The “excitement” began right from the introduction of PBS’s coverage of Night Two of the Democratic National Convention from Chicago, which featured consecutive speeches by Michelle and Barack Obama.
Co-anchor Geoff Bennett set up this T-ball of a question: “And former president Barack Obama speaks to the city that helped launch his political career.”
Next, in a staged soundbite, someone off-screen (a PBS producer?) shouted to a row of seated delegates, “Who are you guys excited to see tonight?” They answered in unison, “Obama!”
Reflexively pro-Democrat reporter Laura Barron-Lopez quickly joined in the revelry, providing this vital investigative reporting from the convention floor, turning cackling Kamala into a charming campaign strength.
Laura Barron-Lopez: ….they’re really excited to hear from Michelle Obama and former president Barack Obama. And you can just feel the energy right now during this roll call. Right in front of me is Nebraska's delegation, and they're wearing those camouflage baseball caps that have Harris/Walz, representative of the baseball, hunting -- camouflage baseball cap that Gov. Walz often wears. And then across from me is the Wisconsin delegation and they’re decked out in cheeseheads.
Also, I saw another delegate on the floor who had a hat that said “Make America Laugh Again.” Just really capturing the fact that Democrats are trying to seize on that joy that they've been feeling since Harris took over the top of the ticket. And the fact that they really think that Kamala Harris should embrace who she is and one of her signature personality traits is that she often likes to laugh and bring joy to what she's doing and that's something that a lot of delegates have talked to me about tonight, Geoff.
Minutes later, co-anchor Amna Nawaz basked in the idea of presidential nominee Kamala Harris as a “joyful warrior.”
Amna Nawaz: We know we're hearing a lot of this messaging around the joyful warrior that are Harris and Walz, which is a stark contrast to what we saw on the Republican side.
PBS's Night Two coverage was otherwise notable for the relative paucity of actual analysis, compared to the strict scrutiny of the four nights of the Republican convention, time taken up instead by speeches and basking in the raucous roll call of Democratic delegates, led by a DJ, with rappers and actors and “influencers” making announcements for their respective home states.
Liberal Washington Post analyst Jonathan Capehart ridiculously boasted about Democrats wresting the theme of “Freedom” from Republicans (this after intolerable restrictions on freedom in blue states in the failed attempt to stop COVID).
Jonathan Capehart: Democrats reclaiming the word freedom, it's not conservative framing. It's an American framing. Americans want freedom over their own choices. Freedom from government telling them what to do with their bodies, how they can vote, how they can earn a living.”
Later, starry-eyed anchor Geoff Bennett returned to the enthusiasm theme, harkening back to booth guest, young Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL).
Geoff Bennett: I wonder if you will weigh in on the conversation we had moments ago with Maxwell Frost, because when he described this energy and enthusiasm that we're seeing, here and across the country as a movement, it struck me that in 2008, when Barack Obama was elected, Maxwell Frost was 11 years old. He's 27 now, he’s 11 years old -- he would have been 11 years old. Here's an entire generation of American for whom this kind of thing is brand new they've not seen this in their entire adult lives. And this, it strikes me, it’s fairly remarkable.
Remarkably favorable indeed, to the Democrats on Night Two.
