I’ll admit that I did not watch one single part of the Republican National Convention, which feels like it happened six months ago. So much has happened in the past four weeks – President Biden dropping out of the race and endorsing Kamala Harris, then Harris hitting the ground running and locking up the delegates in 24 hours, all while raising hundreds of millions of dollars. Then she went barnstorming through swing states, she chose Tim Walz as her running mate, and the vibes have been immaculate. The Democratic National Convention’s Day 1 highlighted the shift from the Biden era to the Harris era. First, VP Harris made a surprise appearance early in the night to rapturous applause. Her tan suit is Chloe!
The introduction to VP Harris was this absolutely fantastic video package, narrated by Jeffrey Wright and including Beyonce singing an acapella version of “Freedom.” This gives me goosebumps. I love all of the flags, dancing and positivity too – so effective. Democrats have fully embraced the flag-waving patriotism heartland-America stuff while the other side has two bitter, hateful weirdos.
DNC airs new “Freedom” ad to kick off the Democratic Convention pic.twitter.com/lXLqKi2rAN
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 20, 2024
Here’s Dr. Biden’s introduction for President Biden, and Pres. Biden’s speech. The emphasis on Kamala Harris’s relationship with Beau Biden… again, that’s the reason why Pres. Biden chose Harris as his VP, and why he knows she’ll do a great job as president. I don’t want to talk too much about Pres. Biden, honestly. I’m still really sad about what certain people in his party did to him. He’s an incredibly decent man and he deserves all of his flowers.
America is fired up for @KamalaHarris
💙💙💙 pic.twitter.com/MLp4VMBOV6
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 20, 2024
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- US President Joe Biden with Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris during the day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago Featuring: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris Where: Chicago, Illinois, United States When: 20 Aug 2024 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- US President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris with Second gentleman Doug Emhoff during the day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago Featuring: Doug Emhoff, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris Where: Chicago, Illinois, United States When: 20 Aug 2024 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- US President Joe Biden with Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris during the day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago Featuring: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris Where: Chicago, Illinois, United States When: 20 Aug 2024 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- US President Joe Biden with Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris during the day one of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago Featuring: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris Where: Chicago, Illinois, United States When: 20 Aug 2024 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- United States President Joe Biden delivers his farewell speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago Featuring: Joe Biden Where: Chicago, Illinois, United States When: 19 Aug 2024 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
The reception for Uncle Joe was thunderous! I cried and cried. USA, USA, USA was chanted. We love you Joe was chanted. He deserves all of the flowers.
I know he’s popularly Uncle Joe, buty grandfather was also Joe, so when I see Biden I think Grandpa Joe.
It works with Harris and Walz being mom and dad.
I feel like i cried my way through several speeches last night.
Joe Biden- “I love my job, but i love my country more.”
Joe Biden is an American hero.
What a night at the DNC. I cheered, I cried. It was amazing. Yes, we are on the good side.
I honestly *cannot wait* for the hopeful next White House first gentleman to make a truly inclusive holiday season. It’s disheartening for us non-Christians to see how Christian-coded our country is every year, and I am crossing fingers that Mr. Emhoff can truly celebrate all of us.
I know what you mean. I work in LTC nursing and it infuriates me that there are always displayed Christian symbolism at Xmas and Easter.
It’s going to be groundbreaking in its own way for him to be First Gentleman — I hope he makes like Jackie O and ignores most of the rules. 😀
That ad gave me goosebumps!
Me too. The ad gave me goosebumps and then again when Kamala walked out to the song. I’m just gonna have to get used to the fact that I’ll keep getting goosebumps throughout this campaign. Watching Kamala walk out to Beyoncé’s Freedom gets me every single time.
It’s really good. Really good. The media team is spectacular.
Whoever does the ads for the Harris-Walz campaign is a genius.
Ashley Biden gave a lovely speech introducing her father.
