海角大神

This week, national Democrats鈥� nightly telethon offered a mix of moving testimonials and apocalyptic warnings about President Donald Trump. Brayden Harrington, a 13-year-old who struggles with a stutter, showed courage in 聽鈥撀爏haring how presidential nominee Joe Biden, who has also faced down a stutter, has helped him.

In contrast, the Obamas raised alarm bells against a second Trump term. The former president, speaking from Philadelphia, depicted his successor as a threat to democracy.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 let that happen,鈥� former President Barack Obama said.

Next week, it鈥檚 the Republicans鈥� turn. They鈥檒l have their own human interest speakers 鈥� including Nick Sandmann, media outlets for misrepresenting his actions at a Washington rally 鈥撀燼nd dire warnings against a leftist takeover in November. Already, we know that the Trumps will not confine themselves to Washington. On Monday, they鈥檒l visit a site in North Carolina, then drop by the (small) GOP convention in Charlotte.聽

It鈥檚 also a safe bet that President Trump, a student of TV stagecraft, watched the Democrats carefully and will build on what worked. As with last night, fireworks are on the program.聽

But for perspective on the health of American democracy, consider events across the ocean. In Belarus, dictator Alexander Lukashenko faces the biggest threat to his rule in 26 years amid mass protests and worker strikes. In neighboring Russia, opposition leader Alexei Navalny is fighting for survival after his apparent poisoning.聽

Here in the United States, political competition remains vibrant. But the watchdogs are on alert. Exhausting or exhilarating, an election season like no other is nearing the homestretch.聽