The Democratic National Convention:
By Jason Collins
Uniting the Party for 2024
From Monday, August 19, to Thursday, August 22, Democrats painted the streets of Chicago blue (not physically) for the much-anticipated Democratic National Convention. Since 1832, this convention has seen some spectacular moments, and this year has been no different.
In case you missed it, here’s everything that happened at the United Center.
Day One: Passing of The Torch Ceremony
The first day of the DNC opened on a hopeful note with a reunited Democratic party since Joe Biden’s departure and Kamala Harris’s entry as the new presidential candidate. Since the start of the convention, it appears that the Democratic party is once again a united front after sending Biden off to pasture.
Olympic fever was still in the air as Biden’s handing of the symbolic torch to Harris earned him a four-minute ovation before he could begin his speech. Biden kicked off the convention by offering Harris a spirited message, saying,
She’ll be a president our children can look up to. She’d be a president respected by world leaders because she already is. She’d be a president we can all be proud of. And she’d be a historic president who puts her stamp on America’s future.
Of course, he also took the opportunity to make some last-ditch digs at the Republican presidential candidate and a thorn in his side, Donald Trump. In his scathing remarks about the blonde-haired tycoon, he spoke about the scourge of greed, guns, disease, and authoritarianism.
While Biden didn’t specifically explain why he chose to drop out, he did tell the audience, “ I love my job, but I love my country more.”
Day One, Part Two: A Clinton Revival and Targeting Trump
On the first day of the DNC, past presidential nominee, Hilary Clinton also took the stage to support Harris and send some jabs in Trump’s direction. During her speech, Clinton compared her loss and legacy with Harris. Referring to her 2016 loss to rival Trump, Clinton told the audience, “We refused to give up on America. Millions marched. Many ran for office. We kept our eyes on the future. Well, my friends, the future is here.”
Like Biden, Clinton also took the opportunity to fire some shots at her 2016 rival, Trump. She touched on his recent mocking of the Democrat president hopeful and explained that this behavior from him is nothing new. She said, “But we have him on the run now. So, no matter what the polls say, we can’t let up. We can’t get driven down crazy conspiracy rabbit holes. We have to fight for the truth. We have to fight for Kamala as she will fight for us.”
Day Two: Double Dose of The Obamas and a DNC Dance Party
Day two of the convention featured a double dose of Obama power with appearances from both Barack and Michelle. Both had messages of hope and victory for Harris.
In his speech, Barack started with a light-hearted joke: “This convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible, ” referring to both his and Harris’s first names.
He also compared his family story with Harris’s, pointing out that they are both children of immigrant parents who instilled honesty, integrity, and kindness in them. In keeping with the theme of politics, Barack mentioned Trump;
Here is a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.
Donning a fierce black dress, Michelle also took to the stage. While she offered her support to Harris, she warned Democrats to keep their eyes on the prize. She warned, “Yes, Kamala and Tim are doing great now. We’re loving it,” and added, “But remember, there are still so many people who are desperate for a different outcome.”
Day two also featured a raucous roll-call dance party hosted by DJ Cassidy, perhaps symbolic of the new energy flowing in the party since Harris took over.
Day Three: Tim Walz Accepts VP Nomination and a Bill Clinton Appearance
Day three saw Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz formally accept his Vice President nomination and showcase his Midwest roots, which Democrats hope will go a long way in securing votes from those more conservative areas. In his speech, Walz used a sports metaphor to encourage the crowd,
We got 76 days. That’s nothing. There’ll be time to sleep when you’re dead. We’re gonna leave it all on the field. That’s how we’ll keep moving forward. That’s how we’ll turn the page on Donald Trump.
Former president Bill Clinton echoed Michelle Obama’s warning of being overconfident in the elections. Clinton told the audience, “You should never underestimate your adversary, and these people are very good at distracting us.” He ended his speech by affectionately calling Harris the president of joy, a synchronized talking point among Democrats.
Israel-Hamas War in the Spotlight
In addition to hearing some hope-filled speeches from Walz and Clinton, day three took a more serious note as Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, who are the parents of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin from the Oct.7 attacks, shared their story. The parents shared their anguish and thanked Biden and Harris for their support. They also pleaded that bringing home the hostages and ending the suffering on both sides should not be a political issue but a humanitarian one.
While this was going on inside, members of the Uncommitted National Movement who were denied a speaking spot, staged a sit-in outside the convention center. Democrats refused to let anyone with a Palestinian background speak during the convention doing their best to obfuscate Israel’s part-time war, full-time genocide in Gaza which has so sharply divided the party.
Day Four: Harris Takes To The Stage
The final night of the DNC saw Harris give a speech that rallied Democrats around the theme of patriotism. Her message was simple: a return to a pre-Trump era. She told the audience,
In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man, but the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious.
She also emphasized the freedom her administration would bring to the country: freedom from gun violence, freedom to love whoever, and freedom to worship. During her speech, Harris made personal remarks and shared her story. Her two grandnieces even made an appearance on stage to teach people how to pronounce Harris’s name, taking a dig at the Republicans and Trump, who often mispronounce it. The DNC ended with performances from music legends Stevie Wonder and John Legend.
All-in-all one thing is clear. Harris’s first DNC has been a breath of fresh air and a burst of new energy for the party that had previously been divided during Biden’s bumbling and stuttering that had Democrats seriously worried. Harris will ride this momentum to the much-anticipated debate with rival Trump in September.
