START
From The Publisher
RIDING OUT THE STORM
I
don’t know why the news of Steve Bannon’s arrest set Pride: That my city, which has endured more than its me off. I guess we’re all operating with a short fuse share of bad PR (some deserved; much overstated), would these days. get some positive national exposure. But when I heard that our president’s former chief Anxiety: That Biden would stumble, lose track of his strategist was charged with defrauding donors in a border thoughts, reinforce the perception that he had lost more wall funding campaign, I was incredulous. If convicted, than a step. he would be guilty of ripping off the very people he so I’ll be honest, I wasn’t in favor of Biden becoming the smugly claims to champion. How despicable. nominee. I didn’t even want him to run. Nothing personal, “Only the best people...,” remember that boast? People he’d served the country well. But couldn’t we nominate such as Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, someone more representative of the future, not the past? Rick Gates, George Papadopoulos, Michael Cohen. Each Water under the bridge. Biden was the nominee, the charged with a crime; each convicted? Yes, that’s quite a Democratic Party had spent three days making a good cast—if you’re building a crime syndicate. case why, and now it was up to the 77-year-old to close In serious need of stress relief, I turned to a trusted the deal in the biggest speech of his life. Hell, I was outlet—my bike. I’m sure it will come as no surprise that nervous—and I was watching from my couch. I’m riding a lot these days. But after the DNC set the stage with impactful videos My route of choice is the Markell Trail via the displaying Biden’s empathy and enormous capacity to Wilmington Riverfront. After all, the Riverwalk is only overcome tragedy; after 13-year-old Brayden Harrington seconds from my office. revealed to the nation how Biden helped him in his battle But in my haste to with stuttering (Biden escape, I had forgotten about has had his own battles ...now it was up to the the frenzy of activity taking with the speech disorder); place along the Riverfront. Delaware’s favorite son 77-year-old to close the deal Ironically, it was also the knocked it out of the final day of the Democratic park. How fitting that in the biggest speech of his life. National Convention, and the video screen used for Hell, I was nervous—and I was hours later Delaware’s the drive-in watch party very own Joe Biden would was positioned so Frawley watching from my couch. be making his acceptance Stadium served as the speech as the Party’s backdrop. presidential nominee in the Chase Center, a building I’ve People are saying it’s the best speech of Biden’s career. visited countless times and ride or drive past daily. You’ll get no argument here. I do hope, however, that The swarm of logistics crews, media and security had come Nov. 3 people will be saying a whole lot more. me concerned that I wouldn’t be able to pass through the Character matters. Ethics matter. Bestowing political area. Fortunately, I wasn’t stopped because the ride gave power is a supreme responsibility. me time to gain control of my combating émotions: For the president and for us. Anger: That around 40% of the country is OK with this shit. — Jerry duPhily
SEPTEMBER 2020 | OUTANDABOUTNOW.COM
7
