Keller @ Large: Bad Delegate Dancing Can Be Inspiring

BOSTON (CBS) - The first night of the Republican National Convention reinforced several key themes of the Trump campaign, organized around his vow to keep Americans at home and abroad safe.

That is a very serious issue.

But I was also struck by another important point that was made on night one - the centrality of self-expression to the American experience, illustrated by a familiar staple of political conventions - bad delegate dancing.

You will see the same thing at the Democratic Convention next week - delegates, perhaps emboldened by what they had for dinner, caught up in the musical interludes and letting their freak flags fly. And Monday night the delegates showed that you don't have to have rhythm to cut a rug. You don't have to know any slick moves, or wear fancy dancing clothes. Age is no barrier. If you can't dance, clap. You can just wave your arms. If you can't wave your arms, you can flap your lips. And you don't have to drop everything to dance to the music - you can think and boogie down at the same time.

Bad delegate dancing is fun to watch, but it's also inspirational.

When we dance, freely and without self-consciousness or fear, we embrace our humanity, and the joy that comes from sharing a universal experience.

Do they dance at important political gatherings in other countries?

I don't know, but we do here, and that's a part of what makes us Americans.

We'll see if this convention provides other inspirational moments that go beyond partisan dogma. But at least it's already provided a few.