The week of August 19 -22 was full of action for Democrats, full of excitement for many supporters, and fully covered by the national media. The Democratic National Convention (DNC), held in Chicago, proved to be one for the ages.
The DNC was attended nightly by an overflow crowd at the famed United Center. It was watched by the largest audience in America’s history, according to several independent sources. It was star-studded, with celebrities from stage, screen, and athletics. It was jam-packed with the big-name politicians, the aspiring and rising politicians, family members, and even unknown individuals who represented or spoke on matters germane to the Democrats’ theme or agenda. One is almost tempted to repeat the words of Nina Simone, “nuff said” and move on to another topic or issue.
Nevertheless, in order to share with people who did not tune-in every night, we decided to report briefly on the entire convention, including the theme and focus, the images they hoped to project, the names of the principal speakers, celebrities speaking or recognized, and the various categories of speakers on the program. We will close with some of the things about which not everybody was pleased.
The apparent THEME and FOCUS on which the convention was built is “protecting and advancing freedoms and democracy.” Virtually every speaker touched upon them in general terms or through specific issues.
Speaking of issues, the ones on which most time was spent were (1) women’s reproductive rights, (2) LGBTQ rights, (3) immigrants and immigration, (4) unions and the working class, (5) healthcare and social benefits such as Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, (6) living wages and job development, (7) environmental protection and climate change, (8) global peace and security, (9) Project 2025 and the Trump threat of authoritarianism, and (10) voting rights. Those were just the top ones. There were others that spoke to other real live manifestations of freedom. They were what made the convention a conversation piece and an endeavor worth supporting.
These issues were touched upon over and over again because, as Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and other top officials indicated, they had been at the center of Democratic political efforts for decades, but especially under Biden and Harris. They were repeated over and over because they so easily contrast with what the Trump administration stood for and what has been campaigned on this time around.
In addition to the theme and focus, it was impossible to miss the IMAGES that were being projected. While the Republican Party often considers itself as the champion of family values, the Democrats went all-out displaying the biological families of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, migrant and war-ravaged families, the Obamas, the Clintons, families affected by strict abortion bans, and various other family groups. Not only that, they projected the Democratic Party as such a big-tent that it IS a big family, accepting and embracing people regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, economic status, age, immigration status, or other such criteria as have often been used by the Republicans to decide whom to welcome to leadership positions and welcome to this country or is a “true American.” Former First Lady Michelle Obama may have made the case more effective than anyone else, but they all seemed to share the idea.
A second image that was broadly projected was that of joy. It included not only the smile and laughter of Kamala Harris, traits for which Trump tried to ridicule her. The joy was in the messages and in the optimism to which most of the speakers pointed when they talked about policy matters, both those of the Biden administration and those being proposed for the future. There was even joy as they talked about their personal, political, and partisan relationships.
Thirdly, there was the image of a party ready and willing to act and to govern. One of the most illustrative things along that line was the manner in which several speakers pointed to the recently proposed bill to solve some of the problems at the southern border. They stated Trump and his minions blocked the bill because they only wanted to talk about the border as a problem, not solve it. Another example was the manner in which the Democrats revealed that the Biden infrastructure bill was passed without a single Republican vote, but was then claimed by Republicans such as Roger Wicker, who is running for the Senate from Mississippi. The spirit behind the attitude of willingness to act and to govern was reflected repeatedly in the refrains, “When we fight, we win” and when it comes to protecting their rights and freedom, it was reflected in the refrain, “We won’t go back.”
If listening to EFFECTIVE SPEAKING is one’s forte or if witnessing major speakers in action turns one on, there was plenty to be enjoyed at the DNC. Not only did people get to hear major speeches given by Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and Joe Biden. There were major speeches by both Obamas, both Clintons, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem Jeffries. There were memorable speeches from governors, congresspersons, and rising political stars, such as Congresspersons Maxine Waters, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamie Raskin, and Jasmine Crockett, Governor Andy Beshear, Senator Rephael Warnock, Governor Josh Shapiro, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Congressman Colin Alred, Senator Mark Kelly, former officials Gabby Giffords and Leon Panetta, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, former Congressman Adam Kinzinger, Governor Roy Cooper, Senator Catherine Mastro, Congressmen Maxwell Frost and Jim Clyburn, Senator Bernie Sanders, Governor JB Pritzker, and Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tammy Duckworth, to name a few. Making major appearances or presentations were the likes of Oprah Winfrey, The Chicks, Steve Kerr, Kenan Thompson, Stephen Curry, Al Sharpton and the Exonerated Five, Jesse Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Amanda Gorman, John Legend and Sheila E, and D.L. Hughley, to name a few celebrities.
