Our columnists and contributors give their rankings.
Our columnists and contributors give their rankings.
Comments
Democratic Convention: Best and Worst Moments of Night 2
ByThe New York Times OpinionAug. 19, 2020
Welcome to Opinion’s commentary for the second night of the Democratic National Convention. In this special feature, Times Opinion writers rank the evening on a scale of 1 to 10: 1 means the night was a disaster for Democrats; 10 means it could lead to a big polling bump for Biden-Harris. Here’s what our columnists and contributors thought of the event, which highlighted the roll call, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bill Clinton and Jill Biden.
See rankings from the first night of the Democratic National Conventionhere.
Best moment
Wajahat AliDemocrats are making the case that they represent a majority, with a broad coalition of diverse communities, including life-long Republicans. Well, they showed it.
Jamelle BouieThe roll call! I am a sucker for earnest pride in one’s home and community, and I found it genuinely moving to see Americans of all colors and backgrounds speak to that pride and to their faith in this country. It is good stuff! Also, it should be a reminder that the United States owes its territories either independence or full voting rights and representation in Congress.
Frank BruniJoe Biden saying, with a Roman candle of a smile, “thank you, thank you, thank you,” when the nomination was finally and formally his. Gratitude, along with humility, is foreign to Donald Trump.
Gail CollinsHave to admit the virtual roll call  was better than expected. Really thought I’d miss all those delegates howling commercials for their state from the convention floor. But actually seeing them on their home turf was nice.
Michelle CottleThis is how nominating roll calls should be conducted. Rather than focusing on spun-up delegates in daffy hats jammed into a convention hall, this vote looked outward at America, with on-site shots from every state and territory, starting from the Edmund Pettus bridge in Alabama.
Michelle GoldbergIn many ways, a virtual convention is a pale imitation of a real one, but the tour-of-America roll call vote, with its moving diversity, homespun production values and slightly uncanny masked tableaus, was a huge improvement over the usual procedure.
Nicole HemmerThe roll call. Over the past several months, many Americans have barely left their homes, much less their states, so that tour of the country felt a little like traveling. And it brought some kitschy fun to a convention woefully short on funny hats.
Liz MairIt was, by far, when Rhode Island used its roll-call vote to feature a man holding a platter of calamari — a prime-time earned media ad for “the calamari comeback state.” The video roll call was genuinely fun and gave a good glimpse of the breadth and depth of American culture.
Daniel McCarthyThe Biden family video humanized him well after his rather stiff acceptance of the nomination, and Jill Biden’s follow-up in the classroom was potent.
Melanye PriceThe delegate roll call. There is no way the Republican Party can match the Democrats when it comes to reflecting the diversity of America. Effective and uplifting!
Mimi SwartzJill Biden. Gee, it would be nice to have a real first lady again.
Héctor TobarThe world’s biggest Zoom conference call, i.e., the around-the-U.S.A. delegate vote. Great landscapes, and a wonderfully diverse sampling of young Democratic leaders, activists and citizens. It offered the viewer a real “proud to be an American” moment. Even the Fox News pundits liked it.
Peter WehnerNot any of the speeches, which were average at best, but two D.N.C. videos — one about Jill Biden and her relationship with Joe; the other on the “unlikely friendship” between Biden and John McCain. Honorable mention to the virtual roll call, which was better and more interesting than any in the past.
Worst moment
Wajahat AliTom Perez needs to stop trying so hard. As the party chairman, just come out and say it straight. Bill Clinton delivered, as he always does, but Democrats have to navigate their future without him and his scandals. The rising star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez needed more than 96 seconds.
Jamelle BouieI am finding it hard to identify a worst moment that isn’t just an ideological gripe on my part. (And on that point, the foreign policy segment wasn’t for me!) I suppose I would have loved to hear more from Representative Ocasio-Cortez, who is an extremely talented political communicator.
Frank BruniThe relay-race keynote speech. This gimmick meant the remarks had no shape, pacing or heft, and the swiftly changing faces and backdrops instilled motion sickness: Political bromides met “The Perfect Storm.” At one point 17 keynoters said, in unison, “That’s a big effing deal!” I effing cringed.
Gail CollinsSticking to a five-minute speech must have been hell for Bill Clinton, and he sounded sorta flat. And John Kerry — oh, wow, forgot what it was like to stare blankly at a screen when John Kerry was making an important address.
Michelle CottleAfter the roll call, the cameras lingered a bit too long on Joe and Jill standing around grinning awkwardly as people in masks threw streamers at them. The nominee looked happy — but also as though he wasn’t sure what to do. Wave? Dance? Hug Jill? Let’s keep it crisp, people!
Michelle GoldbergPost #MeToo, there was no reason to have Bill Clinton speak.
Nicole HemmerChuck Schumer kept gesturing meaningfully toward the Statue of Liberty during his speech, seemingly unaware that it was just a distant green smudge. You could spin that as symbolism — the erosion of liberty and all that — but it was just bad camera work for an otherwise forgettable speech.
Liz MairBoth parties desperately need a new inventory of celebratory music. Teeing up tunes that remind everyone of autumn 1980 isn’t a great way of projecting youth, vigor, stamina and a forward-facing outlook.
Daniel McCarthyColin Powell is an impressive man who put his prestige behind a needless and disastrous war in Iraq, which Biden backed, too. Powell and the videos before and after him were a reminder that Biden is the candidate of the war party.
Melanye PriceThe old guys in the middle. John Kerry, Colin Powell, Chuck Hagel and even Bill Clinton harkened back to a version of politics that is on life support. In a high-tech, diverse, increasingly progressive political moment, they seemed too stoic and out of place.
