This year’s DNC wasn’t just another political convention ‒ it culminated a breathtaking series of compressed events that surprised nearly everyone. A month before the convention, I was hesitant to attend. It will be about as fun as attending a wake, I confessed to friends the night before President Joe Biden’s decision to exit the race. Equally stunning was the rapid coalescence of support for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the renewed campaign. This from a political party famous for its diverse and sometimes divergent views (“a big tent”, as Democrats like to say). Overnight, the American presidential election, which for much of this year has seemed like a tired rerun of a movie everyone’s seen, scrambled. And the DNC became the hottest ticket in town.
Political conventions in the United States are a quirky mash-up of speeches, pep rally and policy wonking packaged into a four-day prime time television special. The function of a convention is to nominate candidates, a largely ceremonious process; unify the party; and set the stage for the upcoming election. Here’s my take on the political spectacle that unfolded, seemingly organically, in Chicago:
The Atmosphere: Walking into the United Center, normally the home court for the Chicago Bulls, felt like stepping onto Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. The arena overflowed with partisan passion. The energy was electric and infectious. The excitement was palpable among delegates decked out in patriotic colours and funny hats, waving signs and chanting slogans like “Thank You Joe” and “We’re Not Going Back”. “Something magical is in the air,” proclaimed Michelle Obama at the top of her address. DJs kept the crowd of 50,000 (including some 15,000 journalists and social media influencers) pumped. The usually perfunctory and largely ceremonial roll call vote transformed into a musical celebration of all 50 states that kept the party going.
The Speeches: Over four days I heard more than 20 hours of political oratory, not counting the videos, music and other interstitial content that rounded out the main event programming. I was impressed by the quality and range of speeches, and the deep talent of speakers ‒ a mix of political heavyweights, rising stars and a few surprises that made the content as innovative as it was impactful. The speakers were a who’s who of the Democratic Party, including the Obamas and the Clintons, senators and governors. President Joe Biden delivered an emotional “pass the baton” speech. But the breakout hit was the crop of eloquent younger leaders, and the generational change they represent.
The Surprises: Traditionally, the convention nominee doesn’t address the audience until the final night. Kamala Harris broke tradition with two made-for television cameo appearances. The first on night one with Beyonce’s ‘Freedom’, the de facto campaign theme song, heralding her arrival. After receiving the party’s nomination the following day, Harris and her running mate Tim Walz virtually appeared from a rally in Milwaukee, which took place simultaneously. This represented a clear message that this political duo can pack two arenas at the same time.
Oprah Winfrey, possibly the closest American to enjoy “royalty” status, surprised everyone with her debut appearance at a political convention on night three. Oprah urged voters to “choose joy” and reminded the audience that even amid political battles, a little positivity can go a long way.
Various musical legends, including John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Pink and The Dixie Chicks, gave rousing performances. James Taylor was expected to perform on the first night, but to my disappointment was cut from the programming when the speeches ran too long. Throughout the week there were on-off rumours that Beyonce would show up. She didn’t.
Follow The Money: You can put a price on all this exuberance. Since Harris’ ascension to the top of the Democratic ticket, the money has been gushing into her campaign, much of it from small and first-time donors. The campaign raised US$82 million during the four days of the DNC. In the month since Harris’ ascension to the top of the ticket, a whopping $540 million. It remains to be seen whether Kamala Harris will shatter the biggest glass ceiling in the United States. But her campaign has already shattered political fund-raising records.
The Dissent: A narrative leading up to the DNC is that protests might disrupt ‒ or even overshadow ‒ the event, as happened when the Democrats gathered in Chicago for the 1968 Convention. The police presence was ubiquitous and highly visible across the city, with a vast multi-layered security perimeter around the United Center and McCormack Place, where daytime meetings took place. On the first day of the Convention, I encountered a sizable pro-Palestine protest, with a similarly sized police presence to keep the peace and minimise disruption. On the final night, after Harris’ acceptance address, another pro-Palestine protest ensnared most traffic leaving the convention area. I took the subway.
The Logistics: The Olympics in Paris, which I attended two weeks before the DNC, set a high bar for how to create a security umbrella with efficient crowd management. Entrance to Olympic events was regulated by QR codes and airport-level security checks. The DNC shared the same strategy, but massively missed the mark on execution. At United Center there were only two entry portals, manned by the Secret Service. This created massive bottlenecks in processing people. Everyone had a horror story for getting into the arena. One day, I spent more than two hours patiently waiting in line before the line disintegrated into chaos for lack of organisation and crowd control.
The Host City: The week wasn’t all political. Chicago offers much to entertain a visitor, and we dove in. We enjoyed deep dish pizza at Giordano’s and Lou Malnatis. We sampled an Italian sandwich at Mr Beef, the restaurant that inspired the hit Emmy-winning TV series ‘The Bear’. (The sandwich was so greasy we immediately went to another restaurant afterward to order a salad to compensate.) We burned off the calories by walking the Riverwalk, a beautiful promenade along a branch of the Chicago River that cuts through downtown. We laughed throughout an improv sketch comedy show by The Second City, one of the country’s most prolific comedy incubators. At the gorgeous Cadillac Theater, we were thrilled by a matinee performance of ‘Back to the Future’, a musical based on the 1980s hit film that features cinematic quality special effects.
The 2024 DNC is now history. It is a big moment for sure: a woman of colour at the top of a major party’s ticket is a powerful symbol. But the enthusiasm that permeated United Center suggests the DNC might be more than just a moment. Maybe bigger than an election cycle. On election day on Nov 5, we will know whether this is just a moment in history, or if this moment turns into a movement with longevity ‒ and legacy.
Essential information: The DNC is not open to the general public. My months-long credentialing process involved a FBI background search among other measures. A valid United States visa is required for many passports, including Thai passports, for travel to Chicago. Cathay Pacific, Korean Airlines and several Middle Eastern carriers offer one-stop services between Phuket and Chicago. In Chicago we stayed at The Holiday Inn Downtown – Wolf Point. It’s a modern, functional hotel that opened in 2022, has a great location and provides excellent value for money. Chicago also has world-class professional sports, blues music and must-visit museums, including the Art Institute and the Museum of Natural History.
Adventurer and author Todd Miller has explored more than 100 countries on all continents. His Amazon bestseller ENRICH: Create Wealth in Time, Money, and Meaning, was lauded by Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, and other global media. He resides at Natai Beach. www.enrich101.com