2020 Democratic National Convention
The 2020 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention that was held from August 17 to 20, 2020, at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and virtually across the United States. At the convention, delegates of the United States Democratic Party formally chose former vice president Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris of California as the party's nominees for president and vice president, respectively, in the 2020 United States presidential election.
Originally scheduled to be held July 13–16, 2020, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee just a week before the planned start of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, the convention was postponed to August 17–20, 2020, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The convention was ultimately downsized, with its location shifted to the city's Wisconsin Center. Due to pandemic restraints, Milwaukee's host city role was decreased to that of a headquarters for the broadcast, with most of the convention activities occurring remotely from sites across the United States.
Adapting to pandemic restraints, the format was substantially different from previous conventions, with the duration of each day of the convention being significantly shorter than in past conventions and with most of the convention activity occurring held remotely from many venues across the country rather than at a single venue. Its activities were largely decentralized and it was regarded to be a "virtual" convention. However, the convention was officially considered to centered at the Wisconsin Center, which is where its production was headquartered, its roll call was directed from, and where a limited number of speeches (primarily those by Wisconsin politicians) were delivered. Both Biden and Harris instead delivered their acceptance speeches remotely from the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden and Harris went on to win the 2020 election, defeating the Republican party ticket of incumbent president Donald Trump, and Vice President Mike Pence.
Background edit
The convention was the 49th Democratic National Convention.
Site selection edit
Bids on the site for the convention were solicited by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in late 2017.[3] Preliminary requirements for host cities that the DNC laid out included that they should have between 17,000 and 18,000 hotel rooms (including 1,000 luxury suites) located within 30 minutes of the convention venue.[4]
The Democratic National Committee made the bids public in the spring of 2018.[3] Las Vegas withdrew and decided to focus on the 2020 Republican National Convention, for which its bid was subsequently defeated by Charlotte.[5] In April 2018, the Democratic National Committee sent requests for proposals to the eight remaining cities that had expressed interest in hosting the event (Atlanta, Birmingham, Denver, Houston, Miami, Milwaukee, New York City, and San Francisco).[6]
On June 20, 2018, the Democratic National Committee announced four finalists for the convention site (Denver, Houston, Miami, and Milwaukee). Immediately following the announcement, the finalist city of Denver withdrew from consideration due to apparent scheduling conflicts.[7]
Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Tom Perez announced on March 11, 2019, that Milwaukee would host the convention.[8]
The selection of Milwaukee made this the first Democratic National Convention to be hosted in the Midwestern United States since Chicago hosted the 1996 Democratic National Convention,[9] and the first to be hosted in a midwestern city other than Chicago since St. Louis hosted the 1916 Democratic National Convention.[10] This was the first major party convention held in Milwaukee.[11][12] It was also the first major party convention to be held in any city in the state of Wisconsin.[12][13]
In terms of population, Milwaukee is smaller than other metropolitan areas that had hosted recent major party conventions.[13] Milwaukee is among the smallest metropolitan areas to have hosted a major party convention.[14] Milwaukee's success in bidding for the convention was viewed in some circles as an upset, as the other two remaining finalist cities were not only larger metropolitan areas, but also had significant experience hosting major events such as Super Bowls.[15]
Milwaukee's selection was seen, in part, as emphasizing party's desire to place an focus on winning Midwestern states like Wisconsin, and its desire to win back "blue wall" states in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region.[13][16][17] The swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin had been the states which the Republican ticket of Donald Trump and Mike Pence had won by the narrowest margins in the preceding 2016 election,[18] and had these states been instead won by the 2016 Democratic ticket of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine, they would have delivered the Democratic ticket an electoral college victory in 2016.[19] The 2016 election had also been the first time since the 1980s that any of these three states had voted Republican.[20] The three aforementioned "blue wall" states were, ultimately, won by the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020.[21][22]
Some sources cited DNC chairman Tom Perez's personal connections to Milwaukee as a factor that aided Milwaukee's selection. His wife had originally been from nearby Wauwatosa, they had held their wedding in Milwaukee, and their daughter was a current student at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.[23][24]
Bids edit
Several cities made efforts to be selected as the location of the 2020 convention.
City | Status of bid | Venue | Previous major party conventions hosted by city |
---|---|---|---|
Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Winner | Fiserv Forum[7][25] | — |
Houston, Texas | Finalist | Toyota Center (main venue)[7][26][27] George R. Brown Convention Center (secondary venue)[27] | Democratic:1928 Republican:1992 |
Miami, Florida | Finalist | American Airlines Arena (main venue) Miami Beach Convention Center (secondary venue)[7][28] | Democratic:1972 Republican:1968, 1972 |
Denver, Colorado | Finalist withdrew after finalist selection | Pepsi Center[7] | Democratic:1908, 2008 |
Atlanta, Georgia | Submitted a letter of interest[29] | Democratic:1988 | |
Birmingham, Alabama | Submitted a letter of interest[30][31] | — | |
Las Vegas, Nevada | Submitted a letter of interest, withdrew in order to focus on bid for 2020 RNC[5] | — | |
New York City, New York | Submitted a letter of interest[6] | Democratic: 1868, 1924, 1976, 1980, 1992 Republican: 2004 | |
San Francisco, California | Submitted a letter of interest[6] | Democratic: 1920, 1984 Republican:1956, 1964 |
Change of venue edit
On June 24, 2020, it was announced that the convention had been downsized and would be held at Milwaukee's Wisconsin Center instead of its originally planned venue, Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum.[32][33][34] The change of location made this the first major party convention held in a convention center since the 1996 Republican National Convention, and the first Democratic convention to be held in such a venue since the 1984 Democratic National Convention.[citation needed]
Role of superdelegates edit
Superdelegates are delegates to the convention who are automatically chosen by the party, rather than by the results of primaries and caucuses. While technically unpledged, in the past many of them have informally pledged themselves to a predesignated front-runner in previous elections. The superdelegate system is controversial among Democrats, and supporters of both Clinton and Sanders have called for their removal in 2020.[35][36]
The Unity Reform Commission, created after the 2016 election, recommended[37] that the number of 2020 superdelegates be drastically reduced. In July 2018, the DNC revoked the voting rights for superdelegates on the first ballot,[38][39] unless a candidate has secured a majority using only pledged delegates.[40]
Except for the presidential nomination, superdelegates will vote on all issues.[41]
Selection of pledged delegates edit
The number of delegates allocated to each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., are based on, among others, the proportion of votes each state gave to the Democratic candidate in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 presidential elections. A fixed number of pledged delegates are allocated to each of the five U.S. territories and Democrats Abroad.[42]
Qualification of suspended campaigns edit
The Democratic National Committee's 2020 selection rules state that any candidate who is no longer running loses the statewide delegates they have won and those delegates are then reallocated to candidates still in the race. However, the interpretation of this rule in 2020 races might be different from the interpretation in past races.[43] In previous elections, such as the 2008 presidential primary, candidates would suspend their candidacies rather than formally withdraw, allowing their already pledged delegates to attend the convention and pick up new ones along the way.[44] They would then formally withdraw when it was too late to reallocate the delegations.[citation needed]
Logistics edit
Before it was downsized, 50,000 people had been expected to attend the convention.[45] 31 state delegations were to stay in 2,926 Milwaukee-area hotel rooms and 26 delegations were to stay in 2,841 hotel rooms in Lake County and Rosemont, Illinois. Another 11,000 hotel rooms were to house volunteers, members of the media, donors, and other attendees.[46] Additionally, dormitories at Milwaukee-area universities and colleges were planned to accommodate some convention guests and volunteers.[47] The Hilton Milwaukee City Center was to serve as the convention's "headquarters hotel".[48]
Milwaukee had been planning an extension of its streetcar line to be completed in advance of the convention. However, these plans faltered, and no expansion was built before the convention.[49][50]
Organizers were originally planning to recruit 15,000 volunteers.[51]
The firm Populous was named as the event architect. Populous was assigned to work in partnership with Milwaukee firm American Design Inc.[52][53] In February 2020, Milwaukee-based JCP construction was awarded the contract to be the construction general contractor for the convention.[52] Hargrove LLC was, at the same time, awarded the contract to serve as the convention's event management firm.[52][53]
A proposal was made for the state to pass legislation that would have extended the permitted hours of operation for bars in the Milwaukee area during the convention. However, this was not passed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the proposal was abandoned.[54]
Host committee edit
The Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee was established to organize the convention.
