Joe Biden (Photo by Rick Loomis/Getty Images)
The second night of the Democratic convention highlighted the theme “Leadership Matters” with some innovative examples of inclusiveness and character. The goal of the night was to provide Joe Biden’s backstory, to give voters a better sense of who he is, and why he would fight for the average voter during challenging times. In addition, the program sought to flesh out the modern Democratic party, to display the youth and diversity that are hallmarks of the modern organization.
The faux controversy over the length of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s speech in many ways achieved its stated goal—the press covering new leaders with new ways of doing things have a long way to go to understand how to present stories for Gen Y. Though she only spoke for a minute, AOC took over much of social media for the night. Goal achieved.
The Dems presented a panoply of 17 keynote speakers in the slot that has traditionally featured future rising stars, including Bill Clinton in 1988 and Barack Obama in 2004. The convention planners made an inspired choice to feature on-location speakers from all 50 states and 7 territories to do the delegate roll call and show off the diversity and uniqueness of America in the process. From Pete Buttigieg in a sleek futuristic setting for Indiana to a delicious plate of “comeback calamari” for Rhode Island (who knew calamari needed a comeback?) to lots and lots of cows—the variegated wonderland that is real America was celebrated by the party that likes to think of itself as the party of the people.
But it was the decision to feature a 31-year-old security guard from New York to introduce Joe Biden that summed up what makes the Democrats in general, and Joe Biden in particular, unique to the moment at hand. Jacquelyn Brittany met Biden as he was on his way to seek and get rejected from the endorsement of the New York Times editorial board. The process was part of a regular documentary series produced by the Times. What made Biden’s visit so unique was not the Q&A in the boardroom high above the streets of Manhattan, but rather a throwaway exchange between Biden and the Brittany as she took him up to his meeting.
Brittany, who would tell her story to numerous papers after being tapped to nominate Biden, revealed that she meets famous people all the time in her line of work at the New York Times. But there was something about Biden that made her blurt out “I love you” after Biden noticed her and said “hi.” Biden immediately suggested a selfie. As he left the elevator, we see Brittany beaming. Something about her short encounter with Joe Biden lifted her dignity. She sums up her story in the nomination video:
“I take powerful people up on my elevator all the time. When they get off, they go to their important meetings. Me, I just head back to the lobby. But in the short time I spent with Joe Biden I could tell he really saw me—that he actually cared; that my life meant something to him and I knew even when he went into his important meeting he'd take my story in there with him. That's because Joe Biden has room in his heart for more than just himself.”
Frederich Neitche wrote of the theory of the Übermensch, the “Super Man” for whom the rules don’t apply. Laws, norms, and morals are just inconveniences to The Super Man. The Super Man doesn’t say “hi” to the security guard.
Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many famous and notable people—politicians, celebrities, billionaires. In numerous moments of seeing the notable and the great interact with everyday people, I’ve always been struck by leaders' behavior in the little moments, the unscripted moments when the handlers are no longer running the show.
I learned alot about leaders working for Ted Turner at CNN.
Ted Turner was notable when he was around everyday folks. In the elevator, he would invariably turn to the least powerful person and introduce himself: “Hi, I’m Ted. Do you work for us? What do you do?” After the flummoxed newbie nodded and told him their role, Turner would flash a smile and say “Are you having fun? Because life’s not worth a damn unless you’re having fun.” The junior employee would invariably nod (who would say “no” to that?) and Ted would depart the elevator, having lifted the day of the least powerful person in the room.
Great leaders do things like that. Michelle Obama repeated her famous line on Monday night: “Being president doesn't change who you are; it reveals who you are.” The process is so long, so challenging, that candidates eventually drop their guards and reveal everything, warts and all.
Joe Biden can stutter. He can be clueless. He can seem old and out of touch. But he can also turn to the least powerful person in the room and see their humanity. He can connect with them and lift them in a way that gives dignity to their struggle. He makes them believe that they matter to him, and therefore to the world. And he can do all that in the space of a one-minute elevator ride. It’s a remarkable skill. The Democratic convention did well to showcase it.
