Elect Harris to protect American democracy: Biden at Convention
Joe Biden was so pleasing to the ears as he sought to invoke the power of democracy and list his Government's achievements all due to the grace of God. But what broke the mike was Clinton's hard metallic, sounding so genuine and dedicated as, may be, she had a revenge carryover from 2016, the year when the Russians were alleged to have begun a social media misinformation campaign in favour of Trump and a suspected hacking of the machines using applications quite unfamiliar to the rest of the world. Which was thwarted by the Democrats in the nick of time in 2020 although Trump as President tried to block them by cutting postal funds. He went violent and attempted insurrection not fully because of his animal insticts but also because he was made to believe in a result like the 2016's and that belief was shattered. What marked out Day One at the convention was a 'presumptive' candidate's unscheduled appearance on the stage made possible by the virtual roll call of August 1 - Kamala Harris, the Vice President. The day also facilitated a less known but deserving New York Guv Kathy Hochul, the American cheetah breaking into the national scene for future purpose! Not well done this time!
CHICAGO, Aug 19: The Democratic National Convention had a pleasant and powerful
start.
The four-day convention in Chicago began Monday, about a month after President
Joe Biden ended his presidential race in favour of his 'favourite child', Vice-President
Kamala Harris, when doubts were raised about his age and declining faculties
in handling duties of the highest order.
Why Chicago? Chicago is a Democratic stronghold. Last time it hosted a Dem
convention was in 1996, when Bill Clinton was running for reelection. Chicago
is not in a battleground State. But "blue wall" States Wisconsin and Michigan
are closeby. An exception was in 2016 when Donald Trump won the elections there.
In 2020 they voted for Biden. Another State closeby is Minnesota whose Governor
Tim Walz is Harris' running mate.
President Joe Biden was the headline speaker Monday. He delivered the closing
speech of the first night. He had bowed out of the presidential race on July
21.
Biden received a rapturous applause by a packed convenction hall which went
on and on as he began his speech. It lasted five minutes. Biden beagan at 11:30
p.m, later than scheduled, and spoke 45 min.
He talked of his achievements and the the future of America. Referring to his
stepping down, he said, "I love the job, but I love my country more.”
Biden’s daughter Ashley introduced him and he was in tears. First lady Jill
Biden spoke shortly before him had also appeared visibly emotional. Second gentleman
Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz, wife of Kamala's running mate Tim Walz were also
there.
Biden asked, 'Folks, let me ask you: are you ready to vote for freedom?' and
the audience shouted 'yes!' and screamed, carrying “We love Joe” signs. "I gave
my best to you. elect Kamala Harris to protect American democracy," he exhorted
them, passing the torch to Harris. The audience gave a standing ovation. After
more than 50 years in politics, he appeared all the more enthusiastic and energetic
at 81.
Biden greeted Kamala Harris,Vice President, after his speech, while, on the
side, first lady Jill Biden hugged second gentleman Douglas Emhoff.
Earlier in the evening, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the 2016
Democratic presidential nominee, spoke, “Together we put a lot of cracks in
the highest, hardest glass ceiling. And tonight, we are so close to breaking
through once and for all.” She added, Thank you, Joe Biden, for your lifetime
of service and leadership.” When she said Trump would be the first felon to
run for president the crowd chanted, “Lock him up”, a reply to 2016.
Speakers talked of the Biden's “selfless” decision in exiting the presidential
race to make way for Harris.
Harris who emerged on the top of the ticket made a brief surprise appearance
in the beginning to a thunderous reception.
Programme:
Keynote speeches and programming were scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. ET or
5:15 p.m. CT on Monday (3:45 a.m. Tuesday, IST). But it began late and ended
late. On Tuesday through Thursday, it was to start at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT).
The gala was expected to end around 11 p.m. ET, or 10 p.m. CT each day. But
on Monday, President Biden's keynote went beyond midnight ET. The events are
held at two venues: McCormick Place hosts official party business during the
day; and, United Center for speeches and other events in the evening.
There are around 4,000 delegates meeting for the convention where they will
officially nominate Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate for President.
In August 1 Democratic National Committee virtual roll call Harris secured 99
% votes of participating delegates. The Committee Chair is Jaime Harrison. The
party announced next day that she has got enough votes. Moreover, Harris is
running unopposed as no other candidate met the requirements to qualify.
On Day Two Barack Obama was set to headline the event. Michelle Obama, Bernie
Sanders and Doug Emhof were also scheduled to speeak.
The Republican National Convention, held in Milwaukee in mid-July, officially
selected Trump.
The incident has triggered a debate on social media whether the officer refused to take orders from a party leader or he was accused of any corruption, some netizens justifying the handling in either case, that Ratnakar was blocking public welfare work! It is true the Govt machinery has been the enemy Number One of the people of this country, existing for itself and for these politicians, for well over seven decades. India will never make an inch of progress - real progress, not make-believe-progress - unless and until this machinery is eliminated.
ANALYSIS: There have been cases of Britons going to Switzerland to get rid of a miserable life. Now once the House of Lords also passes the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, terminally ill Britons can call it quits with the help of a medical practitioner here itself. But the measure when comes into practice, will have very serious social consequences, it is feared. There won't be comparisons, even as tropes in Latin American folklores. The worst case scenario is of those who are not terminally ill also trying to misuse the provision to leave this world early when life with dignity is not available. But that is, in fact, a political question and not a moral imbroglio!