In October 2019, the Host Committee announced its leadership team.[55] The president of the Host Committee was Liz Gilbert.[55] Leadership included a board of directors.[55] Further leadership included co-chairs and vice chairs, as well as honorary vice-chairs.[55] The co-chairs of the Host Committee were Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett and Congresswoman Gwen Moore.[55] Vice chairs included Milwaukee County executive Chris Abele, U.S. senator Tammy Baldwin, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Mandela Barnes, Governor of Wisconsin Tony Evers, former U.S. senator Herb Kohl.[55] Honorary vice chairs included Milwaukee Common Council president Ashanti Hamilton and Wisconsin state treasurer Sarah Godlewski, Democratic leader for the Wisconsin State Assembly Gordon Hintz, Attorney General of Wisconsin Josh Kaul, Congressman Ron Kind, Wisconsin secretary of state Doug La Follette, Congressman Mark Pocan, and Wisconsin State Senate minority leader Jennifer Shilling.[55] Additionally, the Host Committee's honorary finance chair was Alex Lasry, the senior vice president of the Milwaukee Bucks.[55]
In early February 2020, Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee president Liz Gilbert and her chief-of-staff Adam Lonso were both fired after an investigation found that the committee's "work environment did not meet the ideals and expectations" of the organization's board (with allegations of a "toxic" work environment).[56] Acting as interim leader of the Host Committee was Teresa Vilmain.[57] In late February, new leadership team was announced with Raquel Filmanowicz serving as CEO and Paula Penebaker serving as COO, with both taking these positions formally on March 2, 2020.[57]
The host committee raised $40 million to stage the convention.[58]
Delay and downsizing edit
The convention was originally scheduled to be held July 13–16, 2020,[59] On April 2, 2020, it was announced that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the convention would be delayed to August 17–20.[60]
As early as April 2020, the Democratic Party had been bracing for the possibility of a virtual convention.[61] On May 12, 2020, the Democratic National Committee authorized the convention planners to research alternative methods for participants to cast votes, considering the possibility that the Democratic National Committee may decide to hold the entire convention virtually.[62]
On June 24, 2020, it was announced that the convention was to be downsized. The venue was shifted from the Fiserv Forum to the Wisconsin Center. But, instead of the entire convention being held in Milwaukee, it would now feature Milwaukee as merely a hub city for the major convention events. The convention was now planned to instead consist of what the DNC said would be "curated content from Milwaukee and other satellite cities, locations, and landmarks across the country".[63][33][64] All official business will now be conducted remotely. Organizers canceled official parties and events scheduled to be held in Milwaukee before and coinciding with the convention.[33] Delegates were asked to no longer travel to Milwaukee, and plans were now formally made to implement a system for them to cast their votes virtually.[65] The following month, in mid-July, members of Congress were also told not to travel to Milwaukee for the event.[66]
At the announcement of the downsizing it was declared that Biden would accept his nomination in Milwaukee.[63] It was later announced on July 30, 2020, that his running mate would also accept her nomination in Milwaukee.[67] However, on August 5, 2020, it was announced that Biden no longer planned to travel to Milwaukee to accept his nomination, and would instead do so from Delaware.[68][69] It was also announced then that a number of other speakers that had been scheduled to travel to Milwaukee, including Biden's running mate, would also instead be addressing the convention remotely.[68][70] This was seen as, effectively, moving to make the convention almost entirely virtual.[70] This was the first time that a major party presidential candidate had accepted their nomination remotely from the official site of the convention since Franklin D. Roosevelt did so in 1944.[71]
There were initially plans to have up to 5,000 attendees in Milwaukee for the convention at the inception of its downsizing.[45] This was later further reduced to 1,000, and then again reduced 300 people, including both attendees and media granted access.[45][72] Due to an order imposed by the Milwaukee Health Department barring gatherings over 250 people, the total number of people permitted to gather at the Milwaukee convention hub was ultimately capped at that number.[61][73][74] There were no delegates in the Wisconsin Center.[75] While speakers were not traveling to Milwaukee, plans were retained for Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Tom Perez and Secretary of the Democratic National Committee Jason Rae (also secretary of the convention) to be in Milwaukee.[76][77]
The owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Fiserv Forum threatened to sue the Democratic Party, which had paid only $5.5 million of the $7 million rent on the venue.[78]
Following the decision to relocate the venue to Wisconsin Center, Fiserv Forum was later chosen to be as the main venue for the 2024 Republican National Convention, scheduled for July 15–18, 2024.[79]
Health protocols edit
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a number of protocols have been put in place.
Participants at Wisconsin Center were required to self-quarantine for at least 72 hours before arriving, wear personal protective equipment, undergo daily COVID-19 testing, partake in symptom tracking through a daily questionnaire, avoid bars and restaurants, and follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.[80]
Security edit
As is routine for a major party convention, the event had been designated a National Special Security Event.[81] Originally, the United States Department of Justice was to provide $50 million in security, but this was decreased to $40 million.[82]
The boundaries of the planned security footprint, in which increased security measures would be implemented, but in which individuals not attending the convention (including demonstrators) were still to be permitted, was announced in January 2020. The streets marking the boundary of the announced footprint were to be Cherry Street on the north, 10th Street on the west, Clybourn Street, and Water Street on the east.[83][84] On July 24, 2020, the Milwaukee Common Council passed an ordinance that would ban a long list of items from the security footprint, including air rifles, nunchucks, drones, containers of bodily fluids, glass bottles, and coolers.[85] On August 12, 2020, it was announced that the security footprint had been shrunk significantly.[86] The security footprint ultimately encompassed almost only areas directly surrounding the convention center.[86][87][88] Fencing was erected surrounding the Wisconsin Center.[84][89] Temporary flight restrictions were in place each night from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. CDT.[86] A ban on drones was also in place.[86]
Originally, the city originally budgeted to have approximately 3,000 law enforcement officers from outside the city assist the Milwaukee Police Department during the convention.[82] This was decreased to approximately 2,000.[82] By late July there were anticipated to be only 1,100 officers from outside the city assisting the department.[90] However, in late July, more than 100 police agencies announced that they would be withdrawing from their contracts to provide personnel to aid in security during the convention after the Milwaukee police chief announced that their department would restrict the use of tear gas and pepper spray by law enforcement during demonstrations and protests.[91] The Wisconsin National Guard then planned to provide hundreds of members to help with security.[92] There had been talk of potentially limiting boat traffic on the Milwaukee River by placing a temporary stay on all bridge openings, but this security measure did not materialize.[86][93]
Programming edit
The official theme of the convention was "Uniting America".[94] The Wisconsin Center was used for the convention's broadcast and production, acting as the control room and "hub" of the convention production.[95][96] The convention's programming was a mix of pre-recorded segments and live broadcasts from sites across the United States.[71] The convention organizers established a custom video control room in the exhibit hall on the third floor of the Wisconsin Center,[97][98] designed to handle hundreds of feeds from across the country, in order to accommodate the remote speeches.[68][99] Supplementary control rooms existed in other locations, such as in Delaware.[100] Producer Glenn Weiss oversaw the production from a temporary control studio created for him at his personal residence.[101] Also acting as producer was Ricky Kirshner.[101][63][102]
Speakers appeared from various "satellite locations", including key studios in Los Angeles, New York City, and at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware.[103][104] The broadcasts were emceed by their nightly hosts from the studio in Los Angeles.[103] All of the speeches were held behind closed doors with no in-person audience.[105]
A stage was set up in a conference room on the second floor of the Wisconsin Center.[97][98] The stage at the Wisconsin Center saw limited use, with a number of participants from Wisconsin using it as the venue for their participation in the convention.[97][106] Convention secretary Jason Rae also directed the roll call from the Wisconsin Center stage.[106] The roll call featured votes being presented from locations in each state or territory, with some of the votes presented by special guests emphasizing Biden's history and platform; Bob Casey Jr. appeared from Biden's childhood home in Scranton, Pennsylvania, LGBT rights activists Judy and Dennis Shepard presented Wyoming's votes, and gun control advocate Fred Guttenberg (whose daughter was killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting) presented Florida's votes.[107]
The duration of the convention program was significantly downsized from one that was originally expected to total 24 hours over the four days to one that would total only eight hours.[58] The downsizing led the convention organizers to need far fewer volunteers than the 15,000 they had originally been trying to recruit.[108]
Music performances were filmed for inclusion in the main programming.[109]
In addition to the televised convention programming, further content was livestreamed by the Democratic Party on digital platforms. Prior to the beginning of each night's programming, the hip-hop music channel Behind the Rhyme on Twitch streamed the official pre-show and post-show for each night, with the latter featuring performances by Beverly Bond, Vashtie, DJ Cassidy, Jermaine Dupri on each night respectively.[109] The political podcast Pod Save America also aired a "Live from the Democratic National Couch-vention" special prior to the August 20 broadcast, which featured the premiere of its new documentary short Dress Rehearsal, which chronicled the April 2020 state Supreme Court election in Wisconsin.[110][111] Following the closing night of the convention, the Democratic Party livestreamed an "after party" on digital platforms hosted by Andy Cohen and headlined by musician Diplo. The program featured segments featuring celebrities filmed from their homes. Celebrities participating in the "after party" broadcast included Alyssa Milano, Aubrey Plaza, Liza Koshy, Zooey Deschanel, Michelle Kwan, Nicole Ehrlich, Cat Cora, Jaime Camil, Elena Delle Donne, Jason Winston George, Keith Powell, and Neil Casey. Also featured in the "after party" program were political figures such as Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez, Senator Chris Coons, and Biden campaign advisor Symone Sanders.[112][113]
Platform edit
In April, shortly after Sanders endorsed Biden, the two created a "Unity task force" to draft a version of the party platform.[114] The Democratic National Convention Committee set up a series of "virtual platform meetings" to garner input from the general public.[115]
The Platform Drafting Committee Chair was Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. The Platform Standing Committee includes a number of party leaders and elected officials appointed by the DNC:[116]
Drafting process edit
Public hearings were live-streamed on the DNCC's YouTube channel on the following topics:[117]
- Monday, June 29 from 5-8 p.m. ET: "Addressing the COVID-19 Health Crisis and Building Back Better."[117] A "Medicare for All" provision was rejected by the committee on June 27 on a 125–36 vote.[118]
- Wednesday, July 1 from 5-8 p.m. ET: "A Vision for a More Equitable Future"[117]
- Thursday, July 2 from 5-8 p.m. ET: "Restoring the Soul of America"[117]
The full Platform Drafting Committee met on July 15 and 27,[119] where they submitted a finished product[120][121] to be voted on via the internet from August 1–15.
