Associated Press
A refreshed Democratic Party reintroduces itself to a divided nation this week, having been transformed by the money, momentum, relief and even joy that followed Vice President Kamala Harris‘ rise to the top of its ticket.
The whiplash of the last month culminates in a convention that begins Monday in Chicago. Above all, the four-day gathering of thousands of activists and party leaders from across the nation is designed to celebrate and strengthen Harris as President Joe Biden’s replacement and boost her campaign to defeat Republican Donald Trump in November.
Just beneath the surface, real questions loom about the depth of Harris’ newfound support, the breadth of her coalition and the strength of her movement. Not even a month ago, Democrats were deeply divided over foreign policy, political strategy and Biden himself, who was holding on after his disastrous debate by suggesting he had a better chance than any Democrat — including Harris — of beating Trump.
Far from the formality that many modern party conventions have become, this week’s event will bring many Americans their first extended look at Harris and her new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. How the Democrats present Harris and Walz will be critical, especially with Trump launching a weeklong effort to cut into their message.
A potential distraction will be thousands of progressive protesters who are expected to descend upon Chicago to decry the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Harris’ allies are hopeful that the pro-Palestinian protesters will not overshadow the official program, which features a slate of current and former Democratic stars.
“Democrats are walking into that convention enthused, excited and unified,” said one of those stars, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was a finalist to be Harris’ running mate. “And it’s critically important that we prosecute the case against Donald Trump and the chaos that he would bring — and leave that convention even more unified, even more excited, even more enthused for the final 75 or so days of this campaign.”
Shapiro said he welcomed protesters during the convention — “provided the protest is peaceful, provided the protest follows the rules of the community.”
Biden will get his farewell on Monday
Part of introducing Harris and Walz will be first giving a graceful exit to the 81-year-old incumbent President, who is slated to deliver the keynote address Monday.
The Democratic Party likely would have been in a far worse state if Biden had continued to cling to the nomination. He faced growing concerns about his mental and physical acuity after struggling to complete sentences at the debate.
By deciding to step aside and endorse Harris, the 81-year-old President will instead receive a hero’s welcome in his final turn in the spotlight 52 years after being elected to the Senate from Delaware.
Biden is planning to give a lengthy endorsement of Harris and sharply criticize Trump before he leaves Chicago and makes way for the program to focus on the Vice President he chose four years ago.
Trump has tried to inflame tensions over Biden’s exit. He called Biden’s Monday speaking slot “convention death valley,” suggesting that the President would get lower ratings than speakers on other nights. And as he has for weeks now, Trump described the convention itself as “rigged” because it was Biden, not Harris, who won 14 million primary votes and collected delegates state by state.
“She got no votes,” Trump said.
A focus on Harris’ first — and an open hand to Republicans
The convention will lean into the party’s potential to make history. Harris vies to be the first woman, the first Black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office.
“I wasn’t sure I would see this particular moment in my lifetime, to see a Black woman who is now on the cusp of becoming our next President,” said Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, one of the nation’s highest-ranking Black female elected officials.
Stratton recalled Hillary Clinton’s loss to Trump eight years ago, one in which she lost key battlegrounds even as she led the national popular vote.
“I remember back in 2016 when we touched the glass ceiling, and the reaction of Republicans was just to start destroying the rights that got us there,” Stratton said. “This is another chance.”
Harris will aim to use the convention to take a share of credit for what she and Biden accomplished while also trying to show that she recognizes voters want more. Heading into Chicago, she unveiled the initial planks of her policy platform focused on addressing the bite of inflation and the costs of food, housing and childcare.
Democrats will keep abortion access front and center for voters, betting that the issue will propel them to success as it has in other key races since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.
Every living Democratic president and first lady will appear this week, except for the ailing Jimmy Carter, along with a long list of federal, state and local officials and activists.
It’s set to be a contrast to last month’s GOP convention in Milwaukee, where former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Mike Pence, among other well-known Republicans, stayed away from the event given Trump’s antipathy toward them.
Expected to speak this week is former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Republican who investigated Trump’s actions around the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and has endorsed Harris.
President race still very close
With precious few days remaining before early voting begins in some places in September, recent polls show a close race nationally and in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. And polls show Trump still has advantages on how Americans view the two of them on core issues like the economy and immigration.
Terry McAuliffe, a former Virginia governor and longtime operative who will attend his 13th Democratic convention this week, warned that the euphoria Democrats have about Harris’ ascension could obscure the true state of the campaign.
He noted that the Republican convention in Milwaukee was a veritable Trump coronation, with Democrats consumed by anxiety and uncertainty. Now, it’s Trump who seems to be reeling as he searches for the right message to stop Harris’ rise.
