Monday, Aug. 19, marked the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) with speeches from big names like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and President Joe Biden kicking off the four-day event. It’s an important gathering, which is why I’m talking about it. At time of writing we’re only about a day and a half in, but – paradoxically – the most interesting thing about the DNC so far is that there isn’t really much substance to dig into.
In each of the speeches there was a through-line of gratitude for President Biden (or in Biden’s speech, gratitude for the core members of his administration), enthusiasm about the promise of soon-to-be Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, and jabs at Republican nominee Donald Trump, whose “Project 2025” playbook was referenced several times by worried Democrats.
The speeches were held in Chicago’s enormous United Center arena, where almost every seat appeared to be filled with a whole bunch of excited Democrats waving posters with “We Fight, We Win,” and “Thank You, Joe!” printed on them.
Every four years, thousands of people flock to major cities to witness the nomination of their party’s presidential candidate and talk about how to win the upcoming election. At this year’s DNC, council meetings about youth voters, Black voters, veteran voters, and, yes, rural voters, are being hosted by different advocacy organizations.
Correspondents in Chicago have reported that energy is high amongst attendees, which makes sense: the whirlwind of the past month’s political news, starting with President Biden’s departure from the race and the new Harris-Tim Walz ticket, has certainly grabbed the attention of voters who one month ago weren’t even sure they’d show up to the polls.
But for me, a person who is generally suspicious of political spectacle and the fanfare that comes with it, the DNC (and the Republican National Convention that came before it in July), feel akin to what my high school pep rallies before football games were like: relevant to a select few.
Of course these conventions are important because you get a candidate out of them, but for the general public, I worry they seem like a closed-door event for politicians and their fans. The speeches are meant to inspire voters, but I think the average working-class American isn’t looking for inspiration. They’re looking for tangible action that can address the economic precarity that defines many people’s lives. Certainly in rural America, transparent and specific messaging goes a long way toward connecting with voters.
In the battleground state of North Carolina the week before the convention, Harris promoted her plan to ban price gouging by food producers and implement a $25,000 down payment assistance program for some first-time homebuyers. While campaign promises often look different than the reality of a presidency, these are policies that could help her stand out, if she continues to promote and flesh them out during her campaign.
At this writing, there are two days left of the DNC with speeches from Barack and Michelle Obama and Harris herself to look forward to. But I, for one, am eager for what happens after the Chicago fanfare comes to a close.
Claire Carlson is staff correspondent of The Daily Yonder, where this article was originally published in its email newsletter, “Keep It Rural.” See DailyYonder.com.
From The Progressive Populist, September 15, 2024
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