Joe Biden struck a sombre yet defiant tone as he accepted the Democratic Party's nomination to run for president at a time when America is mired in crises, touting his ability to help the nation grieve.
The convention stood out from previous years for more reasons than that it was held online because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The four-day virtual gathering featured a majority of women in the line-up of speakers, and the themes addressed by the guest speakers and the top candidates, Mr Biden and his running mate Senator Kamala Harris, revealed the Democratic Party moving in a more progressive direction with its agenda, while trying to woo voters through emotional appeals.
Mr Biden centred much of his convention appearances around the defining moments of tragic loss in his life, likening his grief to the suffering many Americans are experiencing as a result of crises in the country.
“The worst pandemic in over 100 years, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the most compelling call for racial justice since the sixties, and the undeniable realities and just accelerating threats of climate change” made up what Mr Biden called “the perfect storm” facing America.
“The current president has cloaked America in darkness,” he said.
The former vice president used his acceptance speech to address the loved ones of the nearly 175,000 Americans who have died from the coronavirus.
“I know how it feels to lose someone you love. I know that deep black hole that opens up in your chest. That you feel your whole being is sucked into it,” he said, addressing the personal losses suffered by his own family when his first wife and one-year-old daughter were killed in a car accident, leaving him a single father of two sons. Later in life, his 46-year-old son Beau passed away from brain cancer.
Before Mr Biden took the podium for his career-defining speech, the convention aired a pre-recorded video featuring a memorial to his son Beau.
“I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose,” said Mr Biden.
The word empathy reigned throughout many of the speeches at the convention, with emotional endorsements made by a number of guest speakers, including former president Barack Obama.
“What I quickly came to admire about him is his resilience, born of too much struggle; his empathy, born of too much grief,” said Mr Obama, with whom Mr Biden served as vice president for eight years.
The convention showed that a central theme of the Biden campaign, which promised to help Americans “find the light once more”, is overcoming grief and tragedy, as he hopes to persuade voters through emotions, over hard policies. Mr Biden is using his personal losses advantageously to appeal to voters during a time when every day sees more Americans killed by the coronavirus, and when the death of George Floyd sparked a national reckoning on racism.
The theme was echoed by Senator Harris, who said in her acceptance speech, “We are a nation that's grieving. Grieving the loss of life, the loss of jobs, the loss of opportunities, the loss of normalcy. And yes, the loss of certainty.”
The messaging stands as a stark contrast to Republican Donald Trump’s usual rhetoric, which often focuses on boosting his own self-described achievements and attacking his rivals.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
The 12
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
RESULTS
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Lady Parma, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Tabernas, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash.
2.45pm: Handicap Dh95,000 1,200m
Winner: Night Castle, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Mutawakked, Szczepan Mazur, Musabah Al Muhairi.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Tafaakhor, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Cranesbill, Fabrice Veron, Erwan Charpy.
The%20specs
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Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
The biog
Age: 35
Inspiration: Wife and kids
Favourite book: Changes all the time but my new favourite is Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Best Travel Destination: Bora Bora , French Polynesia
Favourite run: Jabel Hafeet, I also enjoy running the 30km loop in Al Wathba cycling track
