A-list on Wednesday cast Donald Trump as a threat to the American dream -- and Hillary Clinton as the nation's only chance to save it.
President
Barack Obama called Trump a "homegrown demagogue." Michael Bloomberg
dismissed him as a "con." And Vice President Joe Biden, in rejecting
Trump, declared that "Americans have never, ever, ever, ever let their
country down."
They set the frame for the Democratic National Convention's most important moment: Clinton's speech Thursday night.
Here are six takeaways from the third night in Philadelphia:
Obama: 'the America I know'
Obama
cast the 2016 election as a choice between two visions for the country:
The one he described on the Democratic convention stage when he
rocketed to stardom 12 years ago in Boston against a dark and dystopian
view from Trump that Obama said doesn't match "the America I know."
"It's
not just a choice between parties or policies; the usual debates
between left and right," he said. "This is a more fundamental choice --
about who we are as a people, and whether we stay true to this great
American experiment in self-government."
In
a direct shot at Trump, Obama said: "Our power doesn't come from some
self-declared savior promising that he alone can restore order as long
as we do things his way."
If
Democrats wanted to frame the election as their optimism against Trump's
darkness, the Republican nominee was eager to help. As Obama spoke,
Trump's campaign emailed reporters a statement with the subject line:
"OWNING THE 3RD TERM: VIOLENT CRIME RISING ACROSS THE COUNTRY."
Obama passes the baton
Obama
sought to lend Clinton every ounce of credibility he has, telling
delegates that no man or woman has ever been better-qualified for the
presidency than his former secretary of state.
"Not me, not Bill, not nobody," he said.
Bill Clinton stood and applauded -- two Democratic icons at once saying: This is Hillary Clinton's party now.
From
a video introduction that focused on the work left to do to achieve
Obama's vision, the President made clear that Clinton is the only person
capable of solidifying his legacy.
"I have confidence, as I leave this stage tonight, that the Democratic Party is in good hands," Obama said as he closed.
Even
Obama's final line was designed to underscore his vision of Clinton as
his heir. "Thank you for this incredible journey," he said. "Let's keep
it going."
Obama got as close to a
literal hand-off as possible, with Clinton joining him on-stage as soon
as he finished his speech. The two held hands and waved, and then both
Clintons and Obama met privately off-stage.
Joe Biden's pep rally for America
Want
to know what Vice President Joe Biden would have brought to the 2016
presidential campaign, had he decided to run? Rewind his 12-minute
speech Wednesday night.
His 12-minute speech was half anti-Trump and half pep rally for the middle class.
"He
is trying to tell us he cares about the middle class. Give me a break.
That's a bunch of malarkey," Biden said. "This guy doesn't have a clue
about the Middle Class. Not a clue."
In what might've been Biden's swan song, Biden -- or "middle-class
Joe," he called himself -- made an argument that could penetrate Trump's
base of supporters in a way Clinton and Obama can't.
"Biden
just did what Obama and Clinton don't do effectively...he evangelized
American Exceptionalism," tweeted Rob Stutzman, a California Republican
strategist.
Tim Kaine: America's dad
His
job was never going to be easy: Vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine was
up after Biden had brought down the house and while the crowd was
eagerly anticipating Obama.
Kaine
wasn't chosen by Clinton to light up a room. On social media, Kaine was
compared to a dad: Slightly embarrassing, yet relentlessly nice, even
when he was trying to be mean. He even did an impersonation, mocking
Trump with the billionaire's reprise "believe me."
"By
the way, does anybody in this massive auditorium believe that Donald
Trump's been paying his fair share of taxes?" Kaine asked. And the crowd
roared "No!"
He built toward a
strong close, name-checking a list of icons of the progressive movement.
And his biggest applause lines came in Spanish -- a reminder of his
fluency in the language, which could help the Democratic ticket reach
Latino voters who Trump might have alienated.
Bernie-or-busters' myopia
Democrats
have largely been able to snuff out any real damage from the
Bernie-or-bust crowd -- but their chants over former Secretary of
Defense Leon Panetta blew a moment the party had planned all day.
Panetta
was the designated hitter on the controversy over Donald Trump's
suggestion that Russia release Clinton's emails. And he dropped a couple
sharp lines as he made the broader case that Trump is unfit to lead the
nation's military.
"As someone
who was responsible for protecting our nation from cyber-attacks, it is
inconceivable to me that any presidential candidate would be that
irresponsible. I say this out of a firm concern for the future of my
children and my grandchildren: Donald Trump cannot become
commander-in-chief," Panetta said.
Yet
the Bernie-or-busters stepped all over the moment by chanting "No more
wars!" over him. It was bad enough that Democrats had to dim the lights
over the rebelling delegations to try to get back on-message. Afterward,
television anchors focused on the protests -- not Panetta's anti-Trump
message.
Bloomberg: Trump's a 'con'
Former
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- the
Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent curiosity of the Acela
corridor -- delivered a billionaire-on-billionaire assault on Trump's
business record.
He quipped that unlike Trump, he didn't start his business empire with a "million-dollar check from my father."
Bloomberg,
who mused about an independent run for president himself, endorsed
Clinton -- but, as one of the few political figures with the business
experience to match Trump's, he was most effective undermining the core
selling point of Trump's candidacy: His competency, compared to the
political establishment's ineptitude.
"Trump
has left behind a well-documented record of bankruptcies, thousands of
lawsuits, angry shareholders and contractors who feel cheated, and
disillusioned customers who feel ripped off," Bloomberg said. "Trump
says he wants to run the nation like he's run his business. God help
us."
"I'm a New Yorker," he said. "I know a con when I see one."
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