Now, Washington Post reporters including dan ball, eugene robinson, take part in a virtual discussion on the Democratic National convention. They review the first night, which included speeches by former First Lady Michelle Obama and senator Bernie Sanders and discuss the conventions virtual format, maine political themes and they will look ahead to the second night of the convention that kicks off at 9 00 p. M. Eastern. Columnist ost moderates this discussion from earlier today. There is still so many unknowns around this virus. Mr. Biden not only will america dig itself out of the whole menu put us in, we will build back better. Jonathan good morning. I am an opinion writer for Washington Post, and welcome look, the onestop shop for news and analysis about the Democratic National convention. Each morning join us for updates from a top Washington Post reporter and updates from colonists and contributors. I am pleased to kick off our conversation and our coverage with chief National Correspondent and veteran political reporter and editor dan ball. Thank you for being with us. We have analysis from you are the first night of the democratic convention. What was the key standout moment because you give a great synopsis and analysis of the entire evening, but was there one moment that stood out for you . Dan i think almost everyone would be in agreement that it was a speech by former First Lady Michelle Obama. I mean, that speech was tough and passionate it was very much in keeping with who she is it was clear she was the keynote her. She might have gone further and announcing President Trump than some people might have expected, but given what we know about the way she has felt about things, ultimately it was not surprising. I think that was a key moment of the night. Jonathan for me, another key moment of the night was from a regular, everyday american citizen by the name of kristen whose speech about the coronavirus, the death of her father and President Trump was i thought, so powerful and moving because it was any politician could have said what she said, but because she is not a politician and a still grieving daughter, it was a significant punch. What did you think . Dan i completely agree with you on that. T was a direct rebuke she blames President Trump she said the key point was my father was a heavy 55yearold are only preexisting condition was trusting donald trump. Sanders, anie opponent of Vice President biden during the primaries and a leader of the progressive parties did you call this encompass what joe biden had hoped question mark dan i suspect he did. It was a vigorous battle between Bernie Sanders and joe biden. There was a moment in the campaign that it looks like Bernie Sanders might well be the nominee and suddenly everything turned in the other direction. Unlike four years ago, sanders and biden have been able to reach an accommodation not on all the issues, as he made clear last night can they have a difference on health care, medicare for all versus a public option there are other issues where they disagree. He was all in on defeating President Trump that i think that was the sum of his message. Whether that will persuade some of his supporters is another question. That will be part of what the Biden Campaign with the help of sanders and his folks will need to be able to do over the next 70x days. Jonathan how Many Political conventions have you covered, dan . Dan well, 20, 21. My first one is a kid was 1968 in chicago, but then i went a long stretch before i hit another one. I have done every one since 1980. That questionk because just to set peoples minds, you know the power of these conventions, what they are, the traditions and customs like everyone, this is how do youfirst think this is working compared to what Political Parties have grown accustomed to or used to. Jonathan caught dan theres been complaints that conventions are flying or overly scripted although this is highly stupid. Too many long speeches, funny hats and all of that. People have been looking to it is to make the for themuch as possible nominee. We know how that unfolds in regular conventions, as we have seen the past. What we do not yet know is what kind of viewership that will be, how many viewers will stay with the seven episode much will be left with joe biden as is always the case. The nominee will have to make the final sale. That will happen thursday night. I thought that for totally , thatnting this animal the democrats did a good job last night. It was very slickly produced, very few glitches things moved quickly. I think that was one of the goals that people knew you cant have the length of speeches when you are doing it this way that you normally have any convention , and all of those speeches were paired down. In that sense, it looked pretty good, but we will see whether it has the impact as we go through the week. I agree with you, dan, and i would add because there was no music, no funny hats, no people dancing in the aisles and the other issue actions you get from the traditional conventions, you were forced to focus on what people were actually saying. To my mind, that is an upset. Thank you for being on this inaugural voyage of first look. Dan thank you, jonathan. Jonathan next up, feel your my colleagues from the Washington Post opinion site. Karen writes about politics and is a former National Political correspondent. Before she joined the post she was at Time Magazine for more than 15 years where she wrote more than three dozen cover