Things I Learned from Cancer that Matter in an Election

Last night, after the pledge of allegiance and the national anthem, the DNC opened with Patti LaBelle singing as only she can, as a list of those we lost this year appeared on the screen behind her.

She was followed by Jack Carter, with a message from his grandfather, Jimmy. And Jack Schlossberg (Caroline’s son) invoking the memories of his grandfather (JFK) and great uncle (RFK).

It made me think. I had my last cancer treatment (hopefully the cancer won’t return so it was really the last) on 2 November 2023. And there are a few things I learned from almost dying:

• You have to fight. With everything you have. I never understood the phrase “s/he battled cancer” until the day they wanted to put me in a wheelchair and take me from infusion treatment to the ICU. I could barely speak, but found the strength to insist that I’d die in the ICU, but I would live if I went home. Turns out I was right about surviving at home.

• You have to find joy and gratitude every day. Not just on the “good” days, but on those days when all looks bleak.

• Love people, and hug them.

So that brings me back to this election cycle, and last night’s DNC.

If you didn’t watch the live stream, you not only missed Patti LaBelle, Jack Carter and Jack Schlossberg, but also Kyle Sweetzer of Alabama, ex-MAGA, who said that he’d voted for Trump twice, but paid attention and found out “and I saw what really was.” Another Harris-Walz vote.

Also, a crowd of Teamster retirees, extolling the Biden-Harris administration’s work for union workers, followed by a video of direct projects from the American Rescue Plan. The Teamsters were there because Teamster president Sean O’Brien wasn’t invited (he’d spoken at the RNC) – he told Fox:

“I could take it personally, but I honestly think maybe my invitation got lost in the U.S. Postal Service and next time they should try to ship with UPS — it’ll guarantee delivery.”

Then, as they do at every convention, they use a film camera to shoot around the arena to get the official convention photograph. Everyone has to freeze. No walking, no talking. They announced the process, and on the screen, I could see people scurrying. It became almost quiet, and then they shot. Expect a few blurs.

As an aside, the production values for this convention, and especially the roll call, were the best in history. There was never before a soundtrack for a roll call. And it was thrilling that they played “Don’t Stop” for Arkansas, as that was the song of the Clinton-Gore campaign in 1992. It turns out it took over a month to create the playlist and get buy-in. They should make a CD (or however they sell music these days) of all the songs and sell it on the campaign website. I know I’d buy it!

And then, with a level of coordination that was superlative, they were able to go to the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, where Vice President Harris and Governor Walz had filled the arena with many more people than attended the RNC at the same venue last month, and put it up on the Chicago jumbotron. As Vice President Harris was walking out.

JB Pritzker, in addition to pointing out that he was an ACTUAL billionaire, while Trump was only rich in stupidity, also said:

I mean, I want to bring every convention I possibly can to the city of Chicago.

Seems reasonable to me.

Back to cancer. Both Michelle and President Obama, while trolling TFG in meticulous and spectacular terms, pointed out that while we are on a sugar high right now (good cancer days), there is still a lot of work to do, and there will be bad days as the campaign moves forward. If you missed their speeches:

We have to fight. We have to win. It’s like cancer – you wake up in the morning and if you possibly can, you get out of bed, put one foot in front of the other, and do everything you can. So, talk to that ONE MORE PERSON. Donate that ONE MORE DOLLAR. Make that ONE MORE PHONE CALL. Write that ONE MORE POSTCARD. If you can get out of bed, do just ONE MORE THING to save democracy, America, and the world.