Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 383

Democrats turn their roll call into a dance party with celebrities, state-specific songs and Lil Jon

By JOSH BOAK

CHICAGO (AP) — Convention roll call votes can be staid and cheesy, but Democrats turned theirs into the ultimate dance party on Tuesday.

DJ Cassidy stood onstage in what appeared to be a double-breasted satin suit of royal blue, spinning a special song for each state and territory awarding their delegates to Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention. What America got was a mashup of an elite karaoke night: Detroit native Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” for Michigan, Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” for Massachusetts and Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” for California.

Georgia brought out one of its natives in person: Atlanta’s Lil Jon striding through Chicago’s United Center to the beats of “Turn Down for What,” his song with DJ Snake.

DJ Cassidy speaks during Roll Call at the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

In short, Democrats were determined to put the party in political party, part of their broader effort to project joy and positive energy even as they issue dire warnings about the need to beat Republican nominee Donald Trump.

The party last used a video roll call during the pandemic -restricted 2020 convention that famously had Rhode Island featuring its state dish, calamari, creating the pressure to do something bigger this year. (The chef holding that iconic tray of calamari later turned out to be a Trump supporter.)

This year’s roll call vote featured the party’s emerging political stars like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. Movie director Spike Lee was there for New York, while the actor Sean Astin, who starred in the Notre Dame-set football movie “Rudy,” was with the Indiana delegation.

Ohio casts their votes for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris during the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

The musical choices were something of a risk. The 1996 Democratic convention in Chicago infamously featured delegates gyrating awkwardly to “Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix)” by the Spanish pop duo Los del Río. Video of the Macarena still circulates among political diehards nearly three decades later.

Florida’s delegation played Tom Petty’s anthem to hard-headedness, “I Won’t Back Down,” in casting its delegates for Harris — a not-too-subtle jab at the state’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Petty was born in the Florida city of Gainesville. DeSantis used the song as the theme of his failed Republican presidential primary this cycle, and it was part of the name of a super PAC that spent lavishly in his losing cause.

“Florida is worth fighting for,” state Democratic chairwoman Nikki Fried declared, arguing that her state is worth national Democrats campaigning for despite it moving hard to the right and likely to go for Trump in November.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed attends the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024. (Gabrielle Lurie/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Alabama, obviously, got “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Alaska announced their backing of Vice President Kamala Harris to “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man, a band from Wasilla, where Republican Sarah Palin was once mayor.

Minnesota went with “1999” by Paisley Park’s own Prince. Indiana, with Astin by the microphone, went with Gary native Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough.” Nevada played “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, the synth pop band from Las Vegas. Kansas went with “Carry On My Wayward Son” by the rock band Kansas. New Jersey went with Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.”

“Under one groove nothing can stop us now,” DJ Cassidy said over Springsteen’s anthem.

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Despite the festive mood, the roll call announcements did contain some serious moments. Texas’ Kate Cox had her request for an abortion during a troubled pregnancy rejected by that state’s supreme court, forcing her to go to another state for the procedure. But Cox announced on the floor that she was again pregnant and the baby was due in January.

Under Democratic Party rules, only Harris garnered enough signatures to be entered into nomination. Votes for any other person or uncommitted votes were tallied as “present” during the virtual roll call earlier this month. Tuesday night’s “celebratory” vote is following that earlier roll call’s vote total.

Dissecting Patrick Bailey’s second-half struggles as SF Giants place catcher on IL

SAN FRANCISCO — Standing in front of his locker Monday night with an ice pack wrapped in athletic tape around his right torso, Patrick Bailey smiled and snickered.

The Giants’ catcher rarely hits on the field before games; he prefers to get his pregame work done in the batting cages in between prepping with that night’s pitcher. But he changed his routine before their series opener against the White Sox, incorporating some early on-field swings, and afterward felt some discomfort in his side.

Bailey was scratched from the Giants’ lineup before the first game of the series and on Tuesday was placed on the 10-day injured list after an MRI revealed a strained right oblique. Jakson Reetz was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to back up Curt Casali, who started behind the plate for the second straight game.

After downplaying the issue as “very, very minor,” Bailey was asked about the circumstances that led up to the injury.

“I think you know the answer to that,” he grinned.