Platform provisions and ratification edit
After months of negotiations, Biden/Sanders platform task force issued its 110-page report on July 9 outlining platform recommendations.[122] Convention delegates officially adopted the Democratic Party's 2020 platform on August 18,[123] following delegate balloting by mail.[118] The platform was divided into ten sections: "pandemic response, the economy, health care, criminal justice, climate, immigration, education, foreign policy, voting rights, and identity-related rights issues."[124] The platform calls for:
- A universal public health insurance option for all Americans.[124]
- Allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices.[124]
- Universal free COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccines.[124]
- To combat climate change, eliminating carbon emissions (pollution) from power plants by 2035 and making substantial investments in U.S. infrastructure and renewable energy.[124]
- Increasing housing supply, including affordable housing.[124]
- Making community colleges tuition-free for all, and making public colleges and universities tuition-free for students from families with under $125,000 in annual income.[124]
- An increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour and an increase in the Child and Dependent Care tax credit.[124]
- Comprehensive criminal justice reform.[124]
- Repealing the Hyde Amendment.[124]
- Decriminalizing the use of marijuana and allowing states to fully legalize marijuana.[124]
- Statehood for the District of Columbia; self-determination for Puerto Rico, including the right of Puerto Ricans to decide whether to become a state; and restoration of Voting Rights Act provisions.[124]
- Comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants.[124]
- "Bring our forever wars to a responsible end" but maintain a small U.S. military presence in Iraq to "ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS"[124]
- End the "race to war with Iran" and seek restoration of the Obama-era multilateral agreement with Iran.[124]
- Support for a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, coupled with an "ironclad" commitment to the security of Israel.[124]
The platform was considered by some sources to be the most progressive in Democratic Party history,[123] and the most progressive for any major political party in U.S. history.[124] However, there was some dissent from the party's left wing over the omission of platform planks supporting single-payer healthcare ("Medicare for All") or the Green New Deal.[123] Prior to the convention, over 700 delegates, largely from Bernie Sanders' camp, previously signed a statement vowing to vote against the platform because it did not include a provision supporting Medicare for All;[125] this included U.S. representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ro Khanna.[123][126][127][124] The platform was adopted, with 3,562 delegates in support and 1,069 voted no, a further 87 abstained.[123]
Convention leadership edit
On March 26, 2019, Joe Solmonese, former president of the Human Rights Campaign, was named convention CEO.[128]
On June 1, 2020, the campaign of presumptive nominee Joe Biden named two advisers to the convention, naming Addisu Demissie as adviser for convention coordination and Lindsay Holst as senior adviser for convention and special projects.[129]
Programming was overseen by Ricky Kirshner, who acted as a producer.[63][102][101] In addition, Stephanie Cutter held the formal position of program executive.[94] Glenn Weiss acted as the director.[101] Jessica Jennings was the director of media logistics.[130]
Officers edit
On July 30, 2020, the officers of the convention were designated.[77][131] Representative Bennie Thompson served as the permanent chair of the convention.[77][132]
Permanent co-chairs were Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett, Rep. Tony Cárdenas of California, Senator Tom Carper of Delaware, Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms, and New Jersey governor Phil Murphy.[77][131] The convention's vice-chairs were Senator Bob Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania, former representative Tony Coelho of California, Representative Sharice Davids of Kansas, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Garlin Gilchrist, Congresswoman Donna Shalala of Florida, former representative Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Mandela Barnes, and Lieutenant Governor of Nevada Kate Marshall.[77][131] Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer served as honorary chairs.[77][131]
The convention's sergeant-at-arms was Representative Gwen Moore of Wisconsin.[131][133] Jason Rae acted as secretary of the convention.[77] The convention's parliamentarians were House majority leader Steny Hoyer, Helen McFadden, Sarah E. Merkle, and state senator Yvanna Cancela of Nevada.[77]
Nominating and balloting edit
Pre-convention delegate count edit
The table below reflects the presumed delegate count as per the 2020 Democratic primaries.
As of July 2020[update], the following overall number of pledged delegates is subject to change, as possible penalty/bonus delegates (awarded for each state scheduled election date and potential regional clustering) may be altered.[134]
The 2020 Democratic Party rules state that, unless a candidate has secured a majority of delegates using only pledged delegates, the superdelegates will have no voting rights on the first ballot.[38][39][40]
Candidates who have suspended their campaigns without having received any pledged or superdelegate endorsements, as well as those who've suspended their campaigns and subsequently lost their endorsements to other candidates, are not included in the table below.
The table below reflects the presumed pledged delegate count following the 2020 Democratic primaries. In addition to these, there will also be 771 superdelegate votes (including the eight half-votes belonging to Democrats Abroad superdelegates), making for 4,750 combined delegate votes.[134][135]
Candidate | Pledged delegates[136] |
---|---|
Joe Biden | 2,716 |
Bernie Sanders | 1,112 |
Elizabeth Warren | 63 |
Michael Bloomberg | 59 |
Pete Buttigieg | 21 |
Amy Klobuchar | 7 |
Tulsi Gabbard | 2 |
Total pledged delegate votes | 3,979[135] |
Presidential balloting edit
In an email, DNC secretary Jason Rae wrote to delegates outlining the process for that year's convention, noting that the planning committee "concluded that state delegations should not plan to travel to Milwaukee and official convention business will be conducted remotely."[137]
Instead of a traditional in-person roll call, delegates voted remotely using a system the planning committee crafted that enabled them to cast their ballots via email, with unique identifiers for security. The DNC had plans regarding certifying each delegate.[138] The party said delegates would be able to fill out the forms electronically, with no need for a printer or physical copy, according to the letter. The ballot, which includes questions about platform planks and the party's nominees, will be emailed to their state's committee. Once a state party had all the ballots from their delegation, the state delegation's chair would "submit a tally sheet to the Secretary's Office that formally records the number of votes cast on each item of convention business," The votes would be counted all at once on August 15, not as they come in.[138]
Voting began August 3 and ended August 15, when the state delegation chairs were asked to submit their final tallies to the DNC secretary. That meant that the party knew the tally of votes for its nominee before the convention formally began.[139][140]
Presidential roll call vote edit
The traditional roll call of the states was ceremonially held on the second night of the convention. It was done remotely from each of the 57 delegations, including all 50 states and seven additional territories/jurisdictions (the District of Columbia, the five inhabited U.S. territories, and Democrats Abroad).[141] Organizers planned for it to last approximately 30 minutes.[142] Convention secretary Jason Rae directed the roll call from the Wisconsin Center.[106]
The remote roll call was widely praised.[143][144][145][146]
Candidates | Joe Biden | Bernie Sanders | Abstain[note 2] |
---|---|---|---|
Alabama | 52 | 8 | 0 |
Alaska | 12 | 7 | 0 |
American Samoa | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Arizona | 51 | 29 | 0 |
Arkansas | 27 | 9 | 0 |
California | 263 | 231 | 0 |
Colorado | 42 | 36 | 1[a] |
Connecticut | 75 | 0 | 0 |
Delaware | 32 | 0 | 0 |
Democrats Abroad | 7 | 10 | 0 |
Washington, D.C. | 43 | 1 | 1 |
Florida | 192 | 57 | 0 |
Georgia | 117 | 0 | 1 |
Guam | 11 | 2 | 0 |
Hawaii | 23 | 9 | 1 |
Idaho | 16 | 9 | 0 |
Illinois | 122 | 59 | 1 |
Indiana | 86 | 2 | 1 |
Iowa | 38 | 11 | 0 |
Kansas | 35 | 10 | 0 |
Kentucky | 60 | 0 | 0 |
Louisiana | 60 | 0 | 0 |
Maine | 22 | 9 | 1 |
Maryland | 119 | 1 | 0 |
Massachusetts | 83 | 30 | 1 |
Michigan | 92 | 53 | 2 |
Minnesota | 60 | 31 | 0 |
Mississippi | 38 | 2 | 1 |
Missouri | 50 | 28 | 1 |
Montana | 18 | 1 | 6 |
Nebraska | 33 | 0 | 0 |
Nevada | 25 | 24 | 0 |
New Hampshire | 24 | 9 | 0 |
New Jersey | 139 | 5 | 2 |
New Mexico | 42 | 4 | 0 |
New York | 277 | 44 | 3 |
North Carolina | 83 | 39 | 0 |
North Dakota | 8 | 10 | 0 |
Northern Marianas | 9 | 2 | 0 |
Ohio | 134 | 20 | 0 |
Oklahoma | 24 | 13 | 6 |
Oregon | 57 | 16 | 1 |
Pennsylvania | 175 | 34 | 1 |
Puerto Rico | 53 | 5 | 0 |
Rhode Island | 34 | 1 | 0 |
South Carolina | 49 | 15 | 0 |
South Dakota | 17 | 3 | 1 |
Tennessee | 50 | 23 | 0 |
Texas | 161 | 98 | 1[a] |
Utah | 16 | 17 | 1 |
Vermont | 9 | 15 | 0 |
Virgin Islands, U.S. | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Virginia | 91 | 32 | 1 |
Washington | 66 | 43 | 0 |
West Virginia | 34 | 0 | 0 |
Wisconsin | 67 | 30 | 0 |
Wyoming | 11 | 4 | 3[a] |
Unassigned[147] | 2[147] | ||
States and territories | 53 | 4 | 0 |
Total delegates | 3,558 | 1,151 | 40[b] |
Announcing their states' delegates' nominations were:
Vice presidential nomination edit
The Rules Committee report which was passed by the convention addressed, among other things, the fiascos that occurred during the 1972 and 1980 conventions as regards selection of the vice-presidential nominee.