We are particularly proud of the fact that Congressman Bennie Thompson and Senator Laphonza Butler were among the speakers who made very significant comments. Both have Jackson State University roots. Thompson serves as a member of the House of Representatives from Mississippi and Laphonza is a member of the Senate from California.
Then, there were categories of speakers who added to the convention’s success, although they were relatively unknown. There were law enforcement officials, including sheriffs and border patrol officials in southern border states. There were Republican and former Republican officials who are abandoning the ranks of Trump supporters.
In addition to the large number and the wide variety of speakers, many have commented on the fact that the speeches of Biden, Walz, and Harris were impressive. Walz proved to be a speaker who could not only deal effectively with the major issues, but could do so with wit, wisdom, and class, all without being boringly long. The fact that his old championship football team from high school appeared on stage was icing on the cake.
Biden was also more than inspiring. He began by recalling the dark and continuing winter of the Trump presidency, but quickly moved to the summer after the Trump-led insurrection had been put down. He talked about the changes accomplished under the Democrats and the even brighter future to be expected under Harris and Walz. Biden also was mindful to warn of the threat of Trump and the Republicans using Project 2025. He closed by quoting from his favorite anthem, saying that he had given his best for America. This was followed by thunderous, appreciative applause.
In her turn at the podium, Harris began by talking about the lessons from her parents, particularly to be ambitious enough to keep on running rather than being stopped and to not complain about problems and conditions, but to do something about them. Like Biden and others speaking before her, she launched into the issues surrounding rights and freedom, and the threat to democracy posed by Trump and his followers. Then more so than Biden and others, she delved into foreign affairs, particularly the conflict in Gaza. After painting a rosier picture about this society and the world under a Harris/Walz administration, she cautioned that victory would not be easy, urging her supporters to get out and fight, work, and vote for it because, “When we fight, we win.” With that acceptance speech, she closed the night and the convention.
The DNC was a most entertaining and informative event. It, nevertheless, was NOT PERFECT NOR FLAWLESS. There were technical glitches that affected the presentations of former President Bill Clinton and Governor Gretchen Whitmer. They were not major matters, but did detract from the overall program. Time-management was also somewhat of a problem. Because of that problem, Biden’s farewell and valedictory address was not made and telecast until far after prime time. He took to the mike at 10:31 pm. The problem persisted as the Obamas missed primetime on Tuesday, Tom Walz on Wednesday, and Kamala Harris on Thursday. Based on the time-management issue, at least one invited artist, James Taylor, did not make his scheduled appearance. There was also at least one complaint registered regarding the music played during the roll-call of the delegations voting for Harris and Walz as the party nomination took place.
Beyond those fairly minor problems, however, the convention planners missed a golden opportunity on a major issue. Although they knew going in that there were deep and widespread criticisms regarding the administration’s handling of matters surrounding the war in Gaza, they made no serious attempt to placate PALESTINIAN AMERICANS and their supporters. There was no representative from the group programmed to present their position at the convention, despite days of protests. Given the fact that most observers know Trump and the Republicans dislike the Palestinians even more than they hate Jewish people, making it unlikely that the Palestinians would turn to the Republicans, it seems that rather than risk losing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania by Palestinians sitting-out the election, they would have officially heard from the contingent or taken definitive positions on the issue in their major speeches. An example of such a position could have been as follows. “The Democratic Party believes that because (1) Israel has a right to defend itself and (2) the Palestinian people have a right to be protected from genocide, we support (3) an immediate cease fire in the war and (4) an end to the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians, and (5) the establishment of a permanent two–state solution to the age-old problem.” Democratic leaders have said each of those things, except number 2, in other contexts on more than one occasion. The convention and/or Harris could certainly have put such a brief, but comprehensive statement together, demonstrating that the Democratic Party tent is big enough for the Israelis and the Palestinians. Perhaps that opportunity can still be seized later on during the campaign.
That was the DNC just in case one’s schedule did not permit them to witness it live. Democratic leaders now feel that the work remaining for the true believers to do includes (1) donating to the campaigns, (2) talking-up the candidates, (3) attending rallies and strategy sessions, (4) reminding themselves and their friends and relatives to cast their votes in November, (5) recruiting those in other neighborhoods and communities to register and vote, (6) assisting people to and from the polls, (7) volunteering on election day to monitor the process, and (8) trying to convince as many marginalized and non-believers as possible to try voting and participating in the process because of how it can benefit them personally, especially since they are in the majority. If all of that can be accomplished, resulting in the election of its nominees, then the planners of the DNC will feel that it was well worth the effort.
