Associated Press
As the American city that has hosted more political conventions than any other, Chicago has pretty much seen it all.
Presidential candidates have been made official in Chicago more than two dozen times since Abraham Lincoln in 1860, including the infamous 1968 convention, where police clashed with protesters, and Bill Clinton’s 1996 renomination.
Now the nation’s third-largest city is back on the global political stage as it hosts the Democratic National Convention starting Monday, with city leaders, residents and activists each hoping to claim time in the spotlight and shape the city’s reputation.
Tourism officials are eager to highlight the best sites and eats, while allaying security concerns about crowds and street violence. Anti-war protesters, drawing from the area’s large Palestinian population, are ready to march. And elected leaders say it’s an historic opportunity to be the city where a woman of color, Vice President Kamala Harris, will be designated to lead a presidential ticket for the first time.
Chicago has been preparing for more than a year, with extensive police training and security drills ahead of the event that’s expected to draw 50,000 people, including thousands of anti-war activists.
But anxiety that things might take a turn remain.
Some downtown businesses boarded up their windows this week while Cook County courts added more space and hours in anticipation of mass arrests during the convention.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said Chicago has held many large-scale events without problems, including the NATO convention in 2012. He touted the department’s training for constitutional policing and de-escalation tactics as critical to the city’s security plan.
Protests are expected every day of the convention, with the overarching message being a call for an immediate end to the war in Gaza. Activists say Chicago is the ideal location because demonstrations will draw from the city’s southwest suburbs, where the largest concentrations of Palestinians nationwide reside.
“It’s not hyperbole to say the genocide is affecting the people of Chicago on a very personal level,” said Muhammad Sankari, an organizer. “Because of that, it’s a moral imperative for us to be organizing and bringing our demands to the doorstep of the Democratic Party.”
Some Chicago residents are also hoping to seize the chance.
Bradly Johnson leads an anti-violence organization, BUILD Chicago, on the West Side, not far from the United Center where the convention will take place. For months during after-school and weekend programming, his group has cited the upcoming convention in teaching young people about the democratic process.
He’s hoping the thousands of party leaders coming to Chicago will also learn from young people.
“It’s an opportunity for Chicago to demonstrate that although there are shootings, that’s not the totality of who we are,” he said.
Former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois said excitement around the convention — the city’s 26th for a major party— was clear.
Her phone has been buzzing with friends and acquaintances looking for tickets since Harris became the presumptive nominee. Adding to the hype, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker had been under consideration as Harris’ running mate.
Moseley Braun, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, said it was fitting that Harris would accept the nomination in Chicago, where former President Barack Obama started his political career.
“We have a tradition in this city of men and women moving forward for new horizons,” she said.
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Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
20 comments
Kamala is Brat 🥥🌴🥥
August 17, 2024 at 12:46 pm
All is lost for Republicans!
The MAGA crowd should prepare now for the blue tsunami that will sweep this country.
Super Elvis
August 18, 2024 at 3:57 pm
Good afternoon Sage Patriots & SUPER ELVIS’ Besty Leftys (Who wisely committed to Trump),
STAND BY FOR BREAKING NEWS:
Kamala Harris Unveils New Economic Platform ‘We Must Seize The Means Of Production And Execute The Bourgeoisie’
Politicos”:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled her new campaign platform: a one-page document that simply says “We must seize the means of production and execute the Bourgeoisie.”
“The proletariat must rise!” Harris shouted in front of a backdrop of a large hammer and sickle flag with armed militants flanking her side. “In order to preserve the rights of the working class the government must seize the means of production and murder all capitalist pigs!”
Harris announced her new platform after pitching a few new economic policies this week that included price caps for food, centralizing economic power, condemning capitalism, and calling for the arrest of all bourgeoise scum.
“We must abolish private ownership for the collective good!” Harris shouted. “To each according to his need, from each according to his ability! Long live the Proletariat! Equal outcomes for equal work!”
At publishing time, Kamala had also announced plans to convert the Mall of America into a labor camp.
AND THAT, AMERICA, IS THE REST OF THE STORY.
