Most of us watching from the outside last week knew that the Democratic National Convention (DNC) would be nothing more than a giant, choreographed circus. Nothing is left to chance, nothing is unpredicted. Many people who don’t attend a convention as delegates participate as volunteers. It’s a great way to see the process up close and personal: the good, the bad, and the ugly. But one youthful Democratic volunteer didn’t leave her convention feeling fired up, energized, or ready to go out and campaign for the candidate of her choice. Instead, she feels just the opposite.
Many former Democrats are waking up
— CJ Wolf 🐺 (@mizapa) 25 August 2024
A youthful woman who introduces herself as “Evan” visited TikTok on Sunday In addition to describing her impressions of the DNC, she also revealed her disappointment at what she had not learned about Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and what she felt was her party’s complete neglect of the issues that affect average Americans, regardless of party affiliation.
Evan began by saying that she “worked in progressive politics for a long time” and “over the years I became more and more disillusioned with the Democratic Party.” She goes on to say that the majority of her work was fundraising. She talks about candidates spending eight or more hours a day “calling donors and asking rich people for money.” In reality, we know that this is not exclusive to Democrats; this is how both parties operate. She acknowledges that even politicians who don’t like some of the policies “still have to play along.” Unfortunately, this is actually true.
At this point in the video, Democrats would do well to listen, but they don’t. She says:
“When I first got into politics, I thought the Democrats were the people’s party. And at the DNC this week, I felt like I was in a building with the most elite and out-of-touch people in the world.” It felt very much like, “Let’s just have a huge party and forget all our problems because the atmosphere is great.”
It gets better. Evan continues, saying as a Midwesterner from Kansas City, Missouri:
“I felt no connection to the real America or the place I came from. I felt no connection to the people I know now who are struggling to buy their groceries or pay their rent.”
She says she started to get furious because when she listened to the speeches she heard no substance, just “general platitudes like joy and respect and integrity.” She said she thought the Democrats were the “anti-war party” and was a little surprised explained by Kamala Harris that “America has always had the strongest, deadliest military in the world.” She says, “I thought I was part of the party that fought for the underprivileged, that stood up for working people. When and how did we become the party of academics and prosperity?”
Someone should contact her and offer to cover the cost of her flight, rental car, hotel, and ticket to an upcoming Trump rally.
Explain that we want her to go as herself, without making a large deal or anyone knowing who she is, so she can experience what a MAGA rally is like.
— Alex (@EuropaActual) 25 August 2024
Perhaps the saddest part of the video, however, is when Evan says she went to the DNC “hoping I would feel connected to the Democratic Party again,” hoping she would “understand Kamala’s candidacy and what she stands for. Instead, I felt the exact opposite: more disconnected and alone than ever.”
She concludes that not only will she not support Kamala Harris, but she’s not sure she can even call herself a Democrat anymore. Wow, when you think about it, that’s a pretty tough case. That’s one person. How many are there out there like her? Even after that very intelligent and powerful statement, the most meaningful statement Evan makes is this: “For once, I’m not afraid to say it.” Worried?The fact that she was afraid to say it before could make for an even better TikTok video.
What a contrast to my own experience at the Republican National Convention (RNC). I met people from all over the country and the whole time I felt like I was part of a group of people who felt exactly the same as me, that we all had the same goal. There were also a lot of real people speaking at the RNC. At the DNC, real people were in brief supply.
The DNC’s sullied little secret may be the fact that more youthful people have seen exactly what Evan saw, and their eyes have suddenly been opened, too. Evan may not be wearing a MAGA hat anytime soon, but sometimes the converts are the strongest speakers.