With defensive metrics that are unrivaled around the league, Bailey’s loss is a substantial one for a team that entered Tuesday 3½ games out of playoff position with 35 to play. But he had frustratingly found himself stuck in a similar second-half rut at the plate to the one that ended his rookie season, when he was open about the toll a 162-game schedule took on his body and the steps he took to address it this offseason.

His troubles since about the All-Star break this season aren’t so easily explained.

“Last year, you could tell he was dragging a bit,” hitting coach Justin Viele said. “He seems stronger (this year). He’s still hitting the ball hard. He’s still in his at-bats, even though it might not always seem like he’s in his at-bats. I just think there’s a point where you aren’t getting hits and you aren’t getting rewarded and you’re just like, ‘Are you kidding me?’

“There’s a little bit of that after games with him, like, ‘I just can’t believe it was an 0-fer again when I felt like my swing was good, I hit two balls hard.’ There’s just not much to say when that happens. It’s a bummer because he’s doing everything right.”

Just two of Bailey’s seven home runs last season came after the calendar turned to July, and he has been stuck on the same total this year since his solo shot in a two-hit, three-walk performance July 10 against the Blue Jays. He batted third as the designated hitter that day, and the showing raised his batting average to .280, his on-base percentage to .356 and his slugging percentage to .430 — a .786 OPS that ranked eighth among 16 major-league catchers with as many plate appearances.

He turned in a couple more multi-hit games before the All-Star break, and in 27 games since has 11 hits — two for extra bases — in 96 at-bats with 24 strikeouts to five walks. His .115/.157/.135 batting line equates to a .292 OPS, the lowest of 16 qualified catchers during that time. (Topping the list? Joey Bart’s .970 mark.)

For further context, the only catchers with an OPS as low over a 27-game span this season are Martin Maldonado of the White Sox and the Rays’ Alex Jackson. Maldonado, 38, is a career .203 hitter with a .404 OPS this season, and Jackson has a .135 average and .460 OPS in 289 career at-bats.

But the Giants don’t believe fatigue is a factor.

“He tells me right now he wants to play every game,” manager Bob Melvin said. “If it’s there it’s certainly something he tries to push through. …

“The last couple of games he’s had some really good at-bats. Before that obviously it wasn’t pretty, but there were a lot of lineouts and there was some unluckiness to his at-bats. Earlier in the year all the way up until probably the halfway point, his workload has been OK compared to most in the league. I really don’t think that it has much to do with that.”

Bailey has caught 730 innings this season, eighth-most in the majors, and appeared behind the plate in 91 of the Giants’ 126 games before Monday. After dropping weight last season, he changed his diet this spring to help him hold up for the grind of a full season, which appears to have paid off.

Over the course of his career, Bailey has put 40.7% of his balls in play on the ground while being limited to soft contact 12.7% of the time. Over the final month of last season, when he batted .121, those rates spiked to 61.1% and 27.2%, respectively. In other words, he was grounding into a lot of easy outs.

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In 15 games this August, Bailey has a .057 batting average but more encouraging batted-ball tendencies. His average exit velocity (89.1 mph) is markedly better that last September/October (85 mph) and in line with his career average (90.1 mph). The ball is leaving his bat at an average angle of 17 degrees, opposed to the minus-4 launch angle over the final month of last season.

While it has resulted in only a .078 weighted on-base average (wOBA), the quality of his contact suggests an expected rate of .244, a much wider gap than the end of last year (.141 wOBA vs. .201 xwOBA).

“He’s still hitting the ball hard, on a good flight,” Viele said. “He actually has more bat speed in August. That isn’t always the answer. He might actually be swinging too hard. … One lineout, two lineouts leads to the next two at-bats him trying a little too hard.”

So, on the field Monday, they weren’t working on any drastic changes.

“Just trying to quiet some things and let him see some ball flight. Kind of understand that he doesn’t have to do a lot to hit balls hard,” Viele said. “He was trying to just pepper left-center and hit the ball up the middle. Basic stuff. It wasn’t anything real nuanced. … Just stay the course and hopefully stuff starts to fall.”

Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: The home office deduction

Question: I just set up a home office for my new business that I am operating as a sole proprietorship. Accordingly, I will be filing Form 1040 with a Schedule C to report my business income and expenses. Can you please explain the tax rules and the benefits, if any, of having a home office?

