Dems focus on ‘total unity’
Party hopes to engage voters despite virtual convention
The virtual Democratic National Convention this week will try to show how the party is “totally united” behind the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ticket, but it will be difficult to excite a lot of people amid the unprecedented remote event, pundits tell the Herald.
The 2020 Democratic National Convention — a virtual event because of the coronavirus pandemic — will include speeches from Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, along with appearances from rising progressive stars of the party such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Candidates who lost out to Biden during the primaries will also be speaking, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
“It’s a good thing to give them an opportunity to speak,” said former Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairman Phil Johnston. “It shows how the party is totally united behind the Biden/ Harris ticket, and that’s critical for November.
“In 2016, we weren’t totally united,” he added. “This time, it’s very important to demonstrate this week that we’re totally united behind this ticket in order to defeat President Trump in November. That’s going to be the theme of the convention.”
But Johnston, who has attended 10 national conventions, said it will be tough to create an engaging TV program for a convention that isn’t physically happening.
“It’s going to be difficult to excite a lot of people,” Johnston said. “The Republicans will have the same problem.”
However, he said that there’s a lot of excitement for the Biden/Harris ticket.
“Millions of voters will be tuning in to watch the two of them give their acceptance speeches,” Johnston said.
In addition to the nod to the nostalgic past — the
Obamas and Clintons — the convention is an “opportunity to highlight the future stars of the party,” said Democratic strategist Scott Ferson.
One of those rising leaders is Stacey Abrams, who’ll be delivering the joint keynote address on Tuesday night.
Harris, who Biden picked as his running mate last week, will accept the vice presidential nomination Wednesday night.
Then Biden on Thursday night will accept the Democratic nomination for president and speak about “his vision for uniting America to move us forward out of constant chaos and crisis, and for delivering on that promise for all,” the event program reads.
The convention was planned to take place in Milwaukee, but convention organizers decided speakers should not travel there and that delegates should conduct their official convention business remotely.