Big election campaign show Things to know about the US Democratic Party convention in Chicago
At the convention, all eyes will be on Kamala Harris.
Image: Keystone/AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
Tim Walz will also make a big appearance. (archive picture)
Image: Keystone
Democratic US presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her vice presidential running mate Tim Walz take center stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (archive picture)
Image: Keystone
The Democrats hold their convention at the United Center in Chicago, home of the Chicago Bulls. (archive picture)
Image: Keystone
At the convention, all eyes will be on Kamala Harris.
Image: Keystone/AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
Tim Walz will also make a big appearance. (archive picture)
Image: Keystone
Democratic US presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her vice presidential running mate Tim Walz take center stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (archive picture)
Image: Keystone
The Democrats hold their convention at the United Center in Chicago, home of the Chicago Bulls. (archive picture)
Image: Keystone
Party conventions in US election years are usually big coronation ceremonies. This dramatic and turbulent election campaign is very different for the Democrats. Nevertheless, a great spectacle is to be expected.
19.08.2024, 05:45
22.08.2024, 13:58
dpa
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- The four-day US Democratic Party convention begins today, Monday, in Chicago.
- The more than 4,500 delegates from all states attending the convention cast their votes in an online ballot at the beginning of August and officially nominated Kamala Harris as their presidential candidate.
- Harris and her running mate Tim Walz will appear at the convention and give major speeches to celebrate their nomination, fire up the base and outline their plans for the future.
- A host of other high-profile figures from the party will also be speaking, including US President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race in July under pressure from his party.
- Ex-Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are expected to make appearances, as is Hillary Clinton,
The US metropolis of Chicago will be the scene of another major spectacle in the presidential election campaign in the coming days. The Democrats are meeting there for a four-day party convention. This year, everything is a little different to previous election years. The party in Chicago should have officially chosen President Joe Biden as its candidate for the election in November. However, the 81-year-old dropped out of the race in July in a dramatic turnaround under pressure from his party and made way for his Vice President Kamala Harris. The 59-year-old will now be in the spotlight at the convention.
Will Harris be officially nominated at the convention?
No. The Democratic Party had brought forward the candidate selection and conducted it digitally - due to deadlines for printing ballot papers in one state. The more than 4,500 delegates from all states attending the party convention in Illinois cast their votes in an online ballot at the beginning of August and officially nominated Harris as their presidential candidate. Her running mate Tim Walz has also already been chosen. The party had determined in advance that no separate vote would be necessary for the runner-up after he had been selected by the candidate. However, according to the party, there will be "solemn and ceremonial" votes for both in Chicago. However, this is purely symbolic.
What else will happen at the meeting?
Harris and Walz will appear at the party convention and celebrate their nomination with big speeches, fire up the base and set out their plans for the future. A host of other high profile figures from the party will also be speaking, including Biden. Ex-Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are expected to make appearances, as is Hillary Clinton, who was the party's first female presidential candidate in 2016. The partners of Harris and Walz are also expected to appear. There are also likely to be some show performances. And: the party will decide on its substantive program for the election.
Outside, on the other hand, there is likely to be a contrasting program: Some protests are expected around the party conference hall - especially against the Middle East policy of the Biden-Harris government.
What exactly is the schedule?
The main program at the party convention, which runs until Thursday, takes place in the evening according to local time - in other words, during the German night. The convention will therefore continue into the German Friday. The party has not yet published the exact program - but some dates have already been set: In line with the tradition of previous party conferences, Harris will speak at the grand finale on the last evening, i.e. on the German night of Friday. Walz is expected to speak the day before. Biden is scheduled to speak on Tuesday night in Germany. His appearance is also likely to serve as an attempt by the Democrats to demonstrate unity again after some very heated and confrontational weeks within the party before his departure.
Is the show the focus of the party conference?
In a way, yes. After long paralyzing debates about Biden's condition, the Democrats have been gripped by a new surge of enthusiasm. Yet it is completely unclear whether Harris can actually prevail against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in the end. The party is very keen to keep up the momentum and is likely to stage the convention as a big show of new beginnings.
Harris' appearances so far have been strictly choreographed. She has not given any interviews or press conferences since her start as the new frontwoman, instead limiting herself to well-paced campaign appearances - probably in an effort to stick to a fixed script and not make any mistakes. In the weeks between the party conference and the election, she is unlikely to get away with this. Then she will face her real test.