Answer: Home office expenses are generally deductible only if they meet the specific requirements provided in the Internal Revenue Code Section 280A. These requirements provide that a taxpayer must use a portion of their home on an exclusive and regular basis for business purposes. Additionally, a taxpayer’s home office must meet any one of the following requirements to qualify for the home office deductions:

• The home office is the taxpayer’s principal place of business.

• The home office is a place of business that is used by patients, clients or customers in meeting or dealing with the taxpayer in the normal course of business.

• The home office is used in connection with a taxpayer’s trade or business and is a separate structure that is not attached to the dwelling unit.

The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 expanded the definition of “principal place of business” for tax years beginning after 1998 to include a home office that:

1. Is used exclusively and regularly by the taxpayer to conduct administrative or management activities of a trade or business, if it

2. Is the only fixed location of the trade or business where the taxpayer conducts substantial administrative or management activities of the trade or business.

To qualify as the taxpayer’s principal place of business, the home office must pass both a “relative importance” and a “time test.” According to the IRS, the relative importance test will be applied first to determine the importance of the activities performed at the home office relative to those performed at other locations. For example, a doctor who performs all his administrative duties from his sole office at home may be allowed to deduct his home office expenses even if he sees and treats his patients outside the office (at hospitals, clinics, their homes, etc.).

After the taxpayer first passes the relative importance test, he must then show that more time is spent at the home office than at any other location in order to be allowed the home office deduction (hence, the time test).

A taxpayer qualifying for a home office deduction should be aware that there are specific guidelines that must be followed when computing deductible home office expenses. Expenses need to be segregated between direct and indirect, and then must be classified within three specific tiers to determine the order of deductibility. Of primary importance is that a taxpayer’s deductions attributable to a home office are limited to the taxpayer’s gross income from qualified uses of the home office. Home office expenses disallowed one year because of this gross income limitation may be carried forward for use in subsequent years. In subsequent years, these expenses once again are subject to the gross income limitation. The tax law also provides for a simplified method for calculating the allowable deduction.

Due to the complexity of the requirements and calculations to achieve the home office deduction on your Form 1040, Schedule C, I strongly recommend that you consult with your tax advisor.

Barry Dolowich is a certified public accountant and owner of a full-service accounting and tax practice with offices in Monterey. He can be reached at (831) 372-7200. Please address any questions to Barry at PO Box 710 Monterey, CA 93942 or email:bdolowich@gmail.com 

Trump campaigns to ‘make America safe again’ as Democratic convention zeroes in on his felony record

By ISABELLA VOLMERT and BILL BARROW

HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump pledged Tuesday to “Make America Safe Again” while campaigning in Michigan as the Democrats who gathered in Chicago to nominate Kamala Harris branded him a career criminal.

As part of a battleground campaign swing designed to counter the Democratic National Convention, Trump stood alongside sheriff’s deputies in the city of Howell and tarred Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general, as the “ringleader” of a “Marxist attack on law enforcement” across the country.

“Kamala Harris will deliver crime, chaos, destruction and death,” Trump said in one of many generalizations about an America under Harris. “You’ll see levels of crime that you’ve never seen before. … I will deliver law, order, safety and peace.”

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks on crime and safety during a campaign event at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Howell, Mich. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump has sought in recent weeks to blunt the enthusiasm that Harris has attracted since President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign and endorsed her. That has involved both dark predictions about what electing Harris would mean for the country and efforts by Trump’s advisers to set up events where he can try to draw specific policy contrasts. On Tuesday in Michigan, the subject was crime and public safety.

“Our policemen and women have the backs of law-abiding citizens every day,” Trump said. “When we go back to the White House, you’re going to see support the likes of which you haven’t seen, certainly in four years.”

In excerpts released before his speech, Trump’s campaign also said he would call for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers; he did not mention that during his remarks.

The event was the latest billed as focused on a specific issue. But on these occasions, Trump has spent considerable time attacking Harris personally and taking shots at Biden, and the same was true after their appearances Monday at the Democratic convention.

“I watched last night in amazement as they tried to pretend everything was great,” Trump said, singling out inflation and the U.S.-Mexico border as topics Democrats glossed over. “We have a fool as president,” he said of Biden.

Trump presented a bleak portrait of life in the U.S. and the threat of a Harris presidency, though he was short on specifics and heavy on hyperbole.

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“It’s just insane,” Trump said. “You can’t walk across the street to get a loaf of bread. You get shot, you get mugged, you get raped, you get whatever it may be. And you’ve seen it, and I’ve seen it, and it’s time for a change.”