And I love that VP Harris went with a tan suit to stir up all those who freaked out over Obama’s beige suit
That was my first thought, too! Honestly, it’s genius – harkening back to the Obama days when the biggest “scandal” surrounding the president was that he wore a non-traditional colour of suit, before the convicted felon sullied the office.
MAGA is already complaining about the color of her suit
I also think it’s because she wanted to set herself apart from Biden. Hear me out: Red is off the table so a safe color would be black or blue or a neutral. Colors tell a story. If she chose blue, she would match with Biden and although he is passing the torch to her, she also has ideas of her own. Look at the pic, she stands out and doesn’t blend in with Biden. It was a good safe neutral color and she set herself apart. And that it tapped into the great Obama Tan Suit Scandel was just icing on the cake.
I also think white is/was off the table because Hillary wore white at her convention (and cream last night). I predict a blue suit for the VP on Thursday.
@sussexwatcher white is the color of women’s suffrage
I couldn’t watch last night because I was traveling, I have been watching all the speeches this morning and sobbing.. what a month. We love you Joe, and now we are going to vote in Harris/Walz and every single democrat on the ballot..
Whew that ad made me cry! So good.
Watching the reception President Biden got on stage was really special. I hope he can end his presidency knowing his legacy is that he did the best job he could bringing us through a really hard season in history.
I’m bummed at the DNC for how they did Biden last night. He didn’t go on until 11:30. Surely they could have cut several speakers (The guy who played the president in Scandal? Did we need to hear from him?) it was pretty disrespectful. .
Agree 100%. I’m out of the US this week and the only channel we can watch on here is CNN. They commented — as did The NY Times this morning in their condescending, crappy article — on the fact it was bad to have him speak after the east coast was in bed.
There’s no reason that, once things were obviously way off schedule, they couldn’t have had people who are there all week move to tomorrow rather than cutting the video that was made honoring Biden. I mean, frankly, why didn’t they cut the weird Law & Order video and showed his? It’s not like in 3 more days they couldn’t have found room for some of these speakers and videos.
They cut a video honoring him!? Ugh. I didn’t know that. That’s really f*cked up. They had no less than 3 singers and Steve Kerr -who I love but he was far from necessary- none of them could have been axed?
The Law and Order video was a bit cheesy – especially when we see the one to Beyonce’s Freedom.
And yes, I get he was the key note speaker last night, but damn, 11:30????? I tried my best to stay to hear the whole speech but could not. He should have been on earlier.
The incessant chanting and long pauses during applause (WHY do they do that?) didn’t help. AOC was the only one who knew how to give a speech TBH.
That’s seriously a non issue imo. Very few people watch things in prime time these days. I am also not in the US but watched every single speech on internet.
Kitten, AOC was great, but I think the best speech was given by Senator Warnock.
Kamala is the right choice for President at this moment.
Agreed. I think last night was the friends and family night, and it’s telling that Hillary Clinton was a keynote. Kamala is broadcasting who was against her, without saying a word. I died when the camera cut to Nancy Pelosi apparently demanding the person 2 down from her give her the “We Love Joe” sign that was everywhere last night.
I want to thank my American neighbours for this absolute sparkling current of HOPE and women’s rights. Alt Right leaders are campaigning in Canada, riding trump’s coattails and right now, its lots a lot of its momentum. So your very personal choices, do have global impact.
a second question — is VP Harris’s pant suit a reclaiming of the tan suit? Should I be reading into that?
The general consensus on social media is that Kamala was, indeed, reclaiming the tan suit.
@EasternViolet, I’m Canadian too and can only hope that the sanity of Harris-Walz can bleed across the border. PeePee is using the same playback as Trump, for sure, and the push back from other leaders isn’t very effective right now.
There were quite a few tan suits in the audience too, e.g the author Leta McCollough Seletzky, which I loved.
