It’s been a long week and a lot of activity, and we are starting to get a little tired – but ready for the main event.
Last night, I watched the prime-time speeches on television. I traded in my floor credential to get four limited access credentials, and I gave them to members of the Black Girls Vote organization.
They had been here all week, but had only been able to watch the proceedings on television from the hotel, not inside the United Center. I wanted to make sure they got inside and could see that part of the convention, and they were eternally grateful.
But the hotel watch parties are just as wobbly. We really get into it.
Oprah speaking was a surprise to all of us. She appealed to those voters who may be on the fence in a way that I don’t think many people can.
Every night, there is someone who really brings it, and Gov. Wes Moore did that last night. He really drove home the role of the federal government in lives, by tying his remarks to the Key Bridge collapse. Sometimes people feel removed from the federal government in their lives, but Wes tied it together.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from his speech. As a state senator, I hear him speak a lot, but last night Wes really pulled some other tools out of the tool box.
Tim Walz did an awesome job reintroducing himself to those who don’t know him.
One of the things that is really becoming clear here at the convention and beyond is the strength of the contributions of the Divine Nine Black fraternities and sororities.
Harris is an AKA, Wes Moore is an Alpha, Hakeem Jeffries is a Kappa. Today we heard from the national president of Delta Sigma Theta. I think all of the national presidents are here.
These are non-profit organizations and cannot explicitly be involved in political activities, but members of the Divine Nine are being encouraged to wear their organization colors to the United Center tonight.
You already see a lot of women wearing white, commemorating the suffrage movement. But you will see pink and green for AKA, black and gold Alpha Phi Alpha, crimson and cream for Kappa Alpha Psi, and more.
We can’t display the actual letters. But right now, I’m figuring out whether I need to go out and go shopping to get some crimson and cream clothing.
I think the role of the Divine Nine it is going to be huge for the election. Unlike with White fraternities, joining a Black sorority or fraternity is a lifetime commitment. In my district, five of the Divine Nine have a presence. They are all going to play a major role in registering and mobilizing people to come out.
Tonight they are telling us we need to get to the United Center early, because it will be locked down. We are all waiting to learn who the surprise guest might be tonight, like Oprah was last night. We are all waiting with bated breath to see if it could be Beyoncé. That’s the buzz.
We know the programming is running long, extending past prime time. But when you are on the floor of the United Center, you aren’t looking at your watch and thinking about the time. You only think about it during the long walk out, and when you know there are still other events and receptions to attend that night.
There will be no credential-trading tonight.
State Sen. Antonio Hayes will be authoring a convention diary as the DNC meets in Chicago this week.
Good job man. I’ve been to six conventions and it sucks how some people just can’t get in. Nice job sharing the access!
As to Wes. Dang, he was great! I spent a year of my life dissing that man while helping Tom Perez (I’m a Union guy and Tom was ready to go full Union Yes) and then after we lost I met Wes and my God, what a guy. I now absolutely love him! Only bad thing about a President Kamala is that I won’t be able to help make Wes our President in 2028 and by 2036, he might not be too old to head out to the primary states and win, but I sure as heck will be!