Trump making such claims, surrounded by supportive law enforcement officers, stood in stark contrast to the Democrats’ convention. Speaker after speaker found ways Monday night in Chicago to remind Americans that Trump is the first former president ever convicted of felony crimes, has been found civilly liable for sexual assault, and still faces multiple indictments, including for his efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat to Biden.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas skewered Trump on Monday night as “a career criminal, with 34 felonies, two impeachments and one porn star,” a reference to his payments to an adult film actress at issue in his New York conviction for business fraud.

As the crowd roared, Crockett kept going, hailing Harris as a former prosecutor who “has a resume” while Trump “has a rap sheet.”

The derision reached its peak as Hillary Clinton, whom Trump defeated in 2016, stood back from the podium and smiled as delegates chanted: “Lock him up! Lock him up!” — a turnabout from Trump supporters’ chants about Clinton eight years ago despite the former secretary of state never having been charged with any crime.

Keeping the roads safe during Classic Car Week

Seaside Council gets Grand Hyatt update, groundbreaking next month

SEASIDE – With a groundbreaking just weeks away, the Seaside City Council was given an update presentation on the design of the Grand Hyatt Seaside Resort Hotel, a project that has been “a long time coming,” in the words of Seaside Mayor Ian Oglesby.

“We’ve been hard at work over this past year finalizing the design for the Grand Hyatt in Seaside and tonight we want to share our progress and kind of the snapshot in time of where the project stands,” said Brian Murch, a principal with the DLR Group and design director leading its Hospitality Division. “We’re really excited to get construction underway and we’re rounding third, if you will, in terms of getting that site prepped and getting everything started.”

DLR Group has been holding pre-construction meetings, has had the project green lighted, is finalizing contracts, is ready to receive the grading permit and anticipates having a notice to proceed soon, with mobilization occurring very shortly, according to Arron Curtis, part of the DLR Group.

Artist rendering of the lobby bar area of the Grand Hyatt Seaside Resort Hotel. (DLR Group)

The Grand Hyatt design presentation and construction update was given before the Seaside City Council at its meeting last week.

Adolfo Gonzalez, project manager for the city of Seaside, told the council that a groundbreaking is slated for Sept. 16.

The Grand Hyatt Seaside Resort Hotel site is on the Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Course and will consist of an eight-level, 307,200-square-foot single building that would include 330 guest rooms, a conference center with meeting rooms totaling about 35,000 square feet of space, restaurants, lobby bar, service kitchen, administrative offices, food and beverage, spa and fitness and service/circulation areas. An outdoor swimming pool is proposed adjacent to the south elevation of the hotel building.

Murch said the approach to the design of the hotel uses an extension of local and natural materials to preserve the surrounding, while keeping the location at the fore front of the guest experience.

The hotel’s elevated position at the site will capitalize on architecturally framing views in both interior and exterior settings, creating perspectives that guide the eye to the surrounding landscape.

The design will offer guests an upscale comfort with details that are purposeful and non-intrusive to the views.

The Seaside Resort Project was approved by the Seaside City Council and Redevelopment Agency in July 2005. Approvals included a vesting tentative map, design review of the entire project, site plan review for the hotel, a use permit for the sale of alcoholic beverages, a use permit for timeshares, a use permit for residential uses and a conveyance agreement and disposition and development agreement between the city and the developer. An environmental impact report was certified for the proposed development.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Oglesby. “It looks beautiful to me.”

Oglesby said the Seaside resort was a vision of the community and previous councils with the current council taking its responsibility to push it forward to realize that vision.

“That was what was discussed … this rough diamond that needed to be polished between our two golf courses,” said Oglesby.

An example of one of the 330 rooms at the Grand Hyatt Seaside Resort Hotel proposed for the Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Course property area in Seaside. (DLR Group)

The original developer, Seaside Resort Development of Tucson, sold the hotel parcel for $25.2 million in late 2021 to SKDG Capital, a Florida-based real estate private equity firm.

A high-end hotel property has been a long-sought anchor for the fledgling resort development, which has been on the books for nearly two decades.

When built, the Grand Hyatt Seaside Resort Hotel will be one of four Grand Hyatt hotels in California, joining two in San Francisco and one in San Diego. There are 62 Grand Hyatt hotels in 28 countries offering an upscale stay in big cities, beach destinations and a few airport locations including 13 Grand Hyatt hotels in the United States which often compete with InterContinental, Fairmont, JW Marriott and Conrad properties. Hyatt has about 20 brands under its name including Park Hyatt, Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Place.

