Harris in the spotlight

It’s Democrats’ turn.
 
Weeks after the Republican Party formally nominated its presidential ticket and made its case to voters in Milwaukee, Democrats will flock to Chicago this week for its own party convention.  
 
But the road to get here was anything but easy. Kamala Harris started the election season as the vice presidential incumbent, the No. 2 on President Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection bid.

No longer. In a matter of weeks, after pressure from Democrats on Biden to drop out from the race, Harris stepped in, reinvigorating Democrats’ chances of winning the Oval Office. The voter enthusiasm that was missing with Biden in tow is now buoying Harris’ campaign.

Across the four-day convention, Democrats will adopt a party platform, while voters hear leaders make the case for why Harris can beat former President Donald Trump, and get a chance to see Harris’ vision for the country.
 
Here’s what to expect from the convention and how an already unprecedented election season could lead to more firsts.

This newsletter was compiled by Joshua Barajas.

The DNC will be one of the first major opportunities for Harris to re-introduce herself to the country, make her policy platform clear, and to talk up her bona fides. This week, the vice president unveiled an economic policy plan that focused on expanding child tax credits, banning price gouging and lowering prescription drug costs. 
 
The convention is a place for Harris to build on her vision for presidency, despite the fact that the Democratic Party platform still names Biden as the nominee. 
 
Last month, PBS News heard from several voters in swing states who took part in focus groups organized by Republican strategist Sarah Longwell. Some felt they didn’t know enough about Harris’ record, despite being unenthusiastic about voting for her opponent, former President Donald Trump.

Wendy, a voter from Pennsylvania who voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020, felt Kamala Harris was still unknown.

“She hasn't been very visible for most of Biden's presidency,” she said. “She was elected vice president, and then she just kind of disappeared.” 
 
2. Bright lights, big names
 
Each night, leading names in politics will take the DNC stage.
 
Biden will kick off the weeklong festivities Monday. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also set to speak on the opening night of the convention. Former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton will address delegates on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
 
Harris will take the stage Thursday night to accept her nomination.

Overall, the convention is set to be a more star-studded affair than its Republican counterpart, with smatterings of daytime and evening events with celebrity guests. Actor and comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus will host a panel with female Democratic governors. Dreyfus played the fictional and sardonic Vice President Selina Meyer on HBO’s “Veep,” and social media timelines have been flooded with the life-imitates-art memes since Harris formally secured the Democratic nomination in early August.
 
Singer-songwriter John Legend will headline a party hosted by billionaire Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday. 
 
3. Protests in the background
 
The anger at the Biden administration over its handling of the Israel-Hamas war is expected to play a role at this year’s DNC. There will be 30 “uncommitted” delegates present, the result of coordinated protest votes in primary elections this year. 
 
Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago, is home to the largest Palestinian population in the U.S., and more than 150 coalition groups, comprising thousands of demonstrators, are expected to protest the war in Gaza. 
 
The “March on the DNC” will take place on various days throughout the week of the convention. Pro-Palestinian groups will be joined by ally groups protesting for LGBTQ+ rights, access to reproductive care, among other demands. 
 
Deanna Othman, a member of American Muslims for Palestine in Chicago, which is organizing one of the protests in the city, told PBS News that “the Democratic party has been complicit and needs to change policy.” She hopes that planned demonstrations will get national attention to demand more than “empty promises” from lawmakers. 
 
“Vice President Harris not being Donald Trump is not enough to get votes,” she added. “The Democratic party has been in charge, and bears the responsibility of what has befallen the people of Gaza.”
 
4. The influencer convention
 
In a DNC first, the entire week will be streamed using vertical video on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
 
By broadcasting in a format native to social media, the committee hopes to attract younger viewers who primarily get their news through these apps. Organizers have also credentialed more than 200 social media content creators to this year’s convention, offering them dedicated workspace and the opportunity to go live directly from the convention floor. 
 
Several popular TikTokers like Johnny Palmadessa, Elizabeth Booker Houston, and Jeremy Jacobowitz are all expected to be in attendance. 

The convention committee will also be rolling out a “blue carpet” for surrogates to walk and be interviewed by online creators. Comedian Matt Friend, best known for his Trump impression, will be Snapchat’s “blue carpet” correspondent.

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