CHICAGO – The Democratic National Convention begins Monday when delegates meet to formally nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential candidate.
The last few weeks have been very eventful for the Democrats since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, allowing Harris to become the first black and Asian-American woman to secure a place on a major party’s top ticket.
Eyes will also be on Chicago, which is looking to pull off the event smoothly, building on the success of the 1996 Democratic Convention and continuing to brush aside the historic images of the controversial 1968 convention.
Here’s what you should know:
What is expected from the Democratic National Convention?
Traditionally, party leaders meet every four years to nominate the person they want as their front-runner for the presidential election in November. The Republicans held their convention in Milwaukee last month.
However, there are a few unconventional things about this year’s DNC.
Typically, the nominee emerges victorious from nationwide primaries in the spring and summer. This year is different for Democrats, as Biden dropped out of the race in July.
Harris has already been nominated as the Democratic candidate in an online vote by delegates; there will therefore be no formal, official vote on her nomination at the convention.
Instead, there will be a ceremonial roll call, speeches from party leaders and junior candidates, and an introduction of Harris’ recently announced running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. There will be a televised endorsement rally to build on Harris’ fundraising and polling momentum of the last month.
Video: 5 things you should know about Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris is an American politician with a career in law and politics dating back to 1990.
Who will be there and what is the schedule?
Nearly all of the well-known Democratic Party officials will be joined by thousands of delegates, other supporters and volunteers, and thousands of media members at the main venues: McCormick Place south of the Loop and the United Center on the Near West Side. In addition, organizers expect thousands of protesters to take to the streets to raise awareness about issues such as the war in Gaza.
You’ll likely see some celebrities at the venues and around town, too. Billie Eilish and Julia Louis-Dreyfus attended the last Democratic National Convention, which was held largely virtually due to the pandemic.
Overall, the DNC estimates that about 50,000 visitors will come to the convention in Chicago.
Much of the program, including the list of speakers, has yet to be announced, although Pritzker and former President Barack Obama are among those given prominent spots.
Harris is expected to deliver the convention’s closing speech on Thursday, while Walz is expected to speak on Wednesday.
What role does Texas play in the DNC in Chicago?
.
In addition to the logistics for the convention itself, the city is also prepared for the possibility that thousands of migrants could arrive across the southern border, sent by Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott and others.
Police Commissioner Larry Snelling stressed that the department has undergone rigorous training in both crowd control and First Amendment issues.
What is planned for the protests at the DNC?
Chicago proposed that many protesters march west from Union Park, past a small park north of the United Center, and then east back to Union Park. Authorities announced the route after a coalition of pro-Palestinian protest groups filed suit to prevent the city from restricting protesters to a two-block-wide strip of Grant Park, far from the United Center.
U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood ruled that she would not force City Hall to widen and extend the approved route, as some protesters had demanded.
Park No. 578, north of the United Center, will also serve as a “free speech zone,” said Glen Brooks, director of community policing for the Chicago Police Department.
How to follow the Democratic Party Convention
Cable news networks such as CNN and MSNBC will likely carry much of the key primetime programming live. The DNC will have its own feed on social media and its website, DemConvention.com, as well as on Amazon Prime Video. The major networks are also expected to carry primetime coverage. The events will also be available on streaming services.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert plans to broadcast from Chicago’s Auditorium Theater throughout the week of the DNC – suggesting that the Emmy-winning, former Chicago-based comedian and Northwestern University graduate plans to host guests from the United Center on his late-night show.
Comedy Central’s The daily show will also broadcast from Chicago during the convention, including a live show on August 22.
How many political conventions have been hosted in Chicago?
According to the Chicago History Museum, Chicago has hosted 25 major party conventions since 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was nominated by the Republicans, 14 for the Republicans and 11 for the Democrats. That’s more than any other U.S. city. The runner-up, Baltimore, hosted 10.
By Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune (Tribune News Service)
