In June 2024, most of us were worried about Biden. We love Joe – he’s done excellent work as President. Most of his work is the simple, boring work of politics – of any job. The less you know about something, and it works anyway – that’s what we want. But for those of us that pay attention to such things, he passed the biggest infrastructure bill in recent memory (Infrastructure Law). Almost 11 million jobs were created since he took office, and unemployment was at a 50-year low. He coordinated with our global allies to support Ukraine. People want to complain about the cost of things at the store, but after he took over an economy marked by COVID and TFG’s ( TFG: The Former Guy) mess (remember when we couldn’t get toilet paper, and we would’ve bought it no matter how much it cost?), and achieved 79% vaccination results for adults, got our schools open, and provided financial relief for families and helped businesses to keep their doors open.
But we were worried anyway. He was old. They both were. It was a rematch few of us wanted, but all of us were ready to dig in for. What was the alternative?
Joe Biden wasn’t anything more than a day older before his debate with TFG than he was a day after, but the debate in June made us worry even more about his age. His energy. His ability to motivate people to go vote. And because we aren’t a cult, our party members were (seemingly) pretty direct with him about it.
I was not the happiest when he resigned from the race about a month after the debate. He won his primaries. He earned his nomination. And, my biggest personal concern of all – if not him…then who? Dear Lord, they were talking about an open convention. Are they crazy? But Joe – not only did he nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court … he came out 30 minutes after his stepping down from the campaign and pointed the finger at Kamala Harris (“comma,” like the punctuation, and “la” like la, la la, for anyone still having pronunciation issues), and said, “She’s our girl.” Rank and file, we all lined up. Not a squeak (well, it seemed Joe Manchin was thinking about squeaking, but he seemed to change his mind pretty quickly). I admit I was not prepared for the solidarity. I’d seen us get excited about Hillary, but there was always the misogynistic comments from the wings… shrill… is she ready (ok, for real, she was Secretary of State, get a grip)… too loud… to annoying… and my favorite; she looks angry. Anyone floated as a contender immediate followed suit behind Biden: “She’s it. She’s the one. And she’ll be great.”
I had hope. And others had hope. And excitement. And the fundraising that followed? Yeah, people were on board with this. And excited. Joe created a transition to someone new – with no further chaos – and everyone just got on board. We…might just survive this?
Then she started speaking, and I mean really speaking, like she had when she campaigned in 2020. When you are in the VP role, you’re not the star. You do your job quietly and well. But you’re not out front. I’d say Joe pushed her right out on stage, but the truth is she stepped out there on her own like she owned the damn thing. Everyone who mattered turned to her, and she looked back with all the “I got this” vibes you only see in movies. And she didn’t miss one confident beat from 2020 to 2024.
And she looked happy, excited, …joyful. Ok, so the same tone used to say “she looks angry” is used with the same tone to say “she smiles too much.” But if that’s the biggest thing you can smack her with, I’ll take it. Look, we needed to get excited, and we are. By the beginning of August, she had secured the delegates and named Tim Walz with his “Big Dad Energy” to be VP running mate. After a few residual murmurs about how other candidates for VP might have mumble, grumble been better for her campaign mumble, grumble…we knew she picked the right guy. Nice, decent, smart people. Yes, please.
Named candidate on July 21, confirmed as the nominee by August 5, VP picked by August 6. Running into a convention Aug 19-22.
TFG didn’t have a chance of holding the news cycle.
I never watched a full Democratic Convention before, so I was counting on my close, personal friends at MSNBC (no, not really, but I wish!) to guide me through what was typical. But the experience of watching was … fun? Sure, full of digs at the other side, but more uplifting, more focused on the future, more targeted on how to start resolving the things we’re passionate about solving. And when we look at how deep our bench is – how many people that all have been and would be amazing in leadership rolls, it continues to be a mark of our party’s solidarity and commitment to winning this election that no one challenged Harris. Leadership maybe also means lifting up the right person at the right time and waiting for your turn.
Not even 3 weeks later and another debate. Harris is up this time against TFG. I was nervous. I mean, not sure I was going to watch the debate, nervous. The stakes are high. And the memory of how Hillary was treated post-debate, despite her being the absolutely superior candidate a little too recent. My friends at MSNBC are doing the “she’s gotta do this, but she’s also gotta do that…” backwards, and in heels. Who could live up to such a bar? Well, Kamala Harris could and did. And she wiped the floor with him. Not because she’s mean or crude, but because she’s an adult, and she’s rational, and she doesn’t spew conspiracy theories or demean people. Because she’s not racist and actually can string several thoughts together and has plans for how she wants to make our lives better. And TFG… well, he looked angry.
You guys, I’m not the kind of person who’s good at standing up to bullies. I don’t even listen anymore when TFG speaks. I mute him now. There’s nothing new there, and if there is, it’s vile. But Harris made him shake her hand. She stood up there and defended herself, and pivoted, and spoke to the American people, and stated her most important plans in the minutes she had. And even though TFG got about 5 minutes more airtime than she did, in total, she said a whole lot more than he did. Backwards, and in heels.
In the weeks that followed the convention, I kept thinking about the indelible words of Michelle Obama, responsible for so many of our calls to action. Do something. So here I am. Newly minted volunteer for the Horry County Democratic Party, writing an article. I’m a blue dot in a sea of red, but I’m not the only blue dot. I’m not the only one excited. I’m also sure I’m not the only one nervous about flying a banner at my house or wearing a shirt, thinking of MAGA backlash that could come with it. But I’m putting my name on this article. Because I am proud of our party, of our ideals, of trying to make the country a better place. I just tend to think that helping America move forward is better than helping to try to take it back to a time when white men knew best, called the shots, and kept us all in our place. If that’s what people think made America Great, then I’d rather be imperfect and strive for better.
We. Are. Not. Going. Back.
So if you happen to be reading this… if you’re in the county or in the state… if you’re a blue dot anywhere… don’t worry – you’re not alone. Come on out and find your tribe. Be excited to be excited. Go ahead and “Do something.” Like me, you can easily go, like I did, to Volunteer page on the Horry County Democratic Party website or call 1-(843)-488-HCDP(4237) to get involved. A really nice person is going to call you back almost immediately to learn more about you and how you’d like to participate. Oh, and if you haven’t registered to vote yet, get on that! You have until October 5th to register, if you haven’t yet!
For those of you thinking of voting blue but maybe can’t say it out loud to anyone in your community – no one sees what you mark in a ballot box. And we need volunteers before and after the election – building a blue coalition cannot only happen in an election year!
About the Author
Dr. Julie Keen is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist offering comprehensive psychology services to individuals and families in the Greater Myrtle Beach, SC area. With a compassionate approach and a dedication to mental well-being, Dr. Keen specializes in helping clients navigate life’s challenges, manage stress, and improve their emotional health. She provides personalized care through evidence-based therapeutic techniques tailored to meet the unique needs of each client. Whether you’re seeking support for anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or personal growth, Dr. Keen is committed to empowering you on your path to mental wellness. Visit Dr. Keen’s website.
