The four-night celebration in Chicago produced many highlights for Democratic supporters.
Enthusiasm for Vice President Harris was clear even before she took the stage Thursday night, with her party desperate to keep her going after the crisis that led to President Biden’s decision to forgo reelection.
Democratic dignitaries, including Biden, former presidents Obama and Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former first lady Michelle Obama, gathered in Chicago to support Harris.
Opposition voices, centered around the Gaza conflict, were only muted.
Here are five of the competition’s most successful athletes.
Kamala Harris
Harris, aided by an enthusiastic audience, delivered one of the most moving convention speeches in recent memory.
The interest in her speech, and in the convention as a whole, was fuelled by the sheer human drama of her candidacy.
The speech was notable for its hyperbolic patriotism, seemingly designed in part to thwart Republican attacks on Harris as being outside the American mainstream.
“I see a country that is ready to move forward for the next step in this great journey that is America,” she said at one point.
She also spoke movingly about her humble upbringing and praised her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, as a “bright, five-foot-tall, brown woman with an accent”.
Harris’ mother died of cancer in 2009. “I miss my mother every day, especially now,” the vice president said at the start of his speech.
In the speech, he also slammed former President Trump as a “dishonest man” and suggested his reelection would have disastrous consequences on everything from abortion to authoritarianism.
Harris’ reputation took a hit in 2020 after a disappointing campaign for the Democratic nomination, followed by a very shaky start as Biden’s vice president.
But her speech marked the culmination of an extraordinary period of change: She left Chicago narrowly ahead of the national polls for the presidential election.
Michelle Obama
Obama gave perhaps the best speech of the week, even surpassing that of her husband, who delivered the speech shortly after.
The former first lady has long demonstrated her talents as a powerful orator.
“Hope is making a comeback,” she began her remarks in a speech Tuesday night, comparing Harris to former President Barack Obama, whose famously used “hope” as a slogan during his 2008 campaign.
But Michelle Obama also saw common ground between herself and Harris, talking about the down-to-earth backgrounds they share – a point she made in a way that also targeted Trump, without naming him.
“We understand that most of us will never have the benefit of moving forward from failure. We will never have the affirmative action benefits of generational wealth,” Harris said. “When things don’t go our way, we can’t afford to whine or cheat others in order to get further ahead.”
The speech also had another similarity to Harris’ speech: The former first lady paid tribute to her mother, Marian Robinson, who died earlier this year.
The Obamas’ two speeches were the highlight of the week for many delegates, Harris notwithstanding.
Gus Waltz
Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (Democrat), delivered a powerful speech on the eve of the final day of the convention.
But it was Waltz’s 17-year-old son, Gus, who stole the show.
Gus Waltz, like his sister Hope, became emotional when his father spoke about the infertility problems he and his wife, Gwen, experienced.
As Tim Waltz spoke about how much he loved his wife and kids, Gus stood up and, with tears in his eyes, appeared to say, “I love you, Dad!” and “That’s my dad!”
The spontaneous moment went viral on social media, garnering overwhelmingly positive comments from people who were touched by Gus Waltz’s reaction.
Tim and Gwen Waltz told People magazine that Gus suffers from a non-verbal learning disability, anxiety and ADHD.
In a statement to People magazine, the couple said their son’s condition “is not a disability, it’s his strength.”
Oprah Winfrey
Winfrey was Wednesday night’s big surprise guest.
The TV legend received a warm welcome in her adopted home, where she lived during the long run of her hit talk show.
Winfrey called on voters to rally around a vision of “the best of America.”
She criticized Trump, saying, “We’ve moved beyond the stupid tweets, the lies and the stupidity. These are complicated times, folks, and we need adult conversations.”
Winfrey also directly addressed the fight over reproductive rights, pointing to her own body and saying, “Without autonomy over this, there is no American Dream.”
But more than any few words, the speech primarily showcased Winfrey’s extraordinary ability as a communicator, able to connect effortlessly with the public.
Tournament Organizer
The tournament kicked off with an atmosphere that foreshadowed historic resonance.
The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago ended in disaster for the party, with protesters, primarily motivated by opposition to the Vietnam War, clashing violently with police.
But fears that something similar could happen in Gaza this year proved to be overblown.
Two major demonstrations were held by people angry about Biden administration policies, but turnout was smaller than expected and disruption was minimal.
Tensions rose after organizers refused to allow Palestinian-Americans to speak on the main stage. Activists from the “Uncommit” movement, which emerged as a way to register their protest vote against Gaza during the Democratic primary election process, staged a sit-in at the United Center.
But their efforts to change the organizers’ decision were unsuccessful.
Overall, the tournament ran smoothly and no embarrassing incidents were reported.
The organizers would have been happy to accept that outcome had it been presented to them from the start.