Rule C.7. of the Rules of Procedure states:[160]
7. Nomination for the Democratic Candidate for Vice President: The Democratic candidate(s) for Vice President shall be nominated by the Presidential candidate who has obtained a number of pledged delegates equal to a majority of all pledged and automatic delegates to the Convention. If there is only one nominee for Vice President, the Chair is authorized to declare the nominated individual the Democratic Candidate for Vice President.
In accordance with this provision, Biden submitted Harris's name to the chairman, Bennie Thompson, and after Thompson's public reading of the rule, she was declared nominated.
Schedule edit
Each night of the convention was planned to last two hours. In addition to the convention's overall official theme of "Uniting America", each night had an official sub-theme of its own.[94]
Monday, August 17 edit
Democratic National Convention Pool Feeds | |
---|---|
Night 1 | |
from MSNBC via YouTube[161] | |
from C-SPAN via YouTube[162] | |
from PBS NewsHour via YouTube[163] | |
from Politico via YouTube[164] |
Democratic National Convention Democratic Party Streams | |
---|---|
Night 1 | |
Official convention stream via YouTube[165] | |
Official ASL convention stream via YouTube[166] | |
Official spanish-language convention stream via YouTube[167] |
- Theme
- "We the People"[94]
- Sub-themes
- "We the People Demanding Racial Justice"[169]
- "We the People Helping Each Other Through COVID-19"[169]
- "We the People Putting Country Over Party"[169]
- "We the People Recovering"[169]
- "We the People Rise"[169]
- Evening schedule
- Opening ceremonies[77]
- Introduction by actress Eva Longoria[169]
- Call to Order by convention chair Bennie Thompson[169]
- Pledge of Allegiance[169]
- Performance of the United States national anthem ("The Star-Spangled Banner")[169]
- Invocation by Gabriel Salguero[169]
- Main convention program[169]
- Benediction by Jerry Young[169]
- Nightly close of order by convention chair Bennie Thompson[165]
- Select speakers (in order of appearance)
- Performances (in order of appearance)
- Leon Bridges performing "Sweetness"[110][165]
- Maggie Rogers performing "Back In My Body"[110][165]
- Billy Porter and Stephen Stills performing "For What It's Worth"[169][165]
- Selected film segments
- "The Path Forward": A Conversation with Vice President Biden on Racial Justice (featuring Joe Biden, Houston police chief Art Acevedo, activist Jamira Burley, activist Gwen Carr, NAACP president Derrick Johnson, and Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot)[169][165]
- A Conversation with Healthcare Workers on the Front Lines (moderated by United States women's national soccer team member Megan Rapinoe)[165][169]
- "United We Stand" (featuring Kamala Harris and former 2020 Democratic presidential candidates United States senator Cory Booker, United States senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Governor of Washington Jay Inslee, United States senator Amy Klobuchar, United States representative Seth Moulton, former United States representative Beto O'Rourke, businessman Tom Steyer, and businessman Andrew Yang)
Tuesday, August 18 edit
Democratic National Convention Pool Feeds | |
---|---|
Night 2 | |
from C-SPAN via YouTube[176] | |
from MSNBC via YouTube[177] | |
from PBS NewsHour via YouTube[178] | |
from Politico via YouTube[179] |
Democratic National Convention Democratic Party Streams | |
---|---|
Night 2 | |
Official convention stream via YouTube[148] | |
Official ASL convention stream via YouTube[180] | |
Official spanish-language convention stream via YouTube[181] |
The second night of the convention included official business, such as the nominating roll call for president.
Emcee: Tracee Ellis Ross[168]
- Theme
- "Leadership Matters"[94]
- Evening schedule
- Call to order by Mayor of Milwaukee Tom Barrett[148][182]
- Credentials Committee Report
- Rules Committee Report
- Platform Committee Report
- Keynote address[148][182]
- Main convention program (part 1)[148][182]
- Nominations and roll call[182]
- Main convention program (part 2)[182]
- Select speakers (in order of appearance)
- Select film segments
- The Biden Plan: Healthcare (narrated by Jeff Bridges)[190][148][182]
- A More Perfect Union: A Conversation on Healthcare (featuring Joe Biden, and health care activists Julie Buckholt, Steve Gomez, Jeff Jeans, Laura Packard, Angie Taylor)[191][148][182]
- The Biden Plan: National Security[148][182]
- An Unlikely Friendship (narrated in part by Cindy McCain, widow of the late Senator John McCain from Arizona)[148][192]
- Teacher[148][182]
- Performances
Wednesday, August 19 edit
Democratic National Convention Pool Feeds | |
---|---|
Night 3 | |
from C-SPAN via YouTube[193] |
Democratic National Convention Democratic Party Streams | |
---|---|
Night 3 | |
Official convention stream via YouTube[194] | |
Official ASL convention stream via YouTube[195] | |
Official spanish-language convention stream via YouTube[196] |
9:00–11:00 p.m. EDT[110]
Emcee: Kerry Washington[168]
- Theme
- "A More Perfect Union"[94]
- Sub-themes
- Evening schedule
- Prior to the evening program, the Democratic Governors Association hosted the panel "Bold Leadership: Women Governors Leading", which featured Oregon governor Kate Brown, Kansas governor Laura Kelly, New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Maine governor Janet Mills and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, and was moderated by Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo.[110]
- Introduction[194]
- Call to Order by convention chair Bennie Thompson
- Pledge of Allegiance[194]
- Main convention program[194]
- Vice-presidential nomination[77][198]
- Vice-presidential acceptance speech[194]
- Select speakers (in order of appearance)
- Select film segments
- America Rising: March for Our Lives (featuring X González)[197]
- The Biden Plan: Climate Change[194][197]
- A Conversation with Young Climate Activists[194][197]
- A Letter to Trump on Immigration[194][197]
- America Rising: Immigrants Rebuilding America[194][197]
- America Rising: From Women's Suffrage to the Women's March[194][197]
- When You See Something Wrong[194][197]
- America Recovering (featuring United States senator from Ohio Sherrod Brown, Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti, and United States congresswoman from Iowa Cindy Axne)
- Performances
- Billie Eilish performing "My Future"[194][197]
- Prince Royce performing "Stand by Me"[194][197]
- Jennifer Hudson performing "A Change Is Gonna Come"[194][197]
Thursday, August 20 edit
Democratic National Convention Pool Feeds | |
---|---|
Night 4 | |
from C-SPAN via YouTube[200] |
Democratic National Convention Democratic Party Streams | |
---|---|
Night 4 | |
Official convention stream via YouTube[201] | |
Official ASL convention stream via YouTube[202] | |
Official spanish-language convention stream via YouTube[203] |
9:00–11:00 p.m. EDT[110]
Emcee: Julia Louis-Dreyfus[168]
- Theme
- "America's Promise"[94]
- Evening schedule
- Call to Order by convention chair Bennie Thompson
- Remarks by Andrew Yang[201][204]
- Introduction by Julia Louis Dreyfus[201][204]
- Pledge of Allegiance[201][204]
- National anthem ("The Star-Spangled Banner") performed by The Chicks[201][204]
- Invocation by Sister Simone Campbell[201]
- Main convention program[201][204]
- Presidential acceptance speech[201][204]
- Fireworks display[201]
- Benediction[201]
- Adjournment by convention chair Bennie Thompson
- Select speakers (in order of appearance)
- Select film segments
- A Tribute to John Lewis (directed by Dawn Porter; featuring former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives Stacey Abrams; deceased former United States representative Elijah Cummings; United States Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; Reverend Raphael Warnock, former ambassador Andrew Young)[201][204]
- "You Built America": A Conversation on the Economy with Vice President Biden[201][204]
- The Biden Plan: Military Families (featuring Jill Biden)[201][204]
- A Tribute to Beau Biden[204]
- This Time Next Year (featuring activist Ady Barkan; Nevada senator Yvanna Cancela; Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota Peggy Flanagan; United States representative Marcia Fudge; Mayor of Long Beach, California, Robert Garcia; activist Fred Guttenberg; United States senator Kamala Harris; United States Senate candidate Jaime Harrison; Harris County, Texas, judge Lina Hidalgo; activist Dolores Huerta; convicted murderer Donna Hylton; United States senator Doug Jones; lawyer Khizr Khan; actor Daniel Dae Kim; United States senator Amy Klobuchar; author John Meacham; former United States representative Susan Molinari; former United States secretary of state Colin Powell; United States representative Beto O'Rourke; Virginia state delegate Danica Roem; lawyer James H. Roosevelt; General Francis D. Vavala; United States senator Elizabeth Warren; businessman Andrew Yang)[201][204]
- United We Stand (featuring former 2020 Democratic presidential candidates United States senator Cory Booker, former mayor of South Bend Pete Buttigieg, United States senator Amy Klobuchar, former United States representative Beto O'Rourke, United States senator Bernie Sanders, United States senator Elizabeth Warren, and businessman Andrew Yang)[201][204]
- The Biden Grandchildren[201][204]
- Keeping the Faith w/ The Currys (featuring Stephen Curry and his family)[201]
- Biden Introduction[204]
- Select performances
- The Chicks performing "The Star-Spangled Banner"[201][204]
- John Legend and Common performing "Glory"[204]
Speakers and other events edit
In the past, hundreds of people had addressed each convention, giving many local or statewide candidates a valuable photo op, a notable difference from this convention. Some of the speeches at this convention were pre-recorded.[208]
The convention included performances by Leon Bridges, the Chicks, Common, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Billy Porter, Maggie Rogers, Prince Royce, Stephen Stills, and others.[209]
A number of speakers at the convention included individuals who are everyday Americans, rather than officeholders or celebrities.[142][210] A number of these speakers were dissatisfied Republicans, including individuals who had voted for Trump in 2016, but plan on voting for Biden in 2020.[142][211]
Daytime events edit
Caucus meetings and other events were streamed on various platforms earlier on the days of the convention.[110] Virtual policy roundtables were hosted in partnership with Business Forward.[212] Many partner organization events were planned to be held, including a Protect Our Care health care panel with Nancy Pelosi, Xavier Becerra, Kathleen Sebelius, and three of the five health care activists featured in a conversation with Joe Biden on Night 2 of the convention.[213]
Before the convention opened, an Interfaith Welcome Service was held virtually on August 16, a partner event to the DNC.[214]
Notable speeches edit
Jill Biden edit
How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole. With love and understanding – and with small acts of kindness. With bravery. With unwavering faith.
