Perhaps the most memorable moment of this year’s Democratic convention came the night before Kamala Harris officially accepted the party’s nomination for president. It was no simple matter for anyone to follow a lineup of such stars as Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder and Barack and Michelle Obama, just to name a few. But countless eyes and TV cameras in Chicago’s United Center on Wednesday night turned to a young man front and center in the audience whom most of us had never seen before.
He was Gus Walz, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’ 17-year-old son, whose eyes and tear ducts opened up as he wept throughout his dad’s speech and wiped his eyes with tissues. Through tears of joyful excitement he proudly mouthed, “That’s my dad.
” There’s no way to tell how much this heartwarming sight transcended partisan lines. But as a fellow dad whose heart is not made of stone, I felt myself getting more than a little choked up, too. And when it was subsequently pointed out that Gus has a nonverbal learning disorder, ADHD and an anxiety disorder, it only deepened the impression of how relatable and compelling the Walz family is.
When Gov. Walz spoke, he offered proper thanks to Kamala Harris, former President Joe Biden’s endorsed successor, and the rest of the delegates in the Chicago arena for “bringing the joy” to this election. That sounded familiar.
Was it a reference to the “politics of joy” that many of us old timers associate with another decade and another Minneso.