What is the national meeting?
The USA’s two largest parties, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, both hold national conventions in the year in which presidential elections are to be held. There, the parties officially nominate their presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate, as well as adopt a party program for the election campaign.
When and where is the national meeting?
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) takes place in Chicago, Illinois from August 19 to August 22. The meeting takes place in Chicago’s United Center. The most important events from the meeting are broadcast, including the most important speeches, which are shown on TV in prime time.
Are Harris and Walz already nominated?
Kamala Harris was officially nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate already in July through a virtual vote. That was due to the rush to get her name on the ballot in states with earlier deadlines as she takes over the role from President Joe Biden, who originally planned to run.
Tim Walz has also already been named as the vice-presidential candidate when the party agreed to let Harris decide who she would campaign with. Therefore, there is no need for a separate vote on his role.
Who will speak at the meeting?
President Joe Biden opens the national convention on Monday evening. It will be a bittersweet keynote speech that will serve as a kind of farewell from a politician who only a few weeks ago expected to come to Chicago to accept re-election as the party’s presidential candidate. Biden withdrew as a presidential candidate on July 21 after widespread pressure from party colleagues following a poor debate against Donald Trump that cast doubt on his age and health.
Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and ex-presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton will also give opening speeches.
Vice presidential candidate and Minnesota governor Walz will speak on Wednesday evening.
Harris will close the national convention on Thursday with what is being referred to as the most important speech of her political career.
What happens at the meeting?
As the Democrats have already nominated Harris for presidential candidate, it is the speeches and the confirmation of the party program that will be the most important events.
A draft of the party program has already been prepared, which explains what the Democrats stand for, but the delegates must complete and adopt it during the national meeting.
The speeches aim to convince voters why Harris should win the election and why Trump should not.
What are the teams?
The DNC has stated the following themes for each of the four national meeting days:
1. For the people
2. A bold vision for America’s future
3. A fight for our freedoms
4. For our future
It is expected that the organizers will publish more details about the program each morning.
How often will Harris and Walz appear on stage?
We don’t know that. During the Republican caucus in Minneapolis in July, Trump appeared on stage every day, but that is not the norm. Usually, the vice-presidential candidate gives a speech on the third night of the national meeting, while the presidential candidate is the keynote speaker on the last night of the national meeting. It’s not uncommon for those to be their only major appearances.
Will there be demonstrations?
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters plan to gather outside the National Assembly. They demand that the US stop providing arms aid to Israel while the war in the Gaza Strip continues.
A coalition of over 200 organizations from across the US plans to hold demonstrations on Monday and Thursday. The Gaza war has been a difficult issue for the Democrats in the election campaign.
(Sources: NTB, Reuters, AP, New York Times)
#Democrats #national #meeting
2024-08-19 13:00:47