Former SF Giants great Brandon Crawford released

Brandon Crawford, who won two World Series and spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the Giants, was cut by the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old shortstop from Pleasanton appeared in 28 games for the Cardinals this year. Crawford’s unconditional release came in a string of roster moves for the Cardinals, who have slipped out of postseason contention for a second straight year.

This winter, Crawford begrudgingly left San Francisco for St. Louis to continue his storied career. He told The Athletic that he wanted to return to the Giants — even in a reduced role as a veteran leader — but was only told that he’d get the chance to earn the last spot on the roster like anyone else could as a non-roster invitee.

“The bottom line is I was not wanted back by the one person whose (opinion) matters,” Crawford told The Athletic, referring to Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. “So I went with a team that gave me a major-league contract. The Cardinals have a long history and tradition. I’ve admired and respected the way the Cardinals have played throughout my career and the way the organization has been run.”

Crawford has won four Gold Glove awards and been named to three All-Star teams. He’s appeared in the 10th most games among active players and the most among shortstops. His 1,404 hits rank 30th among active players.

With the Cardinals, Crawford hit .169 with a .544 OPS in 80 plate appearances. He backed up young shortstop Masyn Winn, who has had a breakout year, while also playing some third base.

Among the 482 players with at least 50 plate appearances, Crawford’s 58 wRC+ ranks 416th.

The Giants were scheduled to host Crawford’s return to Oracle Park in the last week of the season, but now he won’t be with the Cardinals when they arrive at Third and King.

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Crawford already got a sendoff for the Giants, when they let him pitch in last year’s regular season finale. The club subbed him out before the game ended so he could tip his cap to a standing ovation, then played a highlight-filled tribute video. After that ended, he grabbed the microphone and addressed the crowd, thanking his hometown fans for supporting him.

“Personally, from the grand slam in Milwaukee to the World Series wins to today, you guys always showed me love,” Crawford told the Oracle Park crowd. “My family and I appreciate it so much. You guys are the best. Thank you.”

Crawford is the greatest shortstop to ever play for the Giants. Now his playing days, for San Francisco or any other club, could very well be over.

Horoscopes Aug. 20, 2024: Amy Adams, do your best with no regrets

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Misha Collins, 50; Amy Adams, 50; Billy Gardell, 55; Al Roker, 70.

Happy Birthday: Take care of business. Leave nothing to chance or incomplete. To start fresh, you must let go and move forward with open arms, a free spirit and knowing you have done everything in your power to close doors that no longer interest or benefit you. A clear conscience will ease stress and enable you to do your best with no regrets. Your numbers are 5, 17, 20, 29, 31, 37, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Gather information and leave nothing to chance. Look for hidden expenses or someone’s lack of professionalism, and counter any pitfall between you and your goal. Don’t let a change someone makes throw you off; have a backup plan and proceed confidently. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Spending is an issue. Trying to impress someone or spending unnecessarily will break the bank. A kind gesture will mean more than any gift you buy for someone you love. An unrequired move will not live up to your expectations. Put comfort, peace of mind and convenience first. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Address options and opinions, then establish how to proceed. Doing research will change your outlook and encourage suggestions that help you navigate controversial situations gracefully and with dignity. Don’t overreact to personal slights. Refrain from settling for less when you can achieve more. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You have more going for you than you realize. Take a moment to reevaluate your next move. If you abide by the rules and regulations, a unique approach to using your skills will expand possibilities about work, money and your reputation. 5 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Rely on yourself; you won’t be disappointed. Your get-up-and-go attitude will help elevate others to pitch in and help. Consistency will keep you on track and alleviate confusion and mixed messages that can deter progress. Get offers in writing and make your requests before you begin. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Refrain from taking unnecessary risks with your health, love life or professional reputation. Situations will escalate if you aren’t direct with information or live up to your promises. Pay attention to detail, and choose your words carefully to avoid misunderstandings. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The best education is embracing the journey and living the dream. Stop talking and start doing. Actions speak louder than words; the results will bring you hope for a brighter future and encourage you to fine-tune your plans to ensure you achieve your desired results. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Spend time organizing your space to suit your needs. Refuse to let others dictate how you live. If you set things up for convenience, you will get things done and feel good about your progress. It’s time to please yourself instead of overcompensating for others. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Emotional interference will limit your accomplishments. Refresh your memory to ensure you have valid answers and alternatives to deal with situations inflated by friends, associates and family. Knowing what’s possible will help you save time and make the best decision. Don’t mix business with pleasure. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Mixing money matters and emotions will lead to shortages. Research the possibilities and do everything you can to ensure you aren’t overpaying or investing in something you don’t need. Change begins with you. Simplify your life and you’ll find it easier to eliminate expensive habits. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Consider what will make your life easier, more productive and less confusing, then head in that direction. Spend less time with people who increase your stress levels or demand too much from you without giving back. Do what makes you happy, and focus on activities that make you feel healthy. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): If you play by the rules, you’ll make better decisions and gain peer acceptance. Avoid venturing down a path that can complicate matters or tempt you to take on someone or something that isn’t in your best interest. Nurture meaningful relationships. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are chatty, flexible and opportunity-driven. You are friendly and proactive.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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Joe Biden’s exit, talk of the glass ceiling, a civil rights hero: Takeaways from Day 1 of the DNC