The lesson, McAuliffe said, is never to assume the a campaign is settled and always remember the outcome rests on getting 270 Electoral College votes by winning the right battleground states.
The former President is not ceding this week to Democrats. He will go a different swing state each day — starting with Pennsylvania, followed by Michigan, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada by week’s end.
Trump’s campaign has also dispatched high-profile allies to Chicago to host daily news conferences. The lineup includes Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Florida Rep. Byron Donalds.
“We have four days of messaging that the country will get to look at Kamala Harris, get to look at Tim Walz. We’ll get to look at their agenda, what they stand for, who we are,” McAuliffe said. “It’s going to be a close election. That’s just where our country is today.”
Whatever happens this week, both sides will be watching with anticipation as Harris writes a new chapter in what has already been a precedent-breaking campaign.
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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
24 comments
Yrral
August 19, 2024 at 7:54 am
Judge Merchan as part of Trump sentencing,will be ordered for psychological evaluation for Trump Google Trump Psychological Evaluation
ScienceBLVR
August 19, 2024 at 8:04 am
Well, the Devil is always in the details, but ultimately even if Dems and Indies are still wavering on agreement on a few issues, this election will be decided by women. And somehow that seems quite right and it’s about d@mn time. Give us the vote and look what happens..
Michael K
August 19, 2024 at 8:23 am
What we are witnessing is a political movement and a transformation of a political party. In the blink of an eye – less than one month – Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are speaking directly to the American people, and the convention will tie all the pieces and members of the coalitions together.
This is what a winning team looks like. The choice in this election is clear and the differences are distinct: Prosecutor versus criminal; two true and authentic middle-class, Americans versus two elitists in the pockets of billionaires. The race is no longer between two tired old men.
It’s exciting to be part of a new chapter in American history.
Michael S
August 19, 2024 at 8:24 am
Will be interesting to see post-convention polls. The bounce upwards for Dems up to now, I believe, is Dems coming home now that Biden is not heading the ticket. If the uptick continues next week, it is the swing voter coming off the fence and Harris might be tough to beat at that point. And it’s not like Rick Scott and Ron Johnson are going to appeal to swing voters this week….they have not had an original thought since they were elected.
N. Teroguhtrees
August 19, 2024 at 8:29 am
“. . . transformed by Kamala. . .” Transformed into what? Winners? But you spent all last spring and two years before that shouting about how great a winner was Biden. Until he wasn’t.
“. . .this election will be decided by women. And somehow that seems quite right . . .” Why? Because it is your turn? And whose turn next? So, an election that is the privilege of one social faction instead of a coherent electorate with a shared vision for America.? That is your method of seeking power. You don’t want what is good for a mature nation in a time of greatest stress. You just want power, one way or another.
Ocean Joe
August 19, 2024 at 9:03 am
Should a “mature nation” have a leader as immature as Trump?
Ocean Joe
August 19, 2024 at 9:58 am
Last time Trump was president, he inherited a strong economy with 7 years of growth from Obama who needed the first year to resolve the mess. Today’s economy seems a bit fragile. He’ll wreck it with his idiotic tampering. Taking over the Fed. Tariffs to crush consumers. Tax cuts aimed at the wrong people to explode the deficit. Trickle down voodoo economics. Chaos is not good policy.
Michael K
August 19, 2024 at 10:40 am
Trump is the oldest person in US history to run for president. Vance is the most unpopular VP pick in modern history – more unpopular even than Sarah Palin. So if anything should happen to Trump, is a junior senator of 19 months with no executive experience ready to assume command?
And then, of course, there are the policy differences. And yes, Project 2025 is the Republican roadmap of a party that is a cult.
Tom
August 19, 2024 at 12:01 pm
Good point about Vance’s experience. The Trump family has quite the history of Alzheimer’s disease and trump himself seems to be losing the plot more frequently of late. Hopefully we’ll never have to find out. Mad King Donald is a frightening prospect.
Day 29
August 19, 2024 at 2:27 pm
Where do you come up with this JD Vance is the most unpopular VP pick? Fakebook? The View? Tik Tok? We have gone nearly 30 days with Harris in hiding. Much like the Jo Biden script when they put him in the basement. Of course the state run media is all in on it too. Just like they were reporting that Joe was energized, engaged, sharp, etc. All BS. The Kammunist Party is all about freebies. Let’s give em free college. Let’s give em home down payments. Let’s give the illegals free healthcare, education, housing, food.. What’s next? Free automobiles? I see you can get free abortions or vasectomies outside the convention center.
Day 29
August 19, 2024 at 2:05 pm
Fuel prices were lower when Trump was president. Inflation was lower when Trump was president. There were no wars. We had a secure border. We have none of that now and you want to continue down this same Biden / Harris road. No thanks.
