They saved the best for last.

In a week of speechmaking like none of us have seen in our lifetimes, with one barn-burning or heart-tugging or inspiring address after another electrifying the crowd at the Democratic National Convention, the biggest question confronting Kamala Harris before she took the stage for the final keynote of the event was “How can she top all that?”

How do you top the fire of AOC? How do you top the eloquence and resonance of Hillary Clinton? The eloquence of Pete Buttigieg? The loved-filled words of Doug Emhoff? The gut wrenching testimony of the women who had suffered due to Donald Trump’s assault on their fundamental rights and bodily autonomy? The compelling remarks of one Republican leader after another, from Olivia Troye to Adam Kinzinger, who said that this year they would be voting for Kamala not as Democrats but as patriots, to protect our democracy?

The trip to church on which Reverend Raphael Warnock and then Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took the crowd? Oprah’s searing surprise address? The big names like Bill Clinton or Nancy Pelosi? The high wattage rising stars like Wes Moore and Gretchen Whitmer? The valedictory of Joe Biden? The completely expected but nonetheless surpassing mastery of Michelle and Barack Obama? The star-is-born-yet-again vibe of Tim Walz’s remarks elevated by the pictures of his loving family? The heartbreaking personal stories of gun violence victims?

Pick the analogy that suits your era. This week in Chicago was the Woodstock or the Live Aid or the Lollapalooza or the Coachella or Burning Man of political oratory but fortunately for all in attendance it was better stage managed and a lot more comfortable for the attendees than all of those.

Michelle Obama described it as “magic.” Everyone spoke of the joy that lifted everyone’s remarks even more effectively, consistently and higher than even the expertly crafted playlist that accompanied the ceremonial roll call vote on Tuesday night.

All of it rose to a crescendo that itself was capping off the most remarkable month of spontaneous, nationwide momentum-building in U.S. political history. Which meant that for the Vice President of the United States the pressure was on. Could she be worthy of the week of praise? Could she live up to the expectations of the crowd or the audiences watching at home?

More importantly could she serve as the bridge between her inaugural tour of the country and the festivities of the DNC and the cold........

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