Gus Walz reminds us to celebrate love and pride, even in politics

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Susan Young is the Bangor Daily News opinion editor.

I did not expect to cry during the Democratic National Convention. But there I was Wednesday night, wiping away tears.

What prompted the waterworks? The simple, but exuberant, response of a son to his father, now playing a central role on the national stage.

As Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, now the Democratic nominee for vice president, spoke of his family’s struggles with infertility and the joy of his children, his teenage son Gus, tears in his eyes, enthusiastically pointed to his father. “That’s my dad,” he declared.

The Walz family has called Gus’ neurodivergence — the 17-year-old has a non-verbal learning disorder, ADHD and an anxiety disorder — his “secret power.”

That power on Wednesday night was to remind an often cynical and divided nation of the power of two simple emotions: Love and pride.

I — and many others across the country, it turns out — were touched by this simple moment because Gus’ pride was palpable, as was Walz’s love for his family.

Pride isn’t a concept we often associate with politicians. We may support one candidate over another. We may agree with their stance on a controversial issue. We may even say we like them. But rarely are we proud of politicians.

I certainly wasn’t proud nearly nine years ago when Donald Trump callously mocked a disabled reporter. That shameful moment from November 2015 put Trump’s lack of empathy and compassion on full display. Shockingly, millions of Americans didn’t care. Some even cheered his bullying behavior.

That shocking episode was just a tiny sample of the cruelty, arrogance and inhumanity of Trump. Yet, in spite of his countless flaws, including attempts to undermine our democracy by seeking to change the results of the 2020 presidential election that he lost, is again the Republican Party torchbearer, seeking another term in the White House. He continues to demean and threaten those who do not agree with him and his dark view of America.

But America can, and should, be better than that. Gus Walz shows us a different way forward. A way built on love, pride and understanding.

I know leading America is about more than emotions and feelings. Of course, competence and policies matter. But the feelings and messages of the two recent political party conventions — and who delivered them — could not have been more different.

Sure there was energy and some happiness on display at the Republican National Convention last month. But, overall, the message of the gathering was fealty to one man mixed with a narrative of doom and gloom, with a huge dose of fear directed at immigrants .

By contrast, speakers at the Democratic convention repeatedly spoke of hope, community and joy .

More important perhaps was who delivered these messages. Both conventions featured the typical parade of governors, members of Congress and celebrities.

Two former presidents, and the current one, endorsed Kamala Harris and Walz at the Democratic convention. Two former Trump staffers, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham and security adviser Olivia Troye, spoke in support of Harris at the Democratic convention.

No former president, other than Trump himself, addressed the GOP convention. No past vice presidents, including Mike Pence who served with Trump, spoke. Trump’s wife Melania didn’t address the convention, even though candidates’ spouses typically do.

Many members of Trump’s Cabinet and advisers when he was president, including a chief of staff, oppose his candidacy.

If the party’s traditional standard bearers — former presidents and vice presidents — don’t support Trump, that is very telling. If many of those closest to Trump, who worked for and with him when he was president, no longer support him and his bid to return to the White House, that should give us pause. Not because they are traitors as some Trump supporters would suggest. But because they have seen Trump up close and know that he is not the right person to lead our country. Some have even suggested that he is a danger to America.

I don’t want to go down that dark road. Instead, I’ll take a ticket that makes its families proud. Even if they make me cry.

Correction: A previous headline misspelled Gus Walz’ name.