SUPER ELVIS [FKA EARL]
rick whitaker
August 19, 2024 at 8:29 am
EARL SHITTS, what are you going to talk about after the election. sphincters and young boys i guess. earl you are the classic dirty old man.
Yrral
August 17, 2024 at 2:06 pm
Resistance is futile MAGA
Day 27
August 17, 2024 at 7:32 pm
Will Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar bring their terrorist mob with them to bring some excitement to Chicago? Otherwise only listen and watch if yo7 support Kammunism.
Michael K
August 17, 2024 at 9:21 pm
Only an idiot changes her name every day. Not a well woman.
Day 27
August 17, 2024 at 10:03 pm
It’s a reminder of how many days the Kammunist has avoided the media.
rick whitaker
August 20, 2024 at 8:10 pm
DAY 28 AKA IMPEACH BIDEN AKA PEACHY, you are one silly girl. who in their right mind would count the days harris hasn’t disemboweled trump with her erudite media events. trump is damn glad harris is laying off him for a few days. again, you are such a silly punk. go girl go
Ocean Joe
August 18, 2024 at 3:06 pm
Don’t be too hard on Impeach, he’ll call you a stalker, like me.
And dont get carried away about how great the convention will be. I say she wont get a bounce, possibly lose a point from Biden’s over glorification and the extremists who will be in the streets looking for trouble, with their Palestinian flags and masks hiding their faces.
Chicago’s graveyards once elected a president, let’s hope the protesters don’t make Chicago a graveyard for Kamala’s electoral chances.
Day 28
August 18, 2024 at 5:49 pm
You know why I called you out. Where do you live Ocean?
rick whitaker
August 19, 2024 at 8:16 am
DAY 28, you called someone out, wooooooooh how manly of you. impeach biden aka peachy, you are a joke.
Yrral
August 18, 2024 at 11:06 am
The lottery is communism, nobody complains when the they hit the hit the jackpot
Day 28
August 18, 2024 at 5:56 pm
Looks like the terrorist wing of the Kammunist Party will be there in big numbers. Hopefully the Repubs will be there recruiting Jewish folks. Remember it was Trump that finally moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Come on over my Jewish friends. The Demo Party is now lead by Omar, Tlaib, AOC and others.
Super Elvis
August 19, 2024 at 6:35 am
Good Morn ‘Ting America,
Relax Your Political Sphincters, as I SUPER ELVIS, am headed up to the DNC to convert Thousands of “Dook 4 Brains Leftys” into ELVIS’ “Besty Leftys” (who wisley commit to voting Trump).
This should be easy for me as I am SUPER ELVIS. One of my “Sage Goals” is the ultimate conversion of getting Kamalla to commit to voting Trump.
An ordinary man could never do this but I AM SUPER ELVIS.
Thank you America,
SUPER ELVIS
rick whitaker
August 19, 2024 at 8:19 am
SPINCTERMAN ,lay down and lick your pea sized nuts.
Super Elvis
August 19, 2024 at 11:40 am
Thanks Rick for finally takeing your sphincter health seriously.
And I think your computer made an error because you were obviously refering to my ginormous bull of the woods low hanging gonads,
Thanks Rick and have a “SUPER ELVIS” DAY!!!!!
Crazy Cat Lady
August 19, 2024 at 8:17 pm
I’ve seen Elvis package up close and personal. When I was on my knees and he whipped it out I felt so patriotic as if staring at a beautiful awe inspiring national momument.
Im knitting him some ball suppprters I call them his Ballziers.
CCL
rick whitaker
August 20, 2024 at 8:15 pm
BILLY PURSER AKA SUPER ELF, earl, we all know that the crazy cat lady is one of your new aka’s. you silly perv you.
Andrew Finn
August 19, 2024 at 11:47 pm
Every time I see that smile on Kamala’s face it makes me want to watch reruns of “Mister Ed”
rick whitaker
August 20, 2024 at 8:20 pm
ANDREW FINN, is that supposed to be a sexist redneck comment about harris’s looks? if so, you told on yourself.
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