By WILL WEISSERT and NICHOLAS RICCARDI, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — The Democratic National Convention set up its first night to feature speeches from the last Democrat to lose to Donald Trump and the last one to beat him.

Hillary Clinton spoke about finally breaking the “glass ceiling” to elect a female president. Joe Biden was the final speaker in Chicago on Monday night, even as protesters against the war in Gaza churned a few blocks from the convention hall.

US President Joe Biden delivers the keynote address on the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024. Vice President Kamala Harris will formally accept the party’s nomination for president at the DNC which runs from August 19-22 in Chicago. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Here are some takeaways from the first night of the convention.

A surprise Harris appearance to pay tribute to Biden

The vice president made an unscheduled appearance onstage to pay tribute to Biden ahead of his own address to the convention. She told the president, “Thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you’ll continue to do.”

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

On a night meant to honor the president who stepped aside to make way for Harris, the vice president added, “We are forever grateful to you.” Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were in the stands to cheer her message.

Harris, in her brief remarks, said that looking out on the crowd, “I see the beauty of our great nation,” stressing the importance of promoting diversity and embracing optimism.

Hillary Clinton revives talk of breaking that ‘glass ceiling’

Clinton was greeted with wild and sustained applause that lasted for more than two minutes before she quieted the crowd. She delivered a fiery speech hoping that Harris could do what she could not –- become the first woman president by beating Trump.

Clinton evoked her 2016 concession speech by referencing all the “cracks in the glass ceiling” that she and her voters had achieved. And she painted a vision of Harris “on the other side of that glass ceiling” taking the oath of office as president.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks during the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

She closed her speech with a striking desire for someone who’s stood at the pinnacle of American politics and power: “I want my grandchildren and their grandchildren to know I was here at this moment. That we were here and that we were with Kamala Harris every step of the way.”

Clinton dipped into traditional political attacks in her speech, including mocking Trump’s criminal record. That led to chants of “lock him up” — mirroring the ones that Trump’s supporters directed at Clinton in 2016.

Tracing a line from Jesse Jackson to Kamala Harris

An early theme of the evening was celebrating the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a longtime civil rights leader in Chicago and former presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988. Many Democrats credit him with blazing a trail that helped Barack Obama win the White House in 2008 and Kamala Harris become the first woman of color nominated for the presidency.

Rev. Jesse Jackson gestures during the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Jackson was saluted from the stage by several speakers, including Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and California Rep. Maxine Waters. There was a video montage of Jackson’s career and legacy that played before the 82-year-old Jackson himself came to the stage in a wheelchair, thrusting his arms skyward and grinning. Jackson has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

During the 1984 Democratic convention in San Francisco, Jackson gave a speech declaring that America is “like a quilt: Many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven and held together by a common thread.” The address became known as the “Rainbow Coalition” speech, and Jackson used momentum from it to seek the Democratic nomination again in 1988.

Harris has called Jackson “one of America’s greatest patriots.”

Remember COVID? Democrats don’t want voters — or Trump — to forget

Democrats opted to shine the convention spotlight on the harrowing subject of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was a reflection of Democratic frustration at how Trump has portrayed his tenure in office as a golden age for the country, even though hundreds of thousands of Americans died of COVID-19 during the last year of his term.