Hey @Easternviolet, I share your concern about the alt right on the rise here and am so relieved to hear a fellow Canadian express concern about it! When Andrew Scheer hugged Nazis and talked about “old-stock Canadians,” people laughed him into oblivion. But somehow PP (who’s even closer with the far right) is the heavy favourite for the next PM, and most Canadians I know are like, “Well, it’s time for a change”?
As a dual citizen who lives here, I darn sure hope Harris and Walz invigorate the left and centre to push back the far right threat in Canada, as well.
I’m not crying. You’re crying. 😟😭
President Biden: “I made a lot of my mistake in my career, but I gave my best to you. For 50 years…I give my heart and my soul to our nation…I was too young to be in the Senate…and too old to stay as president. I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you.”
Whew…what a great man 🥹
Great ad. Watching Dems reclaim freedom and patriotism in their messaging has been so satisfying to watch. The Right tried to trot out the classic “Kamala will ban my plastic straws” messaging and it tanked spectacularly in the wake of them stripping us of our bodily autonomy. Dems absolutely OWN that messaging now.
President Biden brought tears to my eyes and when he pulled out the tissue, the water works started for me. What a great man.
And I heard a crazy conspiracy story: that Biden threw the debate because he wanted out. Now I know that sounds crazy, but he looked strong and spoke with vigor and conviction last night. Regardless, he did a great job last night. He was the right person for this time in our nation’s history.
I can’t imagine anyone performing that way on purpose, but I do suspect he and Kamala may have masterfully planned the timing of when he gave in to the pressure to stand down. Right after the RNC, stomping on their convention bounce after they were stuck with creepy JD. I think Kamala and Joe are extremely tactical, and I love it
My thought as well @OH COME ON.
I agree, they out maneuvered the GOP with perfect timing. You don’t stay in politics as long as he does without learning the playbook and learning from others.
And deep down inside, I truly believe cooler and stronger heads got together to coordinate – they understood what was at stake and the price was too high to let egos and end fighting allow the MAGA regime 4 more years.
I agree, I don’t think he threw the debate, he wouldn’t do that, but I totally agree that once the writing was on the wall and he agreed to step down, they planned the timing of it very well. Let the GOP blow their whole convention and plan of attack on him and then, whoops! I love it.
You don’t get into a reelection race with so much at stake unless you think you can win outright – not a convoluted plan to throw the nomination to your VP at the last minute that may not have worked!
That seems to give too little credit to both Joe and Kamala in my view. Now, I do think that the way he resigned and the timing was well-planned to benefit her, because they are both sharp politicians.
I think the fact that Biden seems to have more energy right now is that he has recovered from Covid now and he’s probably relieved not to have the weight of the entire democracy on his shoulders! He just has to speak for one night, finish off
Jay, I don’t think we’ve heard the last of Joe. He’s going to be working to get some things done before he’s out of office and he’ll appear and campaign for Kamala.
His political knowledge and strategy have been well honed over his 50 years in office. There is no doubt in my mind that he was not going to allow the wealthy doors and certain democrats to push Kamala out. Joe and Kamala checkmated them all.
let us not forget that the man had covid!
I will never believe that he threw the debate. (also… they tear into both Joe and Kamala for stuff that they give That Guy a total pass on… like, accusing Kamala of “word salad” when their boy T***p is RIGHT THERE.)
the one thing I agree with the magas on is that mainstream media is totally biased. Rupert freaking Murdoch owns most of it! and the rest is owned by tories! so it’s not terribly trustworthy. the magas think it’s biased the other way, whatever.
that dude gets clicks. and clicks and profits and maintaining what is left of the status quo is all that matters to those… jerks.
I love all of it ❤ I’m a proud Democrat ❤
I want toooooo…. I’m seeking substance…
In the ads, speeches…. neither side seems to have much. I’m voting Blue regardless, but damn I’m disappointed.
