Excitement for the final night of the Democrat National Convention hit a fever pitch for a potential celebrity appearance.
Large accounts on X circulated rumors of a ‘special guest’ and speculation surrounding what celebrity would perform ran wild. A Taylor Swift appearance got some traction in the betting markets, and Beyonce was all but confirmed when TMZ posted she was in Chicago.
Ultimately though, no surprise celebrities ended up performing.
the DNC after telling everyone there’s a “big surprise” tonight pic.twitter.com/zYfzHdtuQL
— Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) August 23, 2024
One surprise from the final night of the convention was the sitting President’s absence. After closing night one of the DNC, Biden boarded a plane bound for California and watched the rest of the convention, in which his sitting Vice President accepted his party’s presidential nomination, on TV.
Jill and I just spoke to @KamalaHarris — we can’t wait to watch her accept this historic nomination.
Kamala and Tim will inspire a generation and lead us into the future. pic.twitter.com/guKuTevT8F
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 23, 2024
The 37-minute speech focused heavily on Vice President Harris’ background, talking points regarding abortion and gun rights, and attacks on Donald Trump. “In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man,” said the Vice President, “but the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious.”
In her policy platform, she stressed her support for abortion on demand, gun regulation, and ensuring voting access nationwide.
She also made her most pointed remarks on the Israel-Hamas war, defending Israel’s right to defend itself, but also calling for an immediate ceasefire deal that would leave Hamas in power. “Because now is the time to get a hostage deal and a cease-fire deal done,” said Harris, seemingly supportive of the latest framework for a cease-fire deal in Gaza.
Attendees of the 4-day event struggled to name policies their new nominee championed.
Can Democrats at the DNC pick their favorite policy of Kamala’s?
The FP’s @juliatheintern investigates. pic.twitter.com/xxiW9xejhT
— The Free Press (@TheFP) August 22, 2024
While it is not unusual for a political candidate to focus on motivational language over policy proposals, the Harris-Walz campaign’s aversion to stating policy is notable. The Vice President has laughed off the idea of holding a press conference, and her campaign website doesn’t mention a policy proposal – just background for her and running mate Tim Walz.
