What You Missed from the 2020 Democratic National Convention

News | By: Layla Hussein

Image retrieved from Forbes.

​Every four years, the United States Democratic Party hosts the Democratic National Convention to not only confirm a candidate for president and vice president, but invite distinguished Democratic officials to unify the party and adopt a comprehensive party platform. In 2016, history was made when Hillary Clinton was the first female nominee of a major political party, and in socially-distanced 2020, Kamala Harris made history as the first Black and South Asian-American woman to be included on a presidential ticket for a major political party. While 2020’s DNC transpired in the midst of a modern-day Civil Rights movement and a global pandemic, that did not stop the Democratic Party from voicing their objectives and making bold statements—despite having limited time frames to speak—in what may be one of the most important nights in 2020.

Here are the main highlights that you may have missed from the keynote speakers throughout August 17 to August 20, 2020 in the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
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Image retrieved from the Los Angeles Times.

​Night 1
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Andrew Cuomo Targeted Federal Approach Towards COVID-19

New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo was one of the keynote speakers on the first night of the Democratic National Convention. Within the span of four minutes, Cuomo managed to deliver a powerful speech that addressed the misfortunes of the COVID-19 pandemic on our nation, especially as he dealt with NY having the highest infection rates to now having one of the lowest nationwide.

While President Trump acts in a dismissive manner when inquired about the nation’s approach with alleviating the pandemic, Governor Cuomo was unafraid to admit to America’s poor system when battling COVID-19, as he accentuates the relationship between an incompetent government and the loss of American lives. The government determines whether we thrive and grow or whether we live or die, and to fulfill the prospect of a thriving America, Cuomo ends his speech with a potential solution; a solution where a leader can guide America through its hardships, and in Cuomo’s eyes, that leader is Joe Biden.

Bernie Sanders Highlighted Democratic Socialism

​United States Senator Bernard Sanders delivered an 8-minute speech that directly delved into the socio-economic issues of America. He began his speech with a simple, warm welcome straight into a reality check: “Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment.”

A myriad of various issues erupting from the pandemic has transformed into our new “normal”. Before Sanders outlined his vision for a Democratic America, he warned people that this way of life is unacceptable. Sanders revealed Trump’s negligence in not only protecting the lives of minorities and sustaining a stable economy, but also how his recent responses of preventing people from voting and threatening to delay the election have shifted into an authoritarian approach. The manipulative behavior of Trump in an attempt to achieve what he desires is not the America that Sanders envisions.

Along with revealing Trump’s sheer authoritarianism, Sanders mentioned the point that after six months when America faced the pandemic, we’re still unprepared. Sanders added that Trump has attacked doctors and scientists trying to protect us from the pandemic, while refusing to take strong action to produce the masks, gowns, and gloves our healthcare workers desperately need.

Sanders continued to note Trump’s failure in adhering to his promises during the 2016 election. His assurance of protecting working families, Social Security, and Medicare all evidently seemed to not happen four years later at the end of his presidency. But, throughout his defense for democracy and spotlighting the economic crisis at stake, Sanders closed his speech with an important reminder of his faith towards Joe Biden and what he stands by. Biden supports raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, will make it easier for workers to join unions, make child care affordable for millions of families, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and combat climate change, and many more. “My friends,” Sanders said, “the price of failure is just too great to imagine.”

‘Donald Trump is the Wrong President for our Country’

“He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.” In the course of 18 minutes, former first lady Michelle Obama directly stated what’s best for our nation, and that’s having President Trump out of the office. Michelle reminded America how robust empathy is when dealing with unfamiliarities, as the nation can treat each other’s differences with respect rather than disdain.

Image retrieved from NBC news.

Night 2

AOC Underlined the Need for Systemic Change in 96 Seconds

​Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recognized the movements that confront the detrimental issues America is facing today, including social, economic, and human rights like assured health care, labor rights, and living wages to “the wounds of racial injustice, colonization, misogyny, and homophobia”.

​She closed her brief, albeit powerful speech to second the nomination of Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont for president of the United States of America

Bill Clinton Laid the Sheer Differences between Trump and Biden

Former President Bill Clinton summarized Trump’s approach to handling the COVID-19 pandemic in merely three words: blame, bully, and belittle. Similarly to Governor Cuomo’s speech, Clinton uncovered Trump’s failed optimism that made him ignore the severity of the pandemic earlier in 2020. The government, in what should be a Command Center according to Clinton, is now a storm center. Trump has ignored the advice from experts and the signals from reporters to acknowledge the damage he has done for America.

“Our party is united in offering you a very different choice: a go-to-work president. A down-to-earth, get-the-job-done guy. A man with a mission: to take responsibility, not shift the blame; concentrate, not distract; unite, not divide.”

