The Democratic Comeback Dance
Kamala and Company Kick Off the Chicago Party
The Democratic National Convention in Chicago kicked off yesterday, and in tune with Harris's campaign theme of “brat summer,” it was less of a policy seminar and more of a festival of good cheer and vibes—which isn’t necessarily bad. Throughout the night, the energy on the convention floor was electric. Democrats seemed to be relishing the fun with Harris-themed Converse sneakers, impromptu dancing, and, my favorite, the “Coconut Caucus” badges. Harris/Walz T-shirts flew off the shelves like hotcakes at a state fair.
It’s an incredible contrast to the party that seemed resigned to its defeat just two months ago when President Joe Biden took on former President Donald Trump in a CNN debate that proved to be one of the most consequential in political history. It gave me no pleasure to write about it then, but Mr. Biden demonstrated he was hardly the man he was four years ago, and it became evident that he could not win another term. Republicans salivated at the prospect of electoral triumph, with dreams of a 1992-esque landslide. Democrats had almost accepted a second Trump term with the same sense of defeat Napoleon must have felt at Waterloo, watching Blücher's army close in from a distance. But that was then. Now, Democrats have every reason to feel invigorated as Ms. Harris quickly closed the gap with Mr. Trump, turning what seemed like a certain defeat into an even chance.
I only watched some of the convention speeches before quickly asking myself ‘why,’ given that forcing myself to listen to what often sounds like nonsense from political characters I’ve come to dread during my time in punditry seemed to border on masochism. I fell asleep before Biden's anticipated speech—shameful for a would-be reporter, I know. The conspiratorial part of my mind wonders if this late scheduling was deliberate so that if Mr. Biden made any gaffes or repeated his debate performance, it would be out of sight and out of mind.
Luckily, thanks to the internet, I could catch his speech this morning and was quite impressed. After bowing out of the race, it was clear that Mr. Biden was compelled to yield to the sheer force of Nancy Pelosi’s will rather than voluntarily step aside. Still, Mr. Biden’s words did not show any bitterness. Beginning with one of the longest-standing ovations I’ve ever seen any politician receive, I was amazed by his energy and rhetorical conviction, even though his campaign rhetoric didn’t necessarily sway me (I doubt I was the target anyway).
The most noticeable theme of the night was the shift from the divisive “woke” themes of the last convention and recent party trends. This time, the event was infused with patriotic fervor, with “USA!” chants echoing through the arena. The opening night was capped off by a stirring performance of the Star-Spangled Banner by the Soul Children of Chicago, delivered to a convention draped in American flags. It was quite the contrast to the progressive activism of 2020—statues being torn down, flags burning, and activists chanting, “America was never great.”
Most of the rhetoric sounded like a return to the Democratic campaign of the 1990s, emphasizing labor unions, support for trade and vocational schools, and “tax the rich” proposals. And for a party focused on the future, none of the delegates or convention-goers seemed to mind the retro vibe. In fact, the crowd’s enthusiastic response suggested that, at least for now, the party is embracing a more traditional, unifying message and is opting to present itself as the inoffensive party of normalcy, leaving the more radical elements of its coalition to the sidelines.
Yet, there’s still plenty for the Republicans to latch onto. Ms. Harris has shied away from policy specifics and continues to avoid the media as if they bore a plague. This makes sense, given that her first foray into policy was to announce support for price controls to crack down on ‘price gauging,’ a slip of the tongue more expected from Mr. Biden than the much younger Ms. Harris. But conventions aren’t necessarily about winning the undecided or shaking up the race; they are about rallying the base, and on that front, it delivered.
The novelty of her candidacy primarily drives Ms. Harris's momentum, the excitement of a fresh face, and the historical circumstances of Mr. Biden stepping down—but how long can this bubble last? She and her running mate, Tim Walz, are clearly betting on the election being decided by personality rather than policy, which may be a strategic choice given that on the policy, they are considerably to the left of the average voter. However, the Republicans have chosen a nominee poorly positioned to capitalize on this. Trump's campaign is disorganized, bombastic rather than strategic, and seems more like a rerun of a tired reality show rather than a campaign of the future. One of his team’s more recent surrogates, Hulk Hogan, who spoke on Mr. Trump’s behalf at the Republican convention, was recently caught at a bar asking a crowd if he should “body slam [Kamala]” before making disparaging remarks about her heritage, asking, “Is she a chameleon...is she Indian?”
So even if the Democrats, despite their veneer of moderation, have nominated a ticket considerably to the left of the average American, the reality is that this election, unless something changes, will hinge on personality rather than politics. The energy at the DNC is similar to Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008, which Republicans underestimated at the time. Mr. Obama was also fawned upon by the media and shirked policy specifics instead focusing on a campaign of two things: hope and change.
It could easily turn out that Harris's vibes-based approach is all that is needed to triumph; the off-putting and outright weird rhetoric from the likes of Mr. Hogan does not help the Republican cause. Ultimately, the test for the Democrats comes with Ms. Harris's Thursday night speech, which voters will watch with eager eyes. Considering that she is already tied, or within the margin of error, in many battleground states, a well-received convention address could give her a solid lead ahead of Labor Day or leave her campaign treading water.
And it’s true, her speech will be the talk of the town for the next week, but let’s not kid ourselves—everyone's waiting for the big showdown on September 10. The sparks will fly in the debate stage, and after that fateful June 27 debate transformed this election, all eyes will be glued to this next face-off. The Democrats can only hope that Ms. Harris carries enough momentum into that debate to keep the wind at her back.