stories. Gene robinson writes a twice a week column on politics and culture and during his threedecadelong career at Washington Post, he is been a city hall reporter, a Foreign Correspondent in witness at us and london, and assistant managing editor for the style section among other positions. In 2009 he won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary for his column on the 2008 president ial election. Karen and jean, welcome. Karen ray to be here. Great to be here. Here. There are a lot of things i dont miss about traditional conventions, like long security lines, but i do miss seeing people. Jonathan Long Convention lines and the trek back to your not so close hotel room. , if you could give a review of Michelle Obamas speech into sentences, what would it be . Bee my review it would to sentences Michelle Obama theletely eviscerated record of the Trump Administration while only mentioning the name of donald trump wants, once, and she emphasized how important it is for democrats to vote, no matter how difficult it might be i thought that last part of her speech this is now more than two sentences. I thought the last part of the seas was what she had built up to and really part of what she saw as her mission was to underscore the importance for all democratic voters to vote this fall, no matter what obstacles are put in place get ready to stand in line all night if you have to, but vote. That is my short review. Jonathan before i bring you win, karen a followup, and then karen, you can jump in on this. As you were speaking, i was reminded of president obamas speech in his last year too, i think it was the Congressional Black Caucus dinner, where he said it would be a personal insult if africanamerican voters did not come out and vote in the 2016 election, and as we saw, africanamerican voter turnout was the lowest it had been in 20 years. So, is there not a danger how much concern should they should people have that despite the powerful speech of Michelle Obama last night, boaters still wont be as motivated as they need to be to stand in line overnight if they need to be . Is the major that concern i really do. I do believe the consensus of the polls that joe biden has a big lead. I do think that if everyone who has an opinion and is a registered voter actually voted, i dont think this would be a close election, but, you know, the Democratic Party to win depends on a number of groups that dont necessarily always vote, always come out to vote. As you said, africanamerican turnout really took a drop in we wouldif it had not, be talking about Hillary Clintons reelection prospects. It is a big deal. Young voters is another voting segment. I guess Bernie Sanders spoke more to them, but young voters, they just dont turn out all the time, and if they dont, democrats can lose. Jonathan jean, you gave me a good segue. Saying onat gene was any views you had on Michelle Obamas speech last night and also whether senator Bernie Sanders was effective in his speech in trying to bring progresses, particularly young progressives who support him into the democratic polls. Karen first of all, i have done a lot of thinking on first ladies and ive spent the last four years writing a biography of nancy reagan. Last night was a reminder that Michelle Obama really reinvented the role in a way that transcends politics. I mean, she emerged from the white house as a figure of pop culture as, i believe, her autobiography is on track to become the bestselling autobiography of anyone in history. So, she has this quality that, kind of, transcends partisanship, but because it is so special, so powerful, you have to use it sparingly. I thought she was right on target last night. I thought the tone of his speech was very, very different from what we saw know,ears ago where, you there was really still a lot of between thetterness clinton supporters and the sanders supporters. I dont think i mean, he was trying to smooth that over, i think, in part to remind people the top priority here is donald trump, but second, i do think there is a warmth that a personal chemistry between former Vice President biden and Bernie Sanders that really did not exist for Hillary Clinton. Jonathan we shouldnt underestimate the power of that personal connection to bring people along and to smooth things over because four years ago when we were all where were we . I have forgotten what city we were in. Karen philadelphia. Jonathan i am telling you, back then i said i am never doing this again never going to another convention again. I did not mean it like this. Well, you got your wish. Jonathan right. I got my wish. You could feel the animosity in the Convention Hall in philadelphia where you had ng ands supporters booi jeering and walking out. It is night and day, even without the virtual nature of this convention, the tone feels different. You both have covered conventions for a long time. This, for everyone, as i said to dan is our First Virtual convention. Compare and contrast the two give me a highlight and upside for this kind of format wasought the incredibly creative and effective. Of the energynd of the crowd. Feels like the hall with the energy. But i think this is actually a modernway to do what conventions are supposed to do, which is number one, to make the argument for the nominee, and number two, to bring together, all of the factions of voters. Last night was just the opening bid. This country is in a very dark place. Week,the end of the democrats are going to have to close the sale