Almost eight years ago, shortly after Donald Trump was elected to the White House, my friend Amy sent me a picture of a massive protest in Washington, D.C. A sea of humanity pumping clenched fists and picket signs flooded the streets of our nation’s capital to protest the incoming president in what was billed a Women’s March. There was a caption above the million strong throng that said something like “This Saturday, pussy grabs back!”

Nice zinger for sure, but the words proved to be empty. Fast forward a few years. Three Supreme Court justices and one landmark ruling later, Trump’s campaign promise to overturn Roe v. Wade became a reality. And those protesters, along with childless cat ladies everywhere, suffered a major setback.

To add insult to injury, the unthinkable happened in the 2024 Republican primaries. Despite the indictments, despite January 6, despite enough baggage to double the market value of Louis Vuitton, despite a clearly more competent and capable candidate in Nikki Haley—the 78-year-old Donald had somehow ascended back to the top of the GOP ticket with relative ease. Without a single debate. And he completely remade the party in his own image in the process. Pretty remarkable, all things considered.

Meanwhile across the aisle, Democrats appeared . . . befuddled. The women who attended the aforementioned march—along with millions of other Americans who had come of age during the last two election cycles—needed a champion. Someone to rally behind. But all they had was a fading 82-year-old politician. A decent man. A man of faith and character. But also, a man who fell off stationary bikes, confused Ukraine’s President Zelensky with his mortal enemy (“Ladies and gentlemen, Vladimir Putin!”), and a man whose cognitive decline was on full display in a June debate trouncing by Donald Trump.

For well over half the country, the outlook was extremely bleak. And for the handful of remaining centrists and independents, the choices were especially uninspiring. The bombastic megalograndiosity of Trump versus the meandering incoherence of Biden. Scorched earth versus fog and mist. Age 78 versus age 82 in an election that could be sponsored by Depend Adult Undergarments. A blunt sign in the front yard of a Tennessee woman summed up the national mood in a campaign slogan of her own: “Fuck ’em both 2024.”

Then bullets rained down on a MAGA rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, killing a firefighter dad, severely injuring two others, and grazing the ear of the former president, mere millimeters away from certain death. When the bloodied candidate arose, fist clenched, shouting “fight, fight!” with the American flag in the background, it felt like the election was a foregone conclusion. Especially when these images of strength were contrasted against an enfeebled Biden isolating in Rehoboth, Delaware, with covid. A couple days later, Trump arrived at the RNC to a hero’s welcome of thunderous applause. The subsequent polls showed him pulling away in battleground states. Even liberal strongholds like New Jersey and Virginia were suddenly in play. Everything was breaking in Trump’s favor . . . Until Biden announced that he would not be seeking a second term and endorsed Kamala Harris as president.

Cue the proverbial needle dragging across a Kid Rock record. Scratch.

Not since Obama 2008 have I seen so much energy and buzz surrounding a candidate. The party was suddenly back in the Democratic Party. This year the DNC eschewed many of normal celebrity speeches in favor of cops, mass shooting survivors, people who were defrauded and ripped off by Trump University, veterans, Republicans, childhood friends and family members of the candidate as well as people whose lives she affected as a San Francisco prosecutor and California Attorney General. There were also profound and moving speeches by Barack and Michelle Obama, Pete Buttigieg, Raphael Warnock, Adam Kinzinger, and Oprah; speeches that transcended party politics and cut to the truth of what this election is all about—who we are as a nation, what we stand for, what’s at stake . . . Then there was Tim Walz, her unlikely vice-presidential pick; a hunter, a 24-year National Guardsman, a former teacher and high school football coach. A midwestern everyman who shatters the myth that Republicans have the market cornered on masculinity.

But all this was preamble to the final speaker of the 2024 DNC, the Democratic candidate for president, Kamala Harris. She spoke about her mom and sister and the middle-class neighborhood that raised her, the lessons that were instilled in her as a child. Then she spoke about her time spent fighting for the people of California prosecuting murderers, rapists, child predators, fraudsters, drug traffickers. And her time as a U.S. senator where she continued to fight for her constituents. She also touched on the achievements of her current boss, Joe Biden, defending his record and honoring his 50+ years of service. But it was the policy part of her speech that I thought was truly magisterial, since the knock on her is that she’s all vibes and no substance . . .

Her immigration plan was simple; she would sign the same bipartisan bill that was set to pass six months ago but was blocked by Trump’s do-boys in the House because he did not want the issue solved before the election. Then she talked about her plan to keep growing the middle class, keep the current job market expanding, keep the world’s strongest economy moving in the right direction. She almost sounded like a Reagan Republican when she talked about having “the strongest and most lethal fighting force in the world,” about standing with our allies, about supporting Ukraine . . . And if there was any doubt about where she stood on Israel, her forceful declaration about that nation’s right to defend itself after the horrors of October 7 and America’s full commitment to “give Israel whatever it needs to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists” was a burning spear thrust into the political sand. She also alluded to the 40,000 dead Palestinians and how securing a peace deal is paramount. Finally, she talked about women’s reproductive rights and signing a law to make Roe v. Wade the law of the land.

It was an epic and authentic finale that underscored and reiterated many of the themes raised throughout the four-day convention. On a personal note, I came away feeling hopeful, energized, and proud to be an American. Even in this prison cell where I sit writing this essay.

In part one of this “Law of Momentum” series, I forecasted a blowout loss for Democrats and recommended a full postmortem on a party that had lost its way. (I also referred to Kamala Harris as a “low-polling former prosecutor Vice President who disproportionately incarcerated the same demographic she would need to win.” Oops.) In part two, I reiterated the question, “Did Republicans peak to early?” After an uplifting and raucous DNC, buzzing with hope, that seems to be the case. But the election is still over two months away. I suspect there will be more twists and turns down the stretch. Including an upcoming debate that should have Super Bowl-level television ratings. Whatever happens, we are fortunate enough to have front row seats in the theater of history. These are fascinating times.

Wishing you momentum, my friends.

—August 25, 2024