Joe Biden's speech reveals tension at heart of his candidacy

In his third run for president, Joe Biden finally secured the Democratic presidential nomination and opened his Thursday night acceptance speech on a unifying note.

“I'm a proud Democrat,” Biden said. “And I'll be proud to carry the banner of our party into the general election ... But while I'll be a Democratic candidate, I will be an American president. I'll work hard for those who didn't support me — as hard for them as I did for those who did vote for me.”

He continued, “That's the job of a president — to represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment.”

This was an effective pitch to voters. One of the criticisms of President Trump that will likely resonate beyond the core Democratic electorate is that Trump is petty and thin-skinned. He often comes across as if he’s only interested in taking care of his “people,” without appreciating the weight of the office, or understanding his responsibility to serve all people.

After years of pitched partisan battles, persuadable voters are no doubt ready to move toward a more civil form of politics, even if it only exists in romanticized notions of the past.

While Biden’s pitch may be politically effective, however, the nonpartisan message is incongruous with the actual agenda that Biden has outlined in the campaign, which, if enacted, would represent the most sweeping liberal changes in American history.

On the very day that Biden was accepting his nomination with a message of unity, Sen. Chuck Schumer, who hopes to be Senate majority leader come January, reaffirmed that he was prepared to kill the filibuster using the so-called nuclear option if it were necessary to advance liberal policy goals. Biden himself has also signaled openness to the idea.