— Jill Biden at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[215]
Jill Biden, the spouse of presidential nominee Joe Biden and the former second lady of the United States, delivered her speech on the second night of the convention from the classroom at Brandywine High School in Wilmington, Delaware, where she had been an English teacher from 1991 through 1993.
Biden's speech was focused on both family and education. She discussed how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic had impacted education, as well as families and the economy. She touted her husband as a candidate capable of tackling the pandemic.
Biden also recounted the personal tragedies that her husband had endured, including the deaths of his first wife, Neilia, and first-born daughter, Naomi, in a 1972 automobile accident, and the 2015 death of his son Beau from brain cancer.[216]
Joe Biden edit
Here and now I give you my word. If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness. It's time for us, for we, the people, to come together. And make no mistake. United we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020) |
Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic nominee for president, delivered a speech on the fourth night of the convention from Wilmington, Delaware. A common motif emphasized throughout was the conflict between light and darkness, casting himself as an element of light and Donald Trump as an element of darkness .[218] While drawing a contrast between himself and Trump, Biden's speech did not include any utterances of his main opponent's name.[219]
Biden began his speech by quoting Ella Baker.[217] Biden pledged to be a president for all Americans, regardless of whether or not they voted for him.[217]
Biden referenced the murder of George Floyd in his speech.[217]
Michael Bloomberg edit
The two people running for president couldn't be more different. One believes in facts. One does not. One listens to experts. The other thinks he knows everything. One looks forward and sees strength in America's diversity. The other looks backwards and sees immigrants as enemies and white supremacists as allies. Here's another difference. One has proven he knows how to handle a crisis by helping to lead the economic turnaround after the 2008 recession, while the other has not only failed to lead, he has made the current crisis much worse.
— Michael Bloomberg at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[220]
Former mayor of New York City and candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination Michael Bloomberg delivered his speech on the final night of the convention from Colorado.[207]
Bloomberg laid contrast between incumbent Republican president Donald Trump and Biden.[220]
Bloomberg declared, "I'm not asking you to vote against Donald Trump because he's a bad guy. I'm urging you to vote against him because he's done a bad job."[220]
Bloomberg likened the prospect reelecting Trump to rehiring or working for, "someone who ran your business into the ground, and who always does what's best for him or her, even when it hurts the company, and whose reckless decisions put you in danger".[220]
Pete Buttigieg edit
I trust Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to guide this nation toward that better future, because I have seen their commitment, and their empathy, up close. And I trust the capacity of America to grow more inclusive, because I have lived it.
— Pete Buttigieg at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[221]
Former mayor of South Bend, Indiana and candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination Pete Buttigieg delivered his speech on the final night of the convention from LangLab in South Bend, Indiana, where he and his husband, Chasten, had held their wedding reception years earlier.[222]
Buttigieg, himself openly homosexual, highlighted the progress that the United States had made on LGBT rights during his lifetime, pointing to his marriage (enabled by the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision) and the viability of his candidacy as an openly gay candidate for the presidency as two examples of such progress.[221][222] He also mentioned how, earlier in his life, when he served in the military, the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy (which had since been repealed in 2011 under the Obama administration) had barred him from being open about his sexuality while in service.[221]
Bill Clinton edit
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. Our choice is Joe Biden.
— Bill Clinton at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[223]
Former president of the United States Bill Clinton delivered his speech on the second night of the convention from Chappaqua, New York.[148]
Clinton began his speech by declaring that he believed United States presidential elections to be, "the world's most important job interview".[223]
Clinton lambasted President Donald Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[223]
Clinton praised Biden's work in the Obama administration on efforts to repair the United States economy from the Great Recession.[223] He praised Biden's plans to rebuild the United States economy from the downturn it experienced amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[223]
He argued that Biden should be elected and that Trump should be denied a second term, declaring, "You know what Donald Trump will do with four more years: blame, bully, and belittle. And you know what Joe Biden will do: build back better."[223]
Hillary Clinton edit
This section relies largely or entirely on a single source. (August 2020) |
For four years, people have said to me, 'I didn't realize how dangerous (Trump) was,' 'I wish I could go back and do it over,' 'I should have voted.' This can't be another woulda-coulda-shoulda election. If you're voting by mail, request your ballot now, and send it back as soon as you can. If you vote in person, do it early. Bring a friend and wear a mask. Become a poll worker...Remember, Joe and Kamala can win 3 million more votes and still lose. Take it from me. We need numbers so overwhelming Trump can't sneak or steal his way to victory.
— Hillary Clinton at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[224]
Former United States secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton delivered her speech on the third night of the convention from Chappaqua, New York.[194]
Clinton praised Biden and Harris as, "leaders equal to this moment".[224] She praised Biden's "thoughtfulness and empathy".[224] She praised Harris as a, "daughter of an extraordinary mother," as well as, "relentless in the pursuit of justice, and uncommonly kind."[224]
Clinton, herself a former First Lady of the United States, expressed joy towards Jill Biden's intentions to continue her work as an educator if she becomes First Lady.[224]
Clinton urged voters not to repeat the result of the 2016 election in which Trump had defeated her in the United States Electoral College, thus winning the presidency.[224]
Clinton criticized Trump's presidency, saying, "Remember in 2016 when Trump asked 'What do you have to lose?' Well, now we know. Our health, our jobs, even our lives. Our leadership in the world and, yes, our post office."[224]
Clinton stated that she believes that it is morally wrong that the richest Americans saw their wealth increase during the pandemic while tens of millions of other Americans lost.[224]
Clinton declared, reiterating an African proverb she had helped popularize in the United States, that "it still takes a village". Her speech invoked DREAMers, and reiterated support for Black Lives Matter, while invoking the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, and the killing of Breonna Taylor.[224]
Clinton invoked the struggle for voting rights in the United States. She mentioned that the previous day had marked the centennial of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted nationwide women's suffrage.[224] She also invoked John Lewis' participation in the Selma to Montgomery marches fighting against racial injustice, including the disenfranchisement of black voters.[224]
Andrew Cuomo edit
Americans' eyes have been opened, and we have seen in this crisis the truth: that government matters and leadership matters.
— Andrew Cuomo at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[225]
Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo delivered his speech on the opening night of the convention from Albany, New York.[170]
While referencing a number of issues that plagued the nation, Cuomo's speech primarily focused on criticizing President Donald Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[225][226]
Cuomo also declared that, "Only a strong body can fight off the virus, and America's divisions weakened it."[225]
Brayden Harrington edit
Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to, someone who cares, someone who will make our country and the world feel better. We're counting on you to elect Joe Biden.
— Brayden Harrington at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[227]
Brayden Harrington spoke on the convention's closing night.[148][227] Harrington, a 13-year-old New Hampshire boy who stutters, spoke about how, on the campaign trail during the primaries, Joe Biden had related to him about his struggles overcoming a stutter of his own, and had shared advice for how to persevere through such an impediment.[148][227]
Harrington's speech attracted significant attention, being seen as one of the highlights of the convention's final night.[227]
Kamala Harris edit
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020) |
Joe and I believe that we can build that beloved community, one that is strong and decent, just and kind. One in which we all can see ourselves...I pledge to you that we will act boldly and deal with our challenges honestly. We will speak truths. And we will act with the same faith in you that we ask you to place in us.