Mimi SwartzIt pains me to say this, but the scene of Joe Biden in the library after winning the nomination was underwhelming after the heroic buildup. Maybe anyone would long for the lift of a live crowd at that moment, but Biden looked like someone still waiting for his cue.
Héctor TobarChuck Schumer. A speech completely devoid of any original ideas, delivered with a stiff posture and wooden tone, with the Statue of Liberty in the background. Ugh. It was the one moment of the night that most resembled a “Saturday Night Live” sketch.
Peter WehnerAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s searing indictment of America, which fit in a lot in 96 seconds: racial injustice, colonization, misogyny, homophobia, the violence and xenophobia of our past, and the “unsustainable brutality” of our economy. Democrats should be glad she wasn’t granted more time.
What else mattered
Wajahat AliIt’s easy to forget Republicans remain committed to dismantling Obamacare. The Democrats put a human face on health care. Americans with disabilities shared their stories with Biden. He listened and cared. He showed us what’s at stake if Trump gets another term: the health of a nation.
Jamelle BouieThe showcase of young leaders. The next generation of Democratic Party leaders are here and working their way through the ranks and up the ladder. Seeing them was also a reminder of how America’s national leadership is in deep need of generational turnover.
Frank BruniJohn Kerry’s devastating review of Trump on the world stage (“when this president goes overseas, it isn’t a goodwill mission, it’s a blooper reel”), followed by testimonials from Marie Yovanovitch and Colin Powell, was a crucial reminder that foreign policy matters and that Trump’s stinks.
Gail CollinsIt would be pretty hard to come out of the night not liking Joe Biden at least a little bit. Or if you already did, a little bit more.
Michelle CottleThe group “keynote address” delivered by 17 Democratic up-and-comers — county commissioners, mayors, state legislators, etc. — helped focus attention on the party’s future leaders, not just its past ones. It was a risk, and a tech challenge, but it had great energy and flow. Having Stacey Abrams as the closer was an especially nice touch.
Michelle GoldbergThe people who put this thing together struck just the right tone, mixing grief-stricken sobriety with earnest hope. But while I understand why Biden’s team wants Republican validators, his campaign didn’t need to give more time to John McCain than to A.O.C. and Stacey Abrams combined.
Nicole HemmerJust eight years ago, Bill Clinton stole the convention with his lengthy prime-time speech. This year, his role shrank to five unexceptional minutes, making clear that the Party of Clinton has been fully eclipsed by the Party of Obama.
Liz MairBiden as listener and empathizer in chief works very well. Biden moderating panels with ordinary Americans on issues makes for some compelling and watchable content. But tonight’s session on health care — when he talked about his personal experiences and thoughts as Beau Biden lay dying of cancer — showcased what’s most appealing about him: his personality, as opposed to a set of policies or good soundbites, and the message that this is about you, not him.
Daniel McCarthyTrump is the overwhelmingly dominant theme of the convention so far — forward-looking hope and change have given way to anti-Trumpism and nostalgia.
Melanye PriceIt was crystal clear that the people who know Biden really like him. It’s less clear whether he can maintain the crisp and coherent narratives that have been so powerful here, as the campaign continues.
Mimi SwartzThe roll call worked in that hokey American way — the landscapes, the regional accents, the hopes and enthusiasms, and the kids holding up signs of what looked like Joe Biden’s sunglasses. Even Mayor Pete, on what looked like the movie set for “Delegates in Black.”
Héctor TobarThe storytelling discipline of the producers of this nightly infomercial is admirable. They’re hammering away relentlessly at two storylines: Joe Biden as the defender of common Americans, with a compassion born of personal suffering; and Trump as the nation’s callous divider in chief.
Peter WehnerDay 2 of the Democratic convention lacked the energy and galvanizing moments of the first day. But what came through to me is how effectively the convention is at humanizing Joe Biden. Personal tragedy and loss are central to his story, and so, too, is empathy, decency and healing. That doesn’t guarantee he’ll be a successful president, but those qualities mean something, especially in the age of Trump.
The Times is committed to publishinga diversity of lettersto the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are sometips. And here’s our email: letters@nytimes.com.
Follow The New York Times Opinion section onFacebook,Twitter (@NYTopinion)andInstagram.

About the authors
Jamelle Bouie, Frank Bruni, Gail Collins and Michelle Goldberg are Times columnists.
Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) is a playwright, lawyer and contributing opinion writer.
Michelle Cottle (@mcottle) is a member of the Times editorial board.
Nicole Hemmer (@pastpunditry) is an associate research scholar at Columbia University and the author of “Messengers of the Right: Conservative Media and the Transformation of American Politics.”
Liz Mair (@LizMair), a strategist for campaigns by Scott Walker, Roy Blunt, Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina and Rick Perry, is the founder and president of Mair Strategies.
Daniel McCarthy (@ToryAnarchist) is the editor ofModern Age: A Conservative Quarterly.
Melanye Price (@ProfMTP), a professor of political science at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, is the author, most recently, of “The Race Whisperer: Barack Obama and the Political Uses of Race.”
Mimi Swartz (@mimiswartz), an executive editor at Texas Monthly, is a contributing opinion writer.
Héctor Tobar (@TobarWriter), an associate professor at the University of California, Irvine, is the author of “Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free” and a contributing opinion writer.
Peter Wehner (@Peter_Wehner), a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, served in the previous three Republican administrations, is a contributing opinion writer and also the author of “The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump.”