with convincing people that joe biden is the way back into the light i think the jury is still out. I think what is really good about the format is that the speeches are much shorter. Haventions for years four dayen sort of infomercials. It is not as if people go into smokefilled rooms and pick the nominees the way they did in past eras. They are showcased for the party and the ticket. Reinvented and last night was the democrats first shot at that. I thought it was slickly produced in a pretty good effort to come up with how to present a convention. Interesting to see how many people stay with it in a few hours. It was kind of weird. The thing i really missed was the floor. If you watch it on television, there were no correspondence after the on the floor who would go to the nebraska delegation and comment. The funny paths and the whole nine yards. Can that. Have been saying Andrea Mitchell popped into my head, who every four years is always on the floor. She was always there for the balloon drop. In 2004 or 2008, she was basically drowned in balloons. Trying to get them out of the way so she could do her stand up. One thing about the Virtual Convention i found interesting, and i wondered before it started, was, how much i would be paying attention. When you are in the hall for a regular convention, how much are you paying attention when you are there . No music,ere is crowds, or distraction, i was the to myself and you guys can react, i actually paid attention to the words coming out of peoples mouths. Did you have the same reaction or were you distracted . Karen yes and do not forget are the people in the hall not the audience for conventions. It is the Television Audience. What we have seen with traditional conventions is that the Television Audience is getting smaller and smaller and smaller, the networks are carrying less and less of the convention. I think as a way of delivering the message to people at home, ways moren many effective. We will see how big was that audience, do they retain the audience throughout the week, does it make a difference . People are so polarized that we will not see traditional bumps whetherolls, but it is they close the sale with people inclined to vote for biden but are not quite locked down yet. Are not crowds gathered in one space, there is still a bit of consternation and some of that has to do with the some progressives in the Democratic Party are not getting enough time to speak during the convention and there is a complaint that congresswoman aoc is getting less time to speak than john kasich, the Republican Former governor and former congressman from ohio who spoke last night. Is that a fair criticism . Can eugene id eugene i do think it is a fair criticism and i understand why some people would feel that is inappropriate. It is true that Bernie Sanders, a leader of the progressive wing of the party, the standardbearer of the progressive wing of the quite a bit of time and delivered a very effective speech. Does aoc get as much time and she would like to have or her supporters would like her to have . Probably not. I can understand them complaining. Bit to see john kasich, air conservative republican a conservative republican. He was never a moderate when he was in congress. Getting that much time and prominence. Nonetheless, that is the play democrats have to make i think. Benefit, they start to pick off some of those never trump republicans and convince them to vote for joe biden all stop biden. Karen i am curious to see what aoc does with her time tonight. I do not think the time Space Continuum in a Virtual Convention like this, i do not think the amount of time matters so much and how well it is delivered,ow it is and what is the message that gets across . Talked wee have have doctor biden, Hillary Clinton, the acting attorney general fired by president one of the four biden running president Vice President bidens committee, john kerry, and the 2004 democratic president ial nominee. What is tonights theme . One thing i do not understand is why democrats have decided to have two nights. I think it would have made sense for Hillary Clinton and those former nominees, some of whom won and some of whom did not. I found that a little bit puzzling. You are not alone. I wondered the same thing. Why not package them together but, you know, it is what it is. I understand why you would have two nights of the obamas but not two nights of the clintons at this point. It occursd the list, to me that i do not know if i can off the top of my head tell theme the names at up to because you have people at various ends of the spectrum since joe biden is delivering the keynote. It will be focused on ae biden, on his qualities as as viceher, leader, president , and as the next president. She is that is what going to end up with. When you go from bill clinton to therehere is a scratch and i doubt they will be saying , as i look at the two of you , it is about governance. The progressives and how she thinks she will work with him as president. Rochester is from delaware and is a mentor of hers. I left out john kerry in terms of working with biden and the governance. Of all of the names, who is the sigel here . The signal here . Eugene we will have to see. I do not know. One thing that was interested in last night and i will be interested in tonight, i thought love hear Kamala Harriss name. Did. People sister Kamala Harris with a lot of pride. The focus was really on joe biden. It will be interesting to see if harris i know she