— Kamala Harris at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[228]
In her vice-presidential nomination acceptance speech on the third night of the convention, Kamala Harris declared that she and Biden will, if elected, tackle issues facing the United States, including racial injustices.[228] Harris provided an autobiographical summary of her life and career.[228]
John Kasich edit
Joe Biden is a man for our times, times that call for all of us to take off our partisan hats and put our nation first.
— John Kasich at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[229]
Republican former governor of Ohio and 2000 and 2016 Republican presidential candidate John Kasich delivered remarks on the opening night of the convention in a pre-recorded video filmed at a road junction near his personal residence in Westerville, Ohio.[230]
Kasich began his speech by declaring that, "America is at a crossroads."[229] While calling himself a, "lifelong Republican", he declared that this came second to his sense of responsibility to the United States, which had compelled him to appear at the convention.[229]
Building on the opening metaphor of America being at a crossroads, as well as the visual metaphor of the speech's physical location at the divergence of two paths, in his closing, Kasich declared that, "When America chooses the right path and pulls together, like we've done so many times before, we can dream big dreams and we can see the top of the mountain as a United States of America, with a soul that is a beacon of freedom to the entire world"[229]
John Kerry edit
Donald Trump pretends Russia didn't attack our elections. And now, he does nothing about Russia putting a bounty on our troops. So, he won't defend our country, he doesn't know how to defend our troops. The only person he's interested in defending is himself.
— John Kerry at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[187][215]
On the opening night of the convention, former United States secretary of state and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry delivered a speech in Boston, Massachusetts, which heavily criticized Donald Trump's approach foreign policy, characterizing it as a nonstop "blooper reel".[187][231]
Kerry criticized Trump for denying the existence of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, and for what Kerry charged was Trump's failure to protect United States troops from the alleged Russian bounty program.[232]
Barack Obama edit
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020) |
Any chance of success depends entirely on the outcome of this election. This administration has shown it will tear our democracy down if that's what it takes to win. So we have to get busy building it up -- by pouring all our effort into these 76 days, and by voting like never before -- for Joe and Kamala, and candidates up and down the ticket, so that we leave no doubt about what this country we love stands for -- today and for all our days to come.
— Barack Obama at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[233]
Former United States president Barack Obama delivered his speech on the third night of the convention from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[199]
During his speech, Obama broke with the customary practice of not criticizing his presidential successor by name.[234]
In his remarks, Obama declared, "Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because he can't. And the consequences of that failure are severe. 170,000 Americans dead. Millions of jobs gone while those at the top take in more than ever. Our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before."[233]
Michelle Obama edit
Whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness, what we get instead is chaos, division, and a total and utter lack of empathy...Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. 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.
— Michelle Obama at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[235]
Former first lady of the United States Michelle Obama filmed her speech on the opening night of the convention from her personal residence in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.[175]
Obama reaffirmed her conviction in the motto she expressed during her 2016 convention speech, "when they go low, we go high".[235][236]
Obama declared her belief that, "being president doesn't change who you are; it reveals who you are."[235]
Obama touted what she felt were some the successes of her husband's presidency and Joe Biden's vice presidency, including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, respect for the United States from the international community, and steps made internationally to address climate change.[235] She contrasted these with what she felt were some of the failures of the Trump presidency. She characterized the United States under Trump's leadership as, "underperforming not simply on matters of policy, but on matters of character."[235] One failure she charged Trump with was the United States' death toll and domestic economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic, for which she faulted Trump's downplaying of the severity of the virus.[235] Another aspect of the Trump presidency she criticized was its reneging on international agreements and its betrayal of alliances that had been championed by past presidents, including Republicans Ronald Reagan and Dwight D. Eisenhower.[235] She also criticized what she regarded to be Trump's emboldening of "torch-bearing white supremacists" seen at the Unite the Right rally.[235] Obama further criticized Trump's derision of the political catchphrase and movement Black Lives Matter.[235]
After declaring Trump an unfit president, Obama remarked, "it is what it is", echoing words that Trump had recently used about the COVID-19 death toll.[236]
Obama directly invoked the murder of George Floyd and killing of Breonna Taylor by law enforcement earlier in 2020, which had become central flash points of ongoing protests and unrest that are considered part of the Black Lives Matter movement.[235]
Obama touted the virtues of Biden's character, declaring him a "profoundly decent man," that, "knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic, and lead our country."[235][236] She recounted the personal tragedies that he had endured, including the deaths of his first wife, Neilia, and first-born daughter, Naomi, in a 1972 automobile accident, and the 2015 death of his son Beau from brain cancer, declaring that Biden's "life is a testament to getting back up, and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up, to help us heal and guide us forward".[235]
Obama warned of potential voter suppression in the 2020 election, and urged citizens to collectively cast their votes for Biden, "in numbers that cannot be ignored".[236]
In the penultimate sentences of her speech, she quoted John Lewis as saying, "When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something."[235]
Nancy Pelosi edit
We will elect President Biden, whose heart is full of love for America, and rid the country of Trump's heartless disregard for America's goodness...Our mission and our pledge is to fight for a future equal to the ideals of our founders, our hopes for our children, and the sacrifices of our veterans, our brave men and women in uniform and their families.
— Nancy Pelosi at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[237]
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi delivered her speech on the third night of the convention from San Francisco, California.[194]
Pelosi began her speech by expressing her pride in the diversity of the Democratic majority she was leading in the United States House of Representatives.[237]
In her remarks Pelosi painted President Donald Trump and Republican United States Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell as dual obstacles to progress.[238]
Pelosi praised Biden as, "battle-tested, forward-looking, honest and authentic" and Harris as, "committed to our Constitution, brilliant in defending it".[237]
Colin Powell edit
Our country needs a commander in chief who takes care of our troops in the same way he would his own family...Joe Biden will be a president we will all be proud to salute. With Joe Biden in the White House, you will never doubt that he will stand with our friends and stand up to our adversaries...On day one he will restore America's leadership and our moral authority.
— Colin Powell at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[239]
Republican former United States secretary of state Colin Powell delivered his speech on the second night of the convention from Washington, D.C.[188]
Powell opened his speech by briefly recounting the stories of how each of his parents immigrated to the United States from Jamaica.[239]
Powell extolled Biden as having morally strong defining values.[239] Powell praised the sort of leadership he argued that Biden would bring to the United States as president.[239] He argued Biden would, "restore America's leadership in the world and restore the alliances we need to address the dangers that threaten our nation, from climate change to nuclear proliferation."[239]
Powell described the United States as "a country divided", and argued that President Trump was, "doing everything in his power to keep up that way", arguing that Biden would be a unifier as president.[239]
Bernie Sanders edit
We have a president who is not only incapable of addressing these crises but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism...This election is the most important in the modern history of this country. In response to the unprecedented crises we face, we need an unprecedented response—a movement, like never before, of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency—and against greed, oligarchy, and bigotry. And we need Joe Biden as our next president.
— Bernie Sanders at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[240]
United States senator from Vermont and candidate for the 2016 and 2020 Democratic nominations Bernie Sanders spoke from Burlington, Vermont, on the opening night of the convention.[58][241]
In his speech, Sanders urged his supporters to lend their support to Biden in order to oust Donald Trump.[240][241] He conceded that, while he and Biden disagree on the specifics their plans to expand healthcare coverage and lower prescription drug costs, Biden still has a plan that greatly accomplish this.[240][241] He also touted other issues for which Biden has plans.[240]
Chuck Schumer edit
America, Donald Trump has quit on you. We need a president with dignity, integrity, and the experience to lead us out of this crisis, a man with a steady hand and a big heart who will never—ever—quit on America: that man is my friend Joe Biden. He will be a great president.
— Chuck Schumer at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[242]
United States Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered his speech on the second night of the convention from the New York City, New York, borough of Brooklyn, with the Statue of Liberty in the background.[148][242]
Schumer invoked the memory of immigrants, such as his grandparents, who were greeted by the Statue of Liberty upon their arrival in the United States.[242]
Schumer argued that America will benefit from both electing the ticket of Biden and Harris, as well as from flipping control of the United States Senate from Republican to Democratic.[242]
Kristin Urquiza edit
My dad was a healthy 65-year-old. His only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that, he paid with his life...The coronavirus has made it clear that there are two Americas; the America that Donald Trump lives in and the America that my father died in. Enough is enough. Donald Trump may not have caused the coronavirus, but his dishonesty and his irresponsible actions made it so much worse
— Kristin Urquiza at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[243]
On the opening night of the convention, Kristin Urquiza, who had lost her father Mark Urquiza to COVID-19, gave a speech, in which she said that her father, who believed Donald Trump and other Republicans that Urquiza blamed for downplaying the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, had disregarded his safety and went to a karaoke bar with friends, where he possibly contracted the disease he succumbed to.[243][244][245]
Urquiza criticized Trump for "dishonesty" and "irresponsible actions", which she faulted with worsening the pandemic.[243][244]
Urquiza also said that one of the last things her father, who she said voted for Trump in 2016, had told her before dying was that he "felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump", and that she therefore planned to cast her 2020 vote for Joe Biden in honor of her father.[243][245]
Urquiza's speech was regarded by pundits to be one of the highlights of the convention's opening night.[246]
Elizabeth Warren edit
We build infrastructure like roads, bridges and communications systems so that people can work...It's time to recognize that childcare is part of the basic infrastructure of this nation—it's infrastructure for families. Joe and Kamala will make high-quality child care affordable for every family, make preschool universal, and raise the wages for every child care worker.