The CCTV footage and the video circulating on social media do not indicate any serious abnormalities in takeoff or descent, it has been confirmed. The disaster is becoming curiouser and curiouser. The flight path was not curvy. And the aircraft maintained a steady, gliding descent with its nose straight and the wings perfectly level. The pilot's distress call does not specify what prevented lift and climb-out. Here are some expert opinions. The sole purpose is to raise travellers' awareness about air travel.
Many of the victims were charred beyond recognition, making identification difficult. Three hundred nineteen body parts have been sent for DNA matching with relatives to determine the identities.
A comment on social media on Kanimozhi's answer on the question of national language read: "Daughter of Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi. Delivered the Birthday Present to her Father!!" (Karunanidhi was born on June 3, 1924)
(Today's headlines )
Trump said, "Elon is not really leaving" and will be "back and forth" to the White House because DOGE is his "baby." "I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”
Musk wrote: "My scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end... The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." Now on it will be on auto-pilot.
PROGNOSIS: DOGE was prematurely born to protect the country by aborting an impending socio-economic disaster which very few people could see coming.
Although its immediate job was to save American taxpayers billions by slashing waste, eliminating fraud, cutting Government bloat and ensuring utmost efficiency in administration for the good of the people.
(Today's headlines )
"Coming from a system like in England, empowering," she says she never had an idea of this sort of experience... being asked to “socialise with middle-aged men” who financed the event...humiliating...
Originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, Pataudi was relocated to Etawah Lion Safari in September 2019 before being transferred to Gorakhpur Zoo in 2021. Recently it was receiving treatment for pancreatic and liver infections. After tigress Shakti died in the zoo on May 7 due to bird flu, Pataudi was shifted to Kanpur. Some birds are also reported to have died mysteriously around Gorakhpur. All zoos in UP are closed for fear of a bird flu outbreak.
Three other animals too had died - a tiger, a leopardess and a female wolf. Wolf Bhairavi died last Saturday, leopardess Mona died the Thursday before that and tiger Kesari died on March 30. Some of them had Shakti's symptoms but the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.
As tourist inflow is an indicator of normalcy returning to an erstwhile terrorist infested Valley, the Government has been trying hard to make everything travel-friendly, launching lot many projects and bringing Kashmir on the national rail map that physically completes the process of Kashmir's integration with the rest of India. And that defeats the designs of Pakistan eyeing Kashmir and simply explains a recrudescence of terrorism in J&K.
"It's a big victory not just for Tamil Nadu but for all Indian States. DMK will continue to struggle for and win State autonomy and Federal polity," Chief Minister MK Stalin said.
Of 2.08 km in length, it features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train services to the holy town of Rameswaram on Pamban island.
ANALYSIS: There is a lot of hue and cry around the world over Trump's tariffs. But tariff, simply put, is a tax. But unlike tax, it affects the exporting country too. Domestic prices will go up for some time. Nothing more will happen, good or bad!
What motivated Trump's newfound policy, apart from being a stunt to justify his existence in the White House, is a false realisation that increased tariff will make foreign goods prohibitive, thereby boosting local production, and create more jobs, and more prosperity will ring in! If that is true, India would have been shining by now: Producing own Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail and Scotch Whiskies! And what about coconut and palm oil by America!
(Today's headlines )
PROGNOSIS: It looks a Real New Trump is emerging - courageous, balanced, powerful and disinterested. Determined to save his country from the cliff, he has done quite a few draconian things that will reduce the burden of debts of the Federal entity, like the golden handshake, stopping senseless funding, pulling out of a worthless WHO. Shutting the Education Department is another. On the other hand, running it is also not the Centre's job either (We will convincingly elaborate it in the next chapter).
In India the scene is just the opposite. Centralisation is the core agenda and identity of the ruling dispensation without which it has no existence, or in other words, it exists for that set of schemes only. A realisation of this never dawned upon any Opposition party in 2014 or any time thereafter, what to talk of being able to see it coming 70 years ago! The consequence of all this violation of basic natural law of the universe we cannot predict.
THE AMERICAN CONUNDRUM: Political venom has migrated to top echelons in the US. It was reported last year NASA has become politicised, vitiated. But NASA refuted the charge. How Boeing developed a glitch but its unmanned return was smooth. When Suni-Wilmore were stranded last June, why the return was set for February? Because that comes only after January 20! SpaceX called the shots, for itself and for Trump. Then the mission was manipulated for March for a better bargain! In between, what made Elon Musk 'predict' during campaign if Kamala Harris wins he would be in jail. In politics, it is said, "the only rule is there are no rules." Difficult times for Americans too.
The terminations are part of a large-scale exercise going on all across Fed departments and organisations to reduce wasteful Government expenditure as decided by a Trump in a mess gone berserk, and improve administrative efficiency following the whims of billionaire and his associate Elon MusK and his DOGE. It has not been shared how terminations are going to raise the efficiency bar! It looks like Trump has stolen some of the prescriptions meant for India. But the American problems are quite different.
Suddenly these colonial clerks feel this effortless, little rule will tremendously enhance security and convenience for the railway passengers manifold. More stations will be covered in the next 77 years! (Also See:
New Delhi station stampede... What went wrong?)
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