Overview of Day Two at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago
Barack Obama and his wife Michelle took center stage on the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, advancing the candidacy of Kamala Harris for the presidency of the United States. The influential former first family was expected to dominate the atmosphere at the United Center, home to the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Blackhawks, where tens of thousands of Democrats gathered this week to applaud their nominee and dream of a November victory.
Obama posted from Chicago that it felt like home, tapping into a familiar energy from his own early political rise. Two decades after delivering his first convention speech, he reflected on rejoining the scene where he once inspired hope about a future of unity. He looked forward to sharing with a broad audience what is at stake in this election and why Harris and Tim Walz deserve to lead the nation as president and vice president.
Democrats entered the convention with high expectations. The first Black president was back to defend Harris, who could become the United States’ first Black woman and first woman of Asian descent to lead the country. The pairing is viewed as a strong electoral draw for women and racially diverse communities. Harris, widely regarded as well-prepared professionally and intellectually, presents a clear contrast to her Republican opponent, Donald Trump.
Emotional connection with Obama
For many, Harris’s candidacy evokes the dynamic energy of Obama’s 2008 campaign. In Georgia, delegate Franklin Delano Williams emphasized that Obama’s presence could mobilize the base in support of the vice presidential pick. The excitement in Chicago also grows with speculation about a possible appearance by Beyoncé, who lent her iconic song Freedom to Harris’s campaign, performed a cappella by the Texas performer during a recent Harris advertisement.
The Democratic power brokers arrived on the shores of Lake Michigan to bolster the candidate who joined the race late against Trump. Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker were also anticipated, as the convention, framed by a tough race against Trump, continued to unfold amid Trump’s continued conspiracy theories and personal attacks aimed at Harris.
New demonstrations in protest of the Gaza war, ongoing since October and responsible for a large number of casualties, were scheduled for Tuesday. Still, Harris maintained a bright spotlight, with the 59-year-old attorney reaffirming the party’s vigor after President Biden hinted at retirement amid health concerns and rising age-related critiques.
Harris was expected to close the convention on Thursday with the most significant address of her political career, the speech that would formally accept the presidential nomination.
—End of notable previews—