— Elizabeth Warren at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[247]
United States senator from Massachusetts and candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination Elizabeth Warren delivered her speech on the third night of the convention from a classroom located in a Springfield, Massachusetts, early learning center that was temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[248] Warren's speech centered on the importance of passing legislation to provide universal child care.[249]
Gretchen Whitmer edit
It's crucial that we rally together to fight this virus and build our economy back better...With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House, we will.
— Gretchen Whitmer at the 2020 Democratic National Convention[250]
Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer delivered her speech on the opening night of the convention from UAW Local 603 in Lansing, Michigan.[165]
Whitmer began by praising Barack Obama and Joe Biden's actions to rescue the auto industry amid its 2008–10 crisis.[250] Whitmer then transitioned into discussing both the Michigan and national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.[250] She argued that Biden and Harris would provide the leadership needed to address the pandemic.[250]
Keynote address (various speakers) edit
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2020) |
Aiming to have a "new kind of convention keynote", the Democratic Party chose to have seventeen "rising stars" co-present the convention's keynote address.[183] The speakers were former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives and 2018 Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams (who had a solo spotlight capping the section); Tennessee state senator Raumesh Akbari; United States r 2020, democratic, national, convention, presidential, nominating, convention, that, held, from, august, 2020, wisconsin, center, milwaukee, wisconsin, virtually, across, united, states, convention, delegates, united, states, democratic, party, formally, chose,. The 2020 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention that was held from August 17 to 20 2020 at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin and virtually across the United States At the convention delegates of the United States Democratic Party formally chose former vice president Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris of California as the party s nominees for president and vice president respectively in the 2020 United States presidential election 2020 Democratic National Convention2020 presidential electionNominees Biden and HarrisConventionDate s August 17 20 2020 note 1 CityMilwaukee Wisconsin and various locations remotelyVenueWisconsin Centerand various remote locationsChairBennie ThompsonKeynote speaker17 speakersNotable speakersJoe BidenKamala HarrisJimmy CarterBill ClintonBarack ObamaJohn KerryHillary ClintonMichelle ObamaJill BidenColin PowellChuck SchumerKeisha Lance BottomsBernie SandersCory BookerElizabeth WarrenAmy KlobucharDoug JonesCatherine Cortez MastoJim ClyburnCedric RichmondGretchen WhitmerAndrew CuomoGavin NewsomJohn KasichMuriel BowserPete ButtigiegAndrew YangAlexandria Ocasio CortezCandidatesPresidential nomineeJoe Biden of DelawareVice presidential nomineeKamala Harris of CaliforniaVotingTotal delegates4 749 1 Votes needed for nomination2 375 Absolute Majority 2 Results president Biden DE 3 558 74 92 Sanders VT 1 151 24 24 Abstention 5 0 10 Not Voting 35 0 74 Results vice president Harris CA 100 Acclamation Ballots1 2016 2024 Originally scheduled to be held July 13 16 2020 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee just a week before the planned start of the Tokyo Summer Olympics the convention was postponed to August 17 20 2020 due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic in the United States The convention was ultimately downsized with its location shifted to the city s Wisconsin Center Due to pandemic restraints Milwaukee s host city role was decreased to that of a headquarters for the broadcast with most of the convention activities occurring remotely from sites across the United States Adapting to pandemic restraints the format was substantially different from previous conventions with the duration of each day of the convention being significantly shorter than in past conventions and with most of the convention activity occurring held remotely from many venues across the country rather than at a single venue Its activities were largely decentralized and it was regarded to be a virtual convention However the convention was officially considered to centered at the Wisconsin Center which is where its production was headquartered its roll call was directed from and where a limited number of speeches primarily those by Wisconsin politicians were delivered Both Biden and Harris instead delivered their acceptance speeches remotely from the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington Delaware Biden and Harris went on to win the 2020 election defeating the Republican party ticket of incumbent president Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence Contents 1 Background 1 1 Site selection 1 1 1 Bids 1 1 2 Change of venue 1 2 Role of superdelegates 1 3 Selection of pledged delegates 1 3 1 Qualification of suspended campaigns 2 Logistics 2 1 Host committee 2 2 Delay and downsizing 2 3 Health protocols 2 4 Security 2 5 Programming 3 Platform 3 1 Drafting process 3 2 Platform provisions and ratification 4 Convention leadership 4 1 Officers 5 Nominating and balloting 5 1 Pre convention delegate count 5 2 Presidential balloting 5 2 1 Presidential roll call vote 5 2 2 Vice presidential nomination 6 Schedule 6 1 Monday August 17 6 2 Tuesday August 18 6 3 Wednesday August 19 6 4 Thursday August 20 6 5 Speakers and other events 6 6 Daytime events 7 Notable speeches 7 1 Jill Biden 7 2 Joe Biden 7 3 Michael Bloomberg 7 4 Pete Buttigieg 7 5 Bill Clinton 7 6 Hillary Clinton 7 7 Andrew Cuomo 7 8 Brayden Harrington 7 9 Kamala Harris 7 10 John Kasich 7 11 John Kerry 7 12 Barack Obama 7 13 Michelle Obama 7 14 Nancy Pelosi 7 15 Colin Powell 7 16 Bernie Sanders 7 17 Chuck Schumer 7 18 Kristin Urquiza 7 19 Elizabeth Warren 7 20 Gretchen Whitmer 7 21 Keynote address various speakers 8 Closing fireworks display 9 Demonstrations and protests 10 Broadcast and media coverage 10 1 Official streams and watch parties 10 2 Evening television viewership 10 2 1 Night 1 10 2 2 Night 2 10 2 3 Night 3 10 2 4 Night 4 11 Impact 11 1 Lack of a convention bounce 12 See also 13 Notes 14 References 15 External linksBackground edit nbsp The originally slated logo of the 49th Democratic National Convention which included a geographical representation of the host state of Wisconsin The convention was the 49th Democratic National Convention Site selection edit nbsp The host city of the convention was Milwaukee Wisconsin nbsp The Fiserv Forum was the original venue selected for the convention nbsp Wisconsin Center was ultimately the main location of the convention amid venue downsizing due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic Bids on the site for the convention were solicited by the Democratic National Committee DNC in late 2017 3 Preliminary requirements for host cities that the DNC laid out included that they should have between 17 000 and 18 000 hotel rooms including 1 000 luxury suites located within 30 minutes of the convention venue 4 The Democratic National Committee made the bids public in the spring of 2018 3 Las Vegas withdrew and decided to focus on the 2020 Republican National Convention for which its bid was subsequently defeated by Charlotte 5 In April 2018 the Democratic National Committee sent requests for proposals to the eight remaining cities that had expressed interest in hosting the event Atlanta Birmingham Denver Houston Miami Milwaukee New York City and San Francisco 6 On June 20 2018 the Democratic National Committee announced four finalists for the convention site Denver Houston Miami and Milwaukee Immediately following the announcement the finalist city of Denver withdrew from consideration due to apparent scheduling conflicts 7 Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Tom Perez announced on March 11 2019 that Milwaukee would host the convention 8 The selection of Milwaukee made this the first Democratic National Convention to be hosted in the Midwestern United States since Chicago hosted the 1996 Democratic National Convention 9 and the first to be hosted in a midwestern city other than Chicago since St Louis hosted the 1916 Democratic National Convention 10 This was the first major party convention held in Milwaukee 11 12 It was also the first major party convention to be held in any city in the state of Wisconsin 12 13 In terms of population Milwaukee is smaller than other metropolitan areas that had hosted recent major party conventions 13 Milwaukee is among the smallest metropolitan areas to have hosted a major party convention 14 Milwaukee s success in bidding for the convention was viewed in some circles as an upset as the other two remaining finalist cities were not only larger metropolitan areas but also had significant experience hosting major events such as Super Bowls 15 Milwaukee s selection was seen in part as emphasizing party s desire to place an focus on winning Midwestern states like Wisconsin and its desire to win back blue wall states in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region 13 16 17 The swing states of Michigan Pennsylvania and Wisconsin had been the states which the Republican ticket of Donald Trump and Mike Pence had won by the narrowest margins in the preceding 2016 election 18 and had these states been instead won by the 2016 Democratic ticket of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine they would have delivered the Democratic ticket an electoral college victory in 2016 19 The 2016 election had also been the first time since the 1980s that any of these three states had voted Republican 20 The three aforementioned blue wall states were ultimately won by the Biden Harris ticket in 2020 21 22 Some sources cited DNC chairman Tom Perez s personal connections to Milwaukee as a factor that aided Milwaukee s selection His wife had originally been from nearby Wauwatosa they had held their wedding in Milwaukee and their daughter was a current student at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee 23 24 Bids edit Several cities made efforts to be selected as the location of the 2020 convention Bidding cities City Status of bid Venue Previous major party conventions hosted by city Milwaukee Wisconsin Winner Fiserv Forum 7 25 Houston Texas Finalist Toyota Center main venue 7 26 27 George R Brown Convention Center secondary venue 27 Democratic 1928Republican 1992 Miami Florida Finalist American Airlines Arena main venue Miami Beach Convention Center secondary venue 7 28 Democratic 1972Republican 1968 1972 Denver Colorado Finalist withdrew after finalist selection Pepsi Center 7 Democratic 1908 2008 Atlanta Georgia Submitted a letter of interest 29 Democratic 1988 Birmingham Alabama Submitted a letter of interest 30 31 Las Vegas Nevada Submitted a letter of interest withdrew in order to focus on bid for 2020 RNC 5 New York City New York Submitted a letter of interest 6 Democratic 1868 1924 1976 1980 1992Republican 2004 San Francisco California Submitted a letter of interest 6 Democratic 