Editor's note: Dr. John Gong is a professor at the University of International Business and Economics and a research fellow at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at UIBE. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The 2020 Democratic National Convention (DNC) started on the night of August 18, officially in Milwaukee but also across many parts of the U.S. via video feed. This is the first time the DNC has undertaken a format like this, understandably because of the COVID-19 situation that bars a large gathering of delegates in a physical stadium, but also driven by new technologies reflective of the digital age.

With thundering speeches intertwined with personal testimonies and celebrity singers performing, it is indeed quite enjoyable to watch more as entertainment more than a serious political event.

With some music and video clips, the Democrats' message cannot any be more lucid, as succinctly put by U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore representing Wisconsin's 4th Congressional District, "Tonight we are gathering here to claim the soul of America!"

But to claim the soul of something, one has to conquer its nerve system first. That refers to the U.S. Postal Service that President Trump is attempting to sabotage, and that scares the hell out of Democrats right now. Hence, the overall theme of the 2020 DNC is unequivocally about George Floyd, COVID-19 and the Postal Service.

There is plenty of blame on Trump for the plight of the country to go around this Democrat crowd, epitomized by two pressing issues that Trump has handled disastrously – arguably racial tensions and COVID-19.

And both issues have hit the African American community particularly hard. Democrats' attempt to galvanize the community to come out and vote was noticeably visible only a few minutes into the program, with rounds of testimonies from African Americans, including George Floyd's brother, who delivered a piercing indictment of the injustice permeating today in America's social fabric.

Indeed, the 2020 presidential election can be said to be the election of blacks, by blacks and for blacks. Joe Biden's campaign in the Democratic primaries was largely saved by his African American friend Congressman Jim Clyburn and his constituencies from South Carolina, and Clyburn said last night that "we know Joe, and more importantly, Joe knows us."

In 2016, Trump edged the election by only about 80,000 votes combined in three swing states that used to be Democrat strongholds: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. 

With the help of the African American community, Democrats may turn the tide if there is a large African American turnout in three large cities of these three states: Detroit, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, where African Americans account for 83 percent, 43 percent and 40 percent respectively of the population.

Take Milwaukee as an example, the city has 240,000 African Americans, of which at least half of them are presumably eligible to vote. Trump won by less than 23,000 votes in Wisconsin in 2016. A small increase in voter turnout in Milwaukee may deliver Wisconsin to the Democrats.

That is partly the reason why this convention is  being held in Milwaukee. That is partly the reason why Kamala Harris is so vital to the Biden team. That is partly the reason why both Barack and Michelle Obama will be so passionate in appealing to the African American community to come out and vote.

But Democrats who are scared of Trump's tampering with the USPS to suppress voter turnout have valid reasons. Trump has suggested in an interview that he would not leave the White House even if he loses. He may file lawsuits and play other gimmicks to hang on. So calling for close oversight and adequate funding for the USPS was, not surprisingly, an overriding theme on the first night of the DNC.

In a way, it is kind of laughable but also very sad that the country that proclaims to be built as "a city upon a hill" has sunk to the level of a third world country where the reliability of its postal service could be an issue of political contention.

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