Politics is about People

Sarah and Beth are going to the DNC

Aug 16, 2024

In 2016, Beth and I attended both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. They were a week apart that year, with Donald Trump claiming the Republican nomination in Cleveland on July 21st and Hillary Clinton claiming the Democratic nomination in Philadelphia on July 28th.

We watched Trump from the cheap seats with Mark McKinnon. All I remember is that it was largely empty where we were, and Mark’s cowboy boots were propped on the seat in front of us as we all shook our heads at Trump’s rapid ascension.

A week later, the experience couldn’t have been more different. First of all, it was my birthday, and, as a gift, Beth had gone hours early to save our seats for Hillary’s speech because the convention was PACKED. People were perched on steps and standing along the aisle, all to see Hillary make history as the first woman to claim a major party’s nomination.

It felt like the culmination of decades of work and experience. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment. It felt fun.

That convention was so much fun that even the ultimately heartbreaking results of that election have not erased the overall feeling of joy from my memory.

As we head to Chicago next week, it’s hard not to see the similarities. We’re facing Trump (again), we’re nominating a woman (again), and there are some inter-party squabbles (again). But I don’t feel dread. I’m just excited.

I’m ready to celebrate. I’m ready to hear from former presidents and up-and-coming stars. I’m ready to see celebrities alongside the party faithful. I’m ready to be in the mix - to see the funny signs and clever t-shirts, to see people dancing and debating and participating.

Politics is about people, and the moments when the people come together are my favorite political moments.

Chicago will be a blast, and I hope you’ll follow along on our premium channels, where we plan on doing daily check-ins and sharing our favorite moments and all the fun. (Links)

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Today, we hope you’ll join us in taking a moment to wish our Managing Director, Alise Napp, the very best birthday available to her! She is the best co-worker, Taylor Swift/Royals/Olympics/Organizational enthusiast that a person could ask for, and one of the very best parts of working for Pantsuit Politics has been the opportunity to get to know her better! -Maggie

Happy birthday to Alise, who is really the central nervous system of Pantsuit Politics. I don't know how she does it, but she monitors and transmits information for every single part of our small business and all of the people who engage with it. She knows who, why, and how, and she has thoughts about how to position whatever it is in the larger context of our work. She knows where and what time and if it conflicts with our kids' activities and if I'll be able to access a Diet Coke. She organizes and plans, months and years ahead of time, but then she flows with the constant, unexpected stimuli and immediately adjusts everything on the fly to keep moving forward. She is truly the best in this bananas industry, with the deepest and widest skillset and the sharpest intellect with the most gracious soul, and we are absurdly lucky to know and work with her. -Beth

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