow over soon, as many of his boycott threats do. But as with his comments about withholding funding from Michigan, I do question the electoral strategy of it, certainly.
Why does Trump never get called out for his lies in real time.
I thought the Axios interview largely featured Jonathan Swann calling out the president for his lies, misstatements and inaccuracies in real time in ways that we've never seen before.
When are major networks and news media going to give Democrats equal time? Trump is using his COVID-19 briefing as a campaign platform! Shouldn’t Dems get the same?
Not sure, but if Democrats had a daily briefing explaining how they are responding to the pandemic perhaps the cable networks would air that.
Where is the Democratic Party on disability rights, employment, affordable housing, social inclusion, etc.? 61 million people are almost invisible in this convention except as objects of care by other people. We need the ACA, but The disability community is about more than needing healthcare.
Here is where the Democratic Party's nominee stands on issues related to people with disabilities.
https://joebiden.com/disabilities/#
Who put all this together? The ideas: showing so many people around the country, the editing, the singing and music...etc. Very creative
I found the production to be incredibly engaging and a welcomed change to the traditional roll call. I imagine the brains and creatives behind the ideas will be featured in interviews and profiles very soon -- and might be asked to produce something similar for conventions even when the pandemic is over.
Hi! I just wanted to say that my boyfriend and I have been watching the convention every night and we thinks it’s just wonderful. I really loved the roll call showcasing each state! A true testimony of the diversity of our country! Beautiful. I’ve been in tears a few times! My boyfriend is a “refugee republican” a he’s also enjoying the speeches and messaging. Thank you!
The emphasis on diversity was quite a sight! Feel free to check us out on PostLive prior to the convention and after as we share our thoughts on the highs and lows of the gathering.
Just saw that Nancy Pelosi is endorsing Joe Kennedy in the primary against Ed Markey. I have to assume there's something personal in that she'd endorse a challenger? Is it as simple as he's currently in the House?
Highly unusual and not at all expected. It's worth noting that Markey served in the House with her too, so I'm not sure that would account for it. I wonder how much it matters to Massachusetts Democrats, but it's a big endorsement as far as endorsements go.
When will the Democratic Party allow Biden to come out of his sheltered bunker and allow reporters from multiple publications ask real questions? What are they hiding?
Numerous black and Latino reporters from multiple organizations asked Joe Biden questions that many voters care about deeply earlier this month during the NABJ/NAHJ convention. You can view them here.
https://www.nabj.org/news/520482/Black-and-Hispanic-Journalists-Interview-Former-Vice-President-Joe-Biden-During-Annual-Convention.htm
At the end of Tuesday night's convention broadcast, there was a picture of the Chase Center in Wilmington Delaware adorned with Democratic convention signs and an American flag. How is that building being used for the convention?
That's where Kamala Harris, last night, and Joe Biden, tonight, are speaking. Into an eerily empty auditorium, albeit with some reporters (tested for covid) and staff and family. The Post reported that last night, Harris's husband was the only person near her. And The Post's video reporter Hannah Jewell has been outside the convention center all week, and she said there's a separate outdoor stage being set up and testing for some fireworks. So we might see those tonight.
Yes, I watched the Democratic National Convention. I have replayed the Post's selected roll call vote video several times... AWESOME. Thank you. Keep up the good work. I ordered Michelle Obama's VOTE necklace. I write to let you know that I appreciate the Washington Post! Thank you. Stay free.
Thanks! We appreciate you reading and your feedback. You're not the first Democratic voter I've heard from who says they're watching the convention and loving it.
I started to say I'm surprised we haven't seen media folks gathering focus groups of activists and "ordinary people" on Zoom to gauge their real-time reactions. (Maybe in 2024 when they can have them in a studio.) But the other question is, how are you media types doing with fewer opportunities to cut away for pundit reactions?
We're fine, thanks for asking! I am surprised there hasn't been more of this too, it's just a function of everyone adjusting to something we haven't seen before. And, do viewers really want a zoom about a big zoom convention? I'm not sure i can take another one in my day.