There are plenty of risks for Democrats in hammering the pandemic. Even more people died of the virus during Biden’s presidency than during Trump’s, voters have shown an eagerness to move on and some preventative measures championed by Democrats — like school closures and masking — are not popular in retrospect.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz laughs as he arrives at the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Still, the lineup of early speakers focused on Trump’s performance during the pandemic. Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan recalled how her brother was the second person in Tennessee to die of the disease and how she couldn’t visit him or hold a memorial service. Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois, a nurse, said of Trump: “He took the COVID crisis and turned it into a catastrophe. We can never ever let him be our president again.”

Rep. Robert Garcia, whose mother and stepfather died of the disease in 2020, recalled Trump’s missteps and concluded with one of the slogans of Harris’ young campaign: “We are not going back.”

Democrats one-up Republicans on labor

Trump’s convention last month featured a rare appearance from a union leader at such a GOP event: Teamsters President Sean O’Brien. That’s reflective of how Trump’s populism has cut into Democrats’ advantage with union households.

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In that speech, O’Brien did not endorse Trump. But he criticized both major political parties for not doing enough to help working people.

Democrats didn’t invite O’Brien to their convention, but they countered with a half-dozen other union leaders onstage Monday. And then Shawn Fain, head of the United Auto Workers, led a blistering chant of “Trump’s a scab!” while wearing a red T-shirt emblazoned with those words.

Fain noted that Biden visited a UAW picket line last year and, when autoworkers struck in 2019, Harris, not Trump, walked the picket lines. “Donald Trump is all talk and Kamala Harris walks the walk,” Fain said.

Estrada gives SF Giants necessary jolt in return to beat White Sox, 5-3

SAN FRANCISCO — Back in the lineup Monday night for the first time in three weeks, Thairo Estrada provided the Giants just the jolt they were seeking.

Estrada’s one-out single was the first of five consecutive Giants hits in a four-run fifth inning that provided all the cushion required to hand the White Sox their league-worst 96th loss of the season, 5-3.

“Nice to have ‘T’ back,” said starting pitcher Kyle Harrison, who tossed six one-run innings and benefitted from Estrada’s defense to get him out of a bases-loaded jam.

With Ryan Walker unavailable after pitching two innings in Sunday’s win over the A’s, manager Bob Melvin called on Jordan Hicks to record his first save since moving back to the bullpen. Hicks allowed the potential tying run to reach second base but got Cal alums Andrew Vaughn and Korey Lee to fly out to secure the save, improving the Giants’ record back over .500 (64-63) and within 3½ games of the Braves, who were idle.

“It was fun,” said Hicks, whose last save came last Aug. 28 with the Blue Jays. “Stressful, but fun.”

In his second at-bat back from missing 21 games with a sprained left wrist, Estrada poked a 2-1 slider from White Sox starter Jonathan Cannon through the right side of the infield and came around to score the first run of the inning on Curt Casali’s line drive into center.

With Casali’s RBI single, the Giants matched their number of hits with runners in scoring position over their weekend series in Oakland, and they got two more from Tyler Fitzgerald and LaMonte Wade Jr. before Cannon recorded the third out of the inning.

“It was a tremendous feeling for me,” said Casali, who had appeared in only three of the Giants’ 19 games since their July 27 double-header and was told about 2 hours before first pitch that he would be in the starting lineup after Patrick Bailey was scratched with right side tightness.

The second game of that twin bill was the last time Casali recorded a hit, and the RBI was his first since June 27.

“I needed one of those,” he said. “I haven’t hit the ball hard very much lately. To be able to have a plan and execute a plan was really nice for me, personally. And then the boys kept tacking on after that. … That’s good baseball right there.”

Leading off the fifth, Matt Chapman extended the lead to 5-1 and became the first Giants hitter to reach 20 home runs, pulling a sweeper over the outer half of the plate midway up the bleachers in left field. The Giants improved to 39-9 when scoring at least five runs but did so for only the second time in 10 games since August 9.

The Giants finished with 12 hits while going 4-for-6 with runners in scoring position, both their best showings since the final game of their road trip last Sunday.

That proved to be more than enough support for Harrison, who surpassed his previous career-high in innings while completing six for the first time in four August starts. The 23-year-old left-hander limited the majors’ worst lineup to a lone run on five hits and two walks while striking out five.