Trump's been a moron for 28,556 days
August 19, 2024 at 4:04 pm
Really? The circular logic is getting pretty lame. You don’t think that pandemic thing made any difference? The Afghanistan war ran between Oct 7, 2001 – Aug 30, 2021, gas prices are set by OPEC who lost billions when people stopped traveling then jacked the prices up when they started again because they’re greedy, the border has been an issue since the 1960’s but Trump thinks it’s in his best interest to keep it that way, inflation was driven up by supply chain issues after covid – you can vote for who you want but just saying Biden is bad therefore everything that happened under his watch is his fault is pretty lame. Most of it was global. He actually did a decent job, relative to other first world countries, under the circumstances.
Ocean Joe
August 19, 2024 at 4:33 pm
No war? What about Afghanistan?
Inflation? Lower under Obama than Trump, and Biden is heading that way.
Border? Come back with clean hands to argue that after Trump pressured Republicans to abandon their own bipartisan bill.
How bout unemployment? More jobs lost under Trump than the Great Depression (of course it was the pandemic, see how that works? We’re not living in a vacuum, same applies to inflation.)
Given the alternative, the nut who rants about a stolen election he lost by 12,000,000 votes, I’ll stay on the Biden/Harris road, but I dont want Biden to drive.
Yrral
August 19, 2024 at 7:46 pm
Why don’t Florida get some refinery,we pay 3.85 for plus in Texas Google Houston Gas Prices
rick whitaker
August 20, 2024 at 10:28 pm
DAY29 AKA HOWLER MONKEY, quit trying to sound smart, you aren’t. all you do is that canned what about ism bs that morons love. grow up punk.
rick whitaker
August 20, 2024 at 10:42 pm
DAY 30 AKA HOWLER MONKEY, of course jd vance is the worst vp pick in history. it makes sense since trump is the worst pres in history. you are on an island and the water is rising fast. saying that you don’t know jd vance is a bad pick makes you a liar.
cassandra was right
August 20, 2024 at 1:03 pm
“a shared vision for America.?”
Hardly. Women don’t share your Project 2025 vision of government controlling women’s bodies and lives!
Control yourself!
We’re not going back!
VOTE HARRIS for PRESIDENT!!!
PeterH
August 19, 2024 at 9:24 am
After their Party’s defeat in November, elected House and Senate Republicans will find their way to an exclusive resort in West Virginia to commence with the GQP’s ceremonial circular firing squad! They will blame each other and their campaign leaders for “failed messaging” ……. when the real issue for America’s electorate comes down to the REPUBLICAN MESSAGE.
Yrral
August 19, 2024 at 10:39 am
The people of Florida need to swear out a mental health warrant for Trump,because after he loses,you the people of Florida will have to deal with Trump insanity, Google Florida Mental.Health Warrant Trump
Day 29
August 19, 2024 at 12:29 pm
Lots of Pelosi Pom Pom wavers here Let’s see how long the uninformed buy the Kamminista BS. Suddenly she is going to transform the economy after being the tie breaker vote that dumped all the money into the economy and now we have run away inflation. I’m more interested in watching the terrorist arm of the Democrat Party and seeing what they do. Will Tlaib, Omar . AOC and others be holding the bull horns
cassandra was right
August 19, 2024 at 7:21 pm
“It’s Official: JD Vance Is More Unpopular Than Sarah Palin
“We’re No. 1!”—-crooksandliars.com
“JD Vance is now the most unpopular vice presidential nominee in modern history—soaring past former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s unfavorability ratings during the 2008 campaign. “—-dailybeast
“So the people who know him best, the region that knows him best, they like him even less than America likes him.”—Newsweek
Google: JD Vance Sarah Palin
Google: The more they know him the less they like him
Michael K
August 19, 2024 at 4:26 pm
Here’s what Jenifer Rubin wrote today:
“Felon and former president Donald Trump on Thursday got the media hyped up to cover a “news conference” that was supposed to be about consumer prices but turned into an incoherent, 45-minute rant, given from his private New Jersey country club, no less! The whole shambolic event, interspersed with rote recitations from a paper his staff gave him, was further evidence of his mental and emotional decline.
The appearance at Bedminster should remind voters that venom, insults, boasts and terror are the essence of Trump’s campaign, not policy.
In contrast, the next day Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a serious speech in the swing state of North Carolina wherein she sketched out a list of specific proposals to benefit working and middle-class families.”
Andrew Finn
August 19, 2024 at 11:46 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 10:31 pm
ANDREW FINN, every time i see your name on a post i know it will be some kind of bs. no tv re-runs needed.
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