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The Democratic National Convention begins Monday in the midst of a political whirlwind that’s generated momentum for Vice President Kamala Harris, who became her party’s presidential nominee only weeks after a poor debate performance led President Joe Biden to step aside.
Earlier this summer, many Democrats acknowledged they weren’t very excited about the convention in Chicago, with Biden slumping in the polls against former President Donald Trump.
That quickly changed after the president reluctantly gave in to pressure from Democratic leaders and announced last month that he wouldn’t seek reelection.
NBC News reported that demand for tickets and hotel rooms suddenly surged, with Democrats newly energized by a younger candidate who they believe has reversed their political fortunes.
Chicago is expected to host close to 50,000 visitors between Monday and Thursday evening when Harris will formally accept the Democratic nomination and become the first Black and Asian-American presidential candidate of a major party.
President Biden accepts new role
Biden held out hope for a long time that he would be the one accepting his party’s nomination on Thursday night.
But his meltdown in the first presidential debate changed everything, with dozens of members of Congress actively calling for him to move aside for another candidate.
Biden, 81, appears to have accepted his new role as cheerleader-in-chief for Harris. He spoke enthusiastically about her to a crowd in Prince George’s County last week, where he and Harris touted a deal with pharmaceutical companies to bring down drug prices covered by Medicare.
“I have an incredible partner in the progress we made,” Biden said. “She’s going to make one hell of a president.”
The president will speak Monday during the opening night of the convention. Also speaking on Monday evening will be former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was defeated by Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
Former President Barack Obama, a former Chicago resident who first gained national attention for his speech at the 2004 Democratic convention in Boston, is scheduled to speak on Tuesday night.
Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, speaks on Wednesday night.
Police chief says city is prepared for protests
The week of politicking will also include extensive protests, which are expected to take place each day of the convention near the United Center.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said his department will have a lot of officers on the street and they are well-trained to deal with any flareups.
Anti-war demonstrators, protesting the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, plan to be among those seeking attention to their cause.
Pro-Palestinian protesters caused some vandalism in D.C. near Union Station earlier this summer, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited to speak to Congress.
In Chicago, Snelling said he respects the right of protesters to exercise their First Amendment rights. But he also said they will need to respect his city and the safety of others.
“I’m not going to wait until it gets out of control and then try to bring it back in,” he said. “We will not allow people to come here and destroy this city.”
Longtime political observers remember the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which devolved into violent protests during the Vietnam War.
Democrats, who have quickly turned around their campaign for the White House, are hoping for peaceful protests and that the spotlight will remain on Harris’ acceptance as the presidential nominee.
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