Clinton continued to note the heroic efforts of Joe Biden when America dealt with heavy socio-economic problems from the past. During the 2009 recession, a period with the worst economy since the Great Depression, Joe Biden and Barack Obama managed to deliver more than six straight years of job growth. Their work surrounding the Recovery Act revived the economy by creating a plethora of jobs and starting new companies in communities across America. Clinton further outlined Biden’s plan to build America up again, and closed his speech with a powerful remark of the fate of America.
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Night 3

Hillary Clinton Reminded Us the Importance of Voting

Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton reminded us that you can win the popular vote yet still lose the election, as she recounted on her loss of the 2016 election due to the Electoral College. As people frequently tell Clinton their regrets of not voting, in which Clinton stated in her speech as “woulda, coulda, shoulda”, she emphasized why people must vote now more than ever. “We need numbers so overwhelming Trump can't sneak or steal his way to victory.”

Hillary Clinton implored the American public to vote for parents struggling to balance their child’s education and safety, health care workers fighting COVID-19 with no support from the White House, paid family leave and health care for all, law enforcements that serve and respect communities of color, and more.

Kamala Harris Accepts Her Nomination as Vice President

The Democratic vice presidential nominee delivered a heartfelt speech that began with the lessons her and her sister, Maya Harris, learned from their trailblazing mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. Shyamala raised her two children alone after her divorce with Donald Harris when Kamala was five. Kamala recollected on the various lessons from her mother in the beginning of her speech: to be proud of their Black and Indian identity, to put family first, to see a world beyond themselves, to be conscious and compassionate towards the struggles of all people, and to believe public service is a noble cause and the fight for justice is a shared responsibility.

Kamala implements the values her mother taught her in her day to day life. As the world grieves the loss of life, normalcy, and certainty, Kamala recognized how these struggles are exacerbated in marginalized communities, where the effects of structural racism produces inequities in education and technology, health care and housing, job security and transportation. “And let's be clear—there is no vaccine for racism. We've gotta do the work.”

​“It’s not about Joe or me. It’s about you.” Kamala shifted the perspective to focus on the tremendous work Americans have done, and encouraged her audience to fight with her and Biden.
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Image retrieved from ABC News.

​Night 4

Brayden Harrington Shared how Joe Biden Helped Him with Stutter

13-year-old Brayden Harrington from New Hampshire delivered a short, yet empowering speech to discuss how Joe Biden, who also grew up with a stutter, helped him cope. “It was really amazing to hear that someone like me became Vice President,” said Harrington after his first experience with meeting Biden. “I'm just a regular kid, and in a short amount of time Joe Biden made me more confident about something that's bothered me my whole life. Joe Biden cared.”

Tribute to Beau Biden

Beyond politics, America had the chance to see Joe Biden as a human being. A special tribute dedicated to Beau Biden was presented on the final night at the DNC. Beau was an American politician, attorney, and officer in the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps from Wilmington, Delaware. But in closed doors, Beau was a husband, father, brother, and son, who unfortunately passed away on March 30, 2015, due to brain cancer. The indescribable feeling of loss Joe dealt with allowed the American audience to understand Joe’s compassion and empathy.

Joe Biden Accepts Nomination for President of the USA

The Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden delivered his 25-minute speech that managed to captivate his audience as he addressed the need of character, compassion, and decency. He detailed the overwhelming statistics that has become a reality for America: 5 million Americans infected with COVID-19, more than 170,000 Americans have died, more than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year, more than 10 million people are going to lose their health insurance this year, and nearly one in 6 small businesses have closed this year. If Trump is reelected, Biden warned, then these statistics will simply escalate.

His progressive ideas follow a clear plan that Biden introduced in his speech; his first step as president is to get control of the virus that ruined our nation. Biden acknowledged that life will never return to normal if we do not deal with the root of the problem, as we lead the world in confirmed cases and deaths for COVID-19. “In short,” Biden said, “I will do what we should have done from the very beginning.”

Furthermore, Biden informed America with his familiar feeling of grief after dealing with the loss of his mother, father, wife, daughter, and son. His coping mechanisms to find purpose in times of sorrow galvanized him to seek purpose in our nation.

Biden plans to rebuild our economy with modern roads, bridges, highways, broadband, ports and airports, as well as pipes that transport clean water to every community, 5 million new manufacturing and technology jobs so the future is made in America, a health care system that lowers premiums, deductibles, and drug prices, an education system that trains our people for the best jobs of the 21st century, and so much more. He will deal with climate change and protect Social Security and Medicare as president.

Biden delineated one of his most important conversations during his campaign—six-year-old Gianna Floyd, daughter of George Floyd. “When I leaned down to speak with her,” said Biden, “she looked into my eyes and said ‘Daddy changed the world.' Her words burrowed deep into my heart.”

​He closed his speech by citing words from the Irish poet Seamus Heaney in his attempt to make hope and history rhyme for his election.