littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
I haven't seen the convention, but Harris was warmly endorsed by UAW leader Shawn Fain a few weeks ago. And she warmly accepted the endorsement. That's equivalent to Keir Starmer being endorsed by Mick Lynch, which I don't think either would want.Likewise, I have watched more of this years convention that one all the previous ones out together.
This one does seem a bit unusual, in that there is overwhelmingly unity and a rally for Harris/Walz. Previous conversations (not just '68) have been far more...interesting.
What strikes me as really weird, is the extent to which unions (not just union leaders, tho there have been a lot of them) have been to the fore. Every day there is someone (usually several people) extolling the virtues and the victories of the union movenment. How Joe Biden was the first sitting President ever to stand on a picket line. And they dont just talk, they shout about the 'working class'. The comparison with a Labour conference (even under Corbyn) is astounding.
Of course, it is still highly hypocritical. Bernie Sanders spoke last night, and was great, but was then immediately followed by a guy who proudly proclaimed 'as an actual billionaire...'
It is quite weird. I think this might be partly due to the US being a federal stystem. The president just doesn't have powers over quite a few of the things a UK PM has powers over, which means they can express support for various groups while not actually promising that much concrete to help them. (Although Harris has pledged to bring in a universal holiday entitlement, which, amazingly, the US doesn't currently have - the legal minimum holiday entitlement is currently zero days.)