One of the videos they showed last night that is being used as an ad has a tremendous amount of substance- a woman who miscarried and couldn’t get the medical care she needed because of her state’s laws that Trump made possible. She and her husband spoke last night and their story is heartbreaking
https://www.npr.org/2024/08/18/nx-s1-5008844/democratic-national-convention-harris-policy
You can google Project 2025 if you want to see her opposition’s plans.
Just say you’re a trumper and call it a day. Even the ad to Beyonce’s “Freedom” had “substance”–reproductive rights, DEI, LGBTQ+, anti-fascism and, simply, we are not going back.
Treeee, you do know that the convention isn’t over, right? It’s sheduled to run from the 19th to the 22nd. You’ll hear about policy if you choose to stick around to watch it.
President Biden: “I made a lot of my mistake in my career, but I gave my best to you. For 50 years…I give my heart and my soul to our nation…I was too young to be in the Senate…and too old to stay as president. I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you.”
Whew…what a great man 😭
I believe this with all my heart and also believe that he will go down in history as a great man who healed our country and brought us back from the brink of a Trump dictatorship and the loss of our Constitution. The Dems brought the joy last night, and they brought Beyoncé too. I’m hoping she appears in person before the convention is over. Trump had Kid Rock.😂
Great first night of the DNC! BTW – I watched on Kamala Harris YouTube channel, no MSM talking heads. It was great.
Two observations since July 21 (Biden announcement day):
1. Why can’t campaigns be 100 days or less?
2. Why do we need 4 nights of a political convention?
I had stepped in the other room for a moment, and when I heard the crowd blow up I thought Beyonce herself had taken the stage. I watched all of the RNC and nobody got a pop like that!
She was presidential. Hope for a stunning victory in the US in November. The evening was very well organized and the Democrats made their platform clear and every speaker added to their story seamlessly. It was outstanding.
The tan suit was an epic troll. I laughed hysterically.
This campaign is leaning hard into showing just how stupid and weird Trump and MAGA are. Reps. Crockett and Raskin took off after Trump with Raskin straight up telling Vance the truth about why he’s there and Pence isn’t.
Gov. Beshear, Senator Warnock (you’re welcome, we 🍑s sent you our best), AOC, Hillary, Dr. Biden, Ashley introducing her father.
And Joe. ❤️ He talked about Beau and VP Harris’ friendship and then ended the night holding his grandson Beau’s hand.
I sobbed.
Raskin’s remarks on Pence were SPOT ON, and I can’t believe we don’t talk about it more. Someday people are going to look back on that and say OMG.
Jasmine Crockett was excellent as well, especially the alliteration! LOL. Plus I thought she was like 30 years old, tops, and then she mentioned something about decades of working – she’s 43!
I LOVED her speech! And when she talked about Harris comforting and encouraging her when she was crying, my husband turned to me and said “They’re both (meaning her and Walz) just really nice people!” It’s amazing how refreshing that feels. But Crockett is definitely going places. I’ve seen her do news interviews, but this was the first time I’d heard her give a speech.
Jasmine is FABULOUS. She makes me proud to be from Texas, which is hard to say these days. I see big, BIG things for her in the future.
A hero’s reception for President Biden, as it should be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is a hero and has canonized himself in our nation’s history as a patriot of the highest order.
The future is FEMALE!! This cisgender male, white, gay feminist can’t wait to vote Harris/Walz in November!!! I haven’t been this excited to vote since Obama in ’08 and Hillary in ’16.
I have been binging the DNC on internet like a hot Netflix show. The speakers and speeches have been across the board amazing and the energy is off the charts. And this was just day one!!!!
Would love it if Dr. Jill Biden were given a post in recognition of her support for Joe and her outstanding role as first lady.
Kamala looks younger & more like an actual human than any of those over-botoxed freaks at the RNC.
Agree, I didn’t watch any of the RNC. But from clips I saw on SM to me it was just dead and lifeless.
The DNC has been really exciting to watch . And whoever hired that DJ- one of the best decisions!