Finding sources to gather reaction from, or report on, or to give us a sense of the pulse in certain communities is so hard to do safely. You can't just go stand outside a grocery store and talk to folks or stop by a watch party.
Have any of the Post's reporters found out how many of the sorting machines and mail boxes removed at DeJoy's order already been destroyed and will not be put back into use for the November election?
No, but I am absolutely sure our fantastic reporters, who break news about the Postal Service almost daily, are on this. Here's the latest. It's not clear whether the Postal Service will replace sorting machines and mailboxes it recently took out of service, or if they'll just stop removing existing ones.
Yes I’m watching the convention and it’s well done. The main thing on my mind is ‘how can we win without mail sorting machines’?
Thanks for sharing my question I asked in yesterday's 5-Minute Fix newsletter, whether you are actually watching the conventions and what you think of it.
Voting by mail is going to take more effort than usual on the part of voters. I will say it's not like there are no mail sorting machines, there just may be less of them. It's not clear how much less.
Is The Lincoln Project making an impact, and if so, how is that measured? Their ads are right-on, nothing the DNC would even dare to do. But will they be effective or just memorable?
I often wonder this too. I imagine they are targeting former Trump supporters. But sometimes I wonder if the tone is off-putting to people who support the president and would ultimately make them defensive and as a result remain on Team Trump.
From the days of watching the 1960 conventions from my cot in my aunt and uncle's home on their Calvert County farm to the 2016 Trump mess, I have always thought so much of these circus like productions was unnecessary; the goofy clothes, the screaming, the fighting, the boastful "The great state of xxx, home to the first/biggest/best xxx, casts its xxx votes for xxx ... I'm delighted to listen to intelligent, sane purposeful politicians who really care about the future of our country's citizens. But I do miss the balloon drop. That's the only thing I miss.
Shorter speeches (even by Bill Clinton!), more slickly produced videos, less hoopla -- other than the balloon drop. I can see why you're a yea/yay for virtual conventions. I imagine some, if not much of this, will be part of Democrats' conventions going forward.
Trying to understand the rationale behind boycotting a US tiremaker, who's primary employees are based in the swing state of Ohio.
Maybe it was just a personal reaction, without a strategy behind it. If we had to attach one, it would be that it furthers the idea that conservatives and Trump supporters are persecuted.
Of course, that would have to be balanced against the wisdom of doing this in Ohio rather than, say California.
A number of people I know have changed their party affiliation from Republican to Democrat since Trump ran and won in 2016. I'm wondering if that's a trend. Are statistics available that tell us how many switched from Republican to Democrat vs. how many switched from Democrat to Republican?
I'd have to do more research to answer that, but I do hear from Democrats in swing states that they are working hard to register voters and gain or even outgain Republicans. That happened in Iowa after like, a million Democratic presidential candidates descended on the state earlier this year.
I don't understand why it was so important that it be a black woman. We had a black man in the White House for eight years. Did that not count? I love Kamala Harris, but I think that having a woman on the ticket was the initial promise. Only later did political forces push Biden to choose a black woman, no matter what. We then got candidates like Susan Rice (no name recognition and very late to the party!). No one was more qualified for the VP job than Elizabeth Warren. But she isn't black, her age is against her, and she scares Wall Street silly. I still would have liked the conversation to be more open to all women instead of being closed off early in the process.
I think black women voters strongly desired greater representation at the top levels of politics than they have historically received. No voting bloc supports the Democratic Party more faithfully than black women and many black women I spoke to felt taken for granted despite their faithfulness.
Ideologically Warren and Biden are nowhere near as good of a match as Harris and Biden. This election will be about winning over former Trump supporters for Biden but also about turning out the base. And multiple polls, including one from the Post, showed that some of the voting blocs that are most well represented in the Democratic base are very pleased with Harris's selection. I honestly am not as sure that that would have been the case with Warren.