“It seems like he’s really comfortable pitching here,” Melvin said of Harrison, who lowered his ERA in 11 starts this season at Oracle Park to 3.43. “Whether it’s (pitching) out over the plate and giving up some fly balls or whatever, he just senses that this a good place for him to pitch in.”

Luis Robert Jr. singled home Brooks Baldwin to open a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth after the rookie shortstop drew a one-out walk and swiped second.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (45) throws against the Chicago White Sox in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Harrison was otherwise adept at working his way out of trouble, with an assist from Estrada.

After allowing the White Sox to load the bases with nobody out in the third, Harrison got their leadoff batter, Lenyn Sosa, swinging with a slurve for the first out and ended the inning one batter later, when Robert shot a sharp ground ball to Estrada’s left that the second baseman gloved and fired to second to start a 4-6-3 double play.

Harrison attacked Robert with a first-pitch heater and the White Sox slugger sent it toward second at 107 mph.

“I wanted to challenge him with a heater and get ahead,” Harrison said. “The guy was ready for it and put a good swing on it, but (Estrada) made an even better play.”

Harrison stranded another pair in the fourth after allowing back-to-back singles gave the White Sox runners at the corners to start the inning.

Besides Robert’s fifth-inning single, Harrison surrendered only one other hit in eight at-bats with a runner in scoring position. In his past nine starts dating back to June 10, Harrison has limited opponents to five hits — one for extra bases — in 31 chances (a .161 average) after runners reach second or third base.

A full moon rises as San Francisco Giants third base coach Matt Williams (9) keeps an eye on the game against the Chicago White Sox in the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

“That’s what pitching is all about right? Being able to get yourself out of those,” Harrison said. “I’ve had previous opportunities earlier in the season where I’ve had those scenarios come up and I just really want to slow down in that time, make a pitch and execute. That’s really all you can do.”

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With six innings of one-run ball, Harrison lowered his ERA through 22 starts to 4.00 and surpassed his previous career-high in innings (113 between Single- and Double-A in 2022). His fastball had better life, averaging 92.3 mph, and used it to record nine of his 13 swings and misses.

“Definitely had a little more life, and I was throwing it with more confidence,” Harrison said. “… I think it’s cool (to have 117 innings), but to be feeling good while going through it I think is even cooler. I’ve been cleaning up some things in the routine, figuring out what’s working and what’s not and going into the bullpen sessions open-minded. It’s a good time for me.”

Notable

After being examined by Dr. Ken Akizuki over the weekend, reliever Randy Rodríguez was diagnosed with a flexor strain. He will be shut down for the next two weeks, but Melvin didn’t rule out the possibility of him pitching again this season.

Up next

LHP Robbie Ray (2-2, 6.00) will attempt to rebound from the worst start of his career again RHP Davis Martin (0-1, 3.00) in the second of three games. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m., with the game being simulcast out of market on MLB Network.

San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman (26) high-fives the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox in the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Thairo Estrada (39) hits a single against the Chicago White Sox in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jordan Hicks (12) throws against the Chicago White Sox in the ninth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Grant McCray (58) makes a catch for an out in centerfield on a ball hit by Chicago White Sox’s Andrew Vaughn (25) in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Chicago White Sox’s Brooks Baldwin (27) steals second base against San Francisco Giants’ Thairo Estrada (39) in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Grant McCray (58) hits a single against the Chicago White Sox in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Grant McCray (58) heads to third base on a single hit by San Francisco Giants’ Curt Casali (2) against the Chicago White Sox in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Curt Casali (2) hits an RBI single against the Chicago White Sox in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Chicago White Sox’s Luis Robert Jr. (88) steals second base against San Francisco Giants’ Thairo Estrada (39) in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr. (31) hits an infield single against the Chicago White Sox in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Tyler Fitzgerald (49) throws to first base after tagging out Chicago White Sox’s Brooks Baldwin (27) at second base to complete a double play on a ball hit by Chicago White Sox’s Luis Robert Jr. (88) to end the top of the third inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Grant McCray (58) makes a catch in centerfield on a ball hit by Chicago White Sox’s Luis Robert Jr. (88) in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin keeps an eye on the game against the Chicago White Sox in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Spencer Bivens (76) throws against the Chicago White Sox in the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman (26) high-fives the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox in the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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