“It’s Hot as Hell Here in Philadelphia/Someone Open Up the Window”*

Last week the Republican Party closed the sale of its soul to the devil by officially nominating Donald Trump as its nominee.  Progressives are aghast, including this week’s Doonesbury: all of the major characters were depicted watching their televisions or laptops with jaws hitting the ground. 

http://doonesbury.washingtonpost.com/strip/archive/2016/7/24

Long time party stalwarts (among them Bush White House aide Nicole Wallace) mourned the passing of their beloved party.   Tempted as I am a slightly left of center liberal to write the epitaph “GOP – 1854-2016, RIP”, news of its demise may be premature.

Scenes from the Trump acceptance speech have been played over and over ever since it actually happened last Thursday.  It reminds me of an iconic shot from Citizen Kane:  Kane/Trump at the podium in front of a YUGE reproduction of his face via photograph or really big screen video feed, and the name Kane/Trump emblazoned yards high above the photo/screen.  In the movie, we don’t get to see what Kane would have done with public office:  the scandal from an extra-marital relationship coasts Kane the election.

We will not have this luxury in real life.   Trump started a relationship with the woman who would become his second wife while still married to his first wife, and started another relationship with the woman who would become his third wife while still married to his second wife, etc, etc, and etc. Trump’s supporters are willing to turn a blind eye to his past peccadilloes much like the entire Republican Party establishment has turned a blind eye to Trump’s total unsuitability for high office.

The convention scenes may have echoed Orson Welles, but I would not be surprised if Leni Riefensthal is called in (if only in spirit) to choreograph the final scenes of the Trump campaign.   Yes, I went there!

Now that Trump’s Brownshirts, er, supporters have left Cleveland, all eyes are on the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.  This week history will be made when Hillary Clinton becomes the first woman to be nominated to be President of the United States.  Fortunately for all of us, the Democratic National Committee comported itself so that it was totally fair to Clinton and the other primary candidate, Bernie Sanders, throughout the primary season.  All actions were above board, transparent and….

No, I tried writing that last sentence while maintaining a straight face, but I couldn’t do it.

The Democratic circus comes to town today and the temperatures forecast here this week would make the weather the Founding Fathers endured in 1776 downright comfortably cool. If the weather itself was not comfortable, then the ensuing atmosphere threatens to be toxic. It would be an understatement to believe that there has been a lot of drama to sort out on the eve of the Democratic Convention.  

For one thing, the super delegate controversy reared its ugly head again and the Democratic Party establishment (unwisely) chose to stay with the status quo and preserve the unfairness of the super delegate system.  Then there were the leaked e-mails which confirm rumors from months ago that the Democratic Party was stacking the nomination in Hillary’s favor. As of this morning, the head of the DNC has promised to resign effective with the end of the convention this week.

I would like to think that I am speaking for all Democrats when I say, “Damn you, Debbie Wasserman Schultz!” 

Okay, so the Republicans had their moments of drama at their convention, and now the Democrats will have their inner conflicts to endure.  So both sides misbehaved.  So what?  If the Trump campaign has demonstrated more than anything else, it’s that voters are far more forgiving than ever, even to the point of overriding their own common sense and decency. 

On the other hand it probably would not hurt either party to get a time out in the wood shed.

*Sit Down, John from 1776.

(Thank you for reading. Donald Trump is…what?   Say what?)