5 things to watch for at the Democratic National Convention

The gathering marks an opportunity for Democrats to ride the good vibes around Harris, who last month was elevated as the party’s de facto nominee after President Joe Biden ended his own bid. Beyond highlighting the party’s marquee figures, the event could also offer a platform for protesters critical of the administration’s handling of the war in Gaza and elevate rising stars on the Democratic Party bench. Democrats are euphoric as Harris takes over as their pick and ushers in a polling boost over Biden’s numbers. That vibe sets up the convention as a party, just weeks after Democrats left their presidential hopes for dead with Biden as their nominee. It’s demonstrable,” said former Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones. President Joe Biden watches as Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris speaks at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland on Aug. 15, 2024. Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images Harris has been enjoying a nearly monthlong “honeymoon” since Biden dropped out, riding a wave of flattering social media praise. Harris and Trump will face off at their first debate on Sept. 10, and a good performance there could extend Harris’ honeymoon. But while Democrats hope the vibes never change, operatives in both parties have predicted Harris’ campaign will come back down to earth — and then, all bets are off. More freedom, less threat to democracy Harris has framed her campaign around a message of “freedom,” even down to highlighting Beyonce’s hit song of the same name. That message, an umbrella for, in Harris’ words, everything from the freedom to make choices on abortion to freedom to get ahead economically, is likely to take center stage in Chicago — supplanting Biden’s warnings about Trump’s threat to democracy. The strategy is more forward-thinking, rather than Biden’s rallying cry, which harkened back to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, an event that Democrats still mention, but appeared to resonate less with voters agitating for a more long-term vision. Still, the “freedom” messaging could dovetail with Biden’s discussions of democracy, some Democrats said. “I think there was an understanding when we looked at how Trump was really trampling democratic norms, so there’s that connection between democracy and freedom,” said one Democratic strategist with ties to Harris’ team. To be certain, Harris isn’t running away from Biden. She’ll still be Biden’s right hand for five more months, and the two appeared together in Maryland on Thursday to tout savings made by allowing Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain medications. The president’s catastrophic June debate performance started the clock on the end of Biden’s political career, and the fact that he’ll be a one-term president will no doubt be a part of his enduring legacy. However, Democrats have cast Biden’s decision as nothing short of heroic, and Harris has been singing his praises on the campaign trail, sparking chants of “thank you, Joe.” President Joe Biden delivers remarks, during an event on Medicare drug price negotiations, in Prince George’s County, Md., Aug. 15, 2024. Ken Cedeno/Reuters “He deserves tremendous credit for such a selfless act,” said the Democratic strategist with ties to Harris’ team. “I’m sure when he speaks on Monday, it’s going to be a huge reception.” While Biden’s debate and age were the chief factors in ending his political career, he was also dogged by criticism from the left over his handling of the war in Gaza. Protests over the rising death toll in Gaza will be held blocks away from Chicago’s United Center, and delegates who were sent to the convention by “uncommitted” votes in various states have full access to the event floor, with nothing to stop them from interrupting the proceedings. Mary Altaffer-Pool/Getty Images Harris has adopted a tonal shift from Biden, putting more of an emphasis on mounting civilian casualties in the enclave than the president had. But on policy, there hasn’t been as much of a change so far, raising questions over how much of a wait-and-see period she’ll receive from those who were critical of Biden. Conventions for both parties are primarily occasions to highlight leaders, chiefly the presidential nominees. Four years later, he spoke at the convention as his party’s presidential nominee. – This Summarize was created by Neural News AI (V1). Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/5-things-watch-democratic-national-convention/story?id=112892465