One of the most striking themes of the Democratic National Convention was the way the message flipped back and forth between grim warnings that democracy is under attack and playful invitations to engage in a politics of joy. Democrats at times seemed to be attempting a tricky tightrope act, akin to inviting people to dance their way out of a burning house.

For most of the convention, the message seemed to be: Join the fight to save democracy–and let’s have some fun while we do it. It’s an audacious strategy that President Biden could have never pulled off.

The address by ex-President Bill Clinton was a perfect example. “We’ve seen more than one election slip away from us when we thought it couldn’t happen, when people got distracted by phony issues or overconfident. This is a brutal, tough business,” he told the crowd, before concluding a few minutes later: “We need Kamala Harris, the president of joy, to lead us.”

Over and over, joy and happiness were the theme of cheerful celebrities and upbeat optimists who took the stage at the United Center in Chicago, including comedians Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Kennan Thompson and Mindy Kahling, poet Amanda Gorman and songsters John Legend, Stevie Wonder and Sheila E. But alongside the fun and funny artistic voices were plenty of speakers like Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who solemnly invoked the January 6 insurrection and the need to take seriously threats by Donald Trump to terminate the Constitution, be a dictator on Day One and pardon convicted January 6 rioters if elected.

“In this life, my father never cast a vote because........

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