The Democratic National Convention’s first night featured an unusual send-off, as it came just a month after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed his former running mate, Kamala Harris.
However, the Convention was greeted by pro-Palestinian protesters who charged Harris to slam Israel with an arms embargo or risk losing their votes in the November election. Protesters had gathered at the Chicago convention to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to US weapons transfers to Israel.
Rich Barnes said that opposing Israel’s war in Gaza is not a complicated issue. “Are we for mass murdering babies, or are we against it? To me, it’s a pretty simple equation,” he said, holding Palestinian and Irish flags near the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Monday.
Barnes was one of thousands of protesters who blanketed the grass of Union Park, blocked away from the Democratic National Convention, to demand an end to United States support for Israel’s war.
As the Democrats gathered at the convention to present Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee, several Palestinian rights advocates said that they would not vote for Harris unless she agreed to an arms embargo against Israel.
The demonstration, dubbed the “March on the DNC”, also demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The demonstrators criticised the Biden administration’s support of Israel’s war in Gaza, but the issue received little mention during the first night of speeches at the DNC.
While pro-Palestinian organisers saw smaller numbers than the “tens of thousands” they initially expected, the demonstration outside the United Center proved to be energetic enough to break through a security barricade – leading to 13 arrests.
The demonstrators received one brief acknowledgement from Mr Biden during his speech on Monday night. He said that the Chicago protestors “have a point”, though he added that many innocent people were killed “on both sides”.
The Hamas-run health ministry says Israel’s war in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, while about 1,200 Israelis have been killed, according to their government.
Additional protests are planned for the rest of the week at the DNC. Asked whether any Palestinians could voice their concerns on the convention stage, a Harris campaign spokesperson told reporters on Tuesday that they had no scheduling updates.
Ms Harris broke tradition and spoke on the convention’s first night to express her gratitude for her boss.
“I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden,” she said.
The night she showcased a range of speakers, from Olympic gold medal-winning basketball coach Steve Kerr to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
But Mr Biden gave the prime-time address on Monday night. He praised Ms Harris’s leadership and promised that America’s best days were “before us.”
Only four weeks ago, President Biden had every intention of closing the Democratic convention and watching a slate of speakers spend this week praising his administration.
But after a wild month in US politics, Biden instead spoke as a surrogate for his former running mate—a job he fulfilled at Chicago’s United Center on the opening night of the convention.
Despite the change of fortune, Mr Biden was greeted by minutes of uninterrupted applause from a crowd of thousands. They chanted, “Thank you, Joe!” for his time in office and his decision to pass the torch to Ms Harris.
The loud and lasting cheers brought tears to Mr Biden’s eyes after he hugged his daughter, Ashley Biden, who introduced him to the convention. He then gave a 50-minute speech, touting his administration’s accomplishments and discussing the threat that Republican nominee Donald Trump poses.
This speech could be one of the last the president gives in front of a crowd that size and with thunderous cheers. The loudest applause line came near the end when he told the audience, “America, America, I gave my best to you.”
While the first night of the DNC featured some of the Democratic Party’s most seasoned leaders, including Mr Biden and Ms Clinton, much of the programme was dedicated to ushering in a new generation of Democrats.
Several of the party’s rising stars, including Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and progressive lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, were featured throughout the evening.
Monday appeared to serve as a means of passing the political torch from one generation to another and healing any perceived wounds that occurred during a difficult month for Democrats.
Several of the lawmakers who took the stage on Monday – including Ms Ocasio-Cortez and Delaware Senator Chris Coons – had advocated for Mr Biden to stay in the race just a few weeks ago. But each one spoke about being all in for Ms Harris.
“Kamala Harris is for the middle class because she is from the middle class,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez told the convention in her first significant party convention speech.
Others who worked to push out Mr Biden from the presidential race – such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – cheered him on during his speech.