1920 1984Republican 1956 1964 Change of venue edit On June 24 2020 it was announced that the convention had been downsized and would be held at Milwaukee s Wisconsin Center instead of its originally planned venue Milwaukee s Fiserv Forum 32 33 34 The change of location made this the first major party convention held in a convention center since the 1996 Republican National Convention and the first Democratic convention to be held in such a venue since the 1984 Democratic National Convention citation needed Role of superdelegates edit See also List of 2020 Democratic Party automatic delegates Superdelegates are delegates to the convention who are automatically chosen by the party rather than by the results of primaries and caucuses While technically unpledged in the past many of them have informally pledged themselves to a predesignated front runner in previous elections The superdelegate system is controversial among Democrats and supporters of both Clinton and Sanders have called for their removal in 2020 35 36 The Unity Reform Commission created after the 2016 election recommended 37 that the number of 2020 superdelegates be drastically reduced In July 2018 the DNC revoked the voting rights for superdelegates on the first ballot 38 39 unless a candidate has secured a majority using only pledged delegates 40 Except for the presidential nomination superdelegates will vote on all issues 41 Selection of pledged delegates edit See also 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries The number of delegates allocated to each of the 50 states and Washington D C are based on among others the proportion of votes each state gave to the Democratic candidate in the 2008 2012 and 2016 presidential elections A fixed number of pledged delegates are allocated to each of the five U S territories and Democrats Abroad 42 Qualification of suspended campaigns edit The Democratic National Committee s 2020 selection rules state that any candidate who is no longer running loses the statewide delegates they have won and those delegates are then reallocated to candidates still in the race However the interpretation of this rule in 2020 races might be different from the interpretation in past races 43 In previous elections such as the 2008 presidential primary candidates would suspend their candidacies rather than formally withdraw allowing their already pledged delegates to attend the convention and pick up new ones along the way 44 They would then formally withdraw when it was too late to reallocate the delegations citation needed Logistics editBefore it was downsized 50 000 people had been expected to attend the convention 45 31 state delegations were to stay in 2 926 Milwaukee area hotel rooms and 26 delegations were to stay in 2 841 hotel rooms in Lake County and Rosemont Illinois Another 11 000 hotel rooms were to house volunteers members of the media donors and other attendees 46 Additionally dormitories at Milwaukee area universities and colleges were planned to accommodate some convention guests and volunteers 47 The Hilton Milwaukee City Center was to serve as the convention s headquarters hotel 48 Milwaukee had been planning an extension of its streetcar line to be completed in advance of the convention However these plans faltered and no expansion was built before the convention 49 50 Organizers were originally planning to recruit 15 000 volunteers 51 The firm Populous was named as the event architect Populous was assigned to work in partnership with Milwaukee firm American Design Inc 52 53 In February 2020 Milwaukee based JCP construction was awarded the contract to be the construction general contractor for the convention 52 Hargrove LLC was at the same time awarded the contract to serve as the convention s event management firm 52 53 A proposal was made for the state to pass legislation that would have extended the permitted hours of operation for bars in the Milwaukee area during the convention However this was not passed prior to the COVID 19 pandemic and the proposal was abandoned 54 Host committee edit nbsp Host committee logo The Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee was established to organize the convention In October 2019 the Host Committee announced its leadership team 55 The president of the Host Committee was Liz Gilbert 55 Leadership included a board of directors 55 Further leadership included co chairs and vice chairs as well as honorary vice chairs 55 The co chairs of the Host Committee were Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett and Congresswoman Gwen Moore 55 Vice chairs included Milwaukee County executive Chris Abele U S senator Tammy Baldwin Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Mandela Barnes Governor of Wisconsin Tony Evers former U S senator Herb Kohl 55 Honorary vice chairs included Milwaukee Common Council president Ashanti Hamilton and Wisconsin state treasurer Sarah Godlewski Democratic leader for the Wisconsin State Assembly Gordon Hintz Attorney General of Wisconsin Josh Kaul Congressman Ron Kind Wisconsin secretary of state Doug La Follette Congressman Mark Pocan and Wisconsin State Senate minority leader Jennifer Shilling 55 Additionally the Host Committee s honorary finance chair was Alex Lasry the senior vice president of the Milwaukee Bucks 55 In early February 2020 Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee president Liz Gilbert and her chief of staff Adam Lonso were both fired after an investigation found that the committee s work environment did not meet the ideals and expectations of the organization s board with allegations of a toxic work environment 56 Acting as interim leader of the Host Committee was Teresa Vilmain 57 In late February new leadership team was announced with Raquel Filmanowicz serving as CEO and Paula Penebaker serving as COO with both taking these positions formally on March 2 2020 57 The host committee raised 40 million to stage the convention 58 Delay and downsizing edit The convention was originally scheduled to be held July 13 16 2020 59 On April 2 2020 it was announced that due to the COVID 19 pandemic the convention would be delayed to August 17 20 60 As early as April 2020 the Democratic Party had been bracing for the possibility of a virtual convention 61 On May 12 2020 the Democratic National Committee authorized the convention planners to research alternative methods for participants to cast votes considering the possibility that the Democratic National Committee may decide to hold the entire convention virtually 62 On June 24 2020 it was announced that the convention was to be downsized The venue was shifted from the Fiserv Forum to the Wisconsin Center But instead of the entire convention being held in Milwaukee it would now feature Milwaukee as merely a hub city for the major convention events The convention was now planned to instead consist of what the DNC said would be curated content from Milwaukee and other satellite cities locations and landmarks across the country 63 33 64 All official business will now be conducted remotely Organizers canceled official parties and events scheduled to be held in Milwaukee before and coinciding with the convention 33 Delegates were asked to no longer travel to Milwaukee and plans were now formally made to implement a system for them to cast their votes virtually 65 The following month in mid July members of Congress were also told not to travel to Milwaukee for the event 66 At the announcement of the downsizing it was declared that Biden would accept his nomination in Milwaukee 63 It was later announced on July 30 2020 that his running mate would also accept her nomination in Milwaukee 67 However on August 5 2020 it was announced that Biden no longer planned to travel to Milwaukee to accept his nomination and would instead do so from Delaware 68 69 It was also announced then that a number of other speakers that had been scheduled to travel to Milwaukee including Biden s running mate would also instead be addressing the convention remotely 68 70 This was seen as effectively moving to make the convention almost entirely virtual 70 This was the first time that a major party presidential candidate had accepted their nomination remotely from the official site of the convention since Franklin D Roosevelt did so in 1944 71 There were initially plans to have up to 5 000 attendees in Milwaukee for the convention at the inception of its downsizing 45 This was later further reduced to 1 000 and then again reduced 300 people including both attendees and media granted access 45 72 Due to an order imposed by the Milwaukee Health Department barring gatherings over 250 people the total number of people permitted to gather at the Milwaukee convention hub was ultimately capped at that number 61 73 74 There were no delegates in the Wisconsin Center 75 While speakers were not traveling to Milwaukee plans were retained for Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Tom Perez and Secretary of the Democratic National Committee Jason Rae also secretary of the convention to be in Milwaukee 76 77 The owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Fiserv Forum threatened to sue the Democratic Party which had paid only 5 5 million of the 7 million rent on the venue 78 Following the decision to relocate the venue to Wisconsin Center Fiserv Forum was later chosen to be as the main venue for the 2024 Republican National Convention scheduled for July 15 18 2024 79 Health protocols edit Due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic a number of protocols have been put in place Participants at Wisconsin Center were required to self quarantine for at least 72 hours before arriving wear personal protective equipment undergo daily COVID 19 testing partake in symptom tracking through a daily questionnaire avoid bars and restaurants and follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines 80 Security edit As is routine for a major party convention the event had been designated a National Special Security Event 81 Originally the United States Department of Justice was to provide 50 million in security but this was decreased to 40 million 82 The boundaries of the planned security footprint in which increased security measures would be implemented but in which individuals not attending the convention including demonstrators were still to be permitted was announced in January 2020 The streets marking the boundary of the announced footprint were to be Cherry Street on the north 10th Street on the west Clybourn Street and Water Street on the east 83 84 On July 24 2020 the Milwaukee Common Council passed an ordinance that would ban a long list of items from the security footprint including air rifles nunchucks drones containers of bodily fluids glass bottles and coolers 85 On August 12 2020 it was announced that the security footprint had been shrunk significantly 86 The security footprint ultimately encompassed almost only areas directly surrounding the convention center 86 87 88 Fencing was erected surrounding the Wisconsin Center 84 89 Temporary flight restrictions were in place each night from 6 00 to 11 00 p m CDT 86 A ban on drones was also in place 86 nbsp There was discussion of potentially limiting boat traffic on the Milwaukee River pictured by placing a temporary stay on all bridge opening Originally the city originally budgeted to have approximately 3 000 law enforcement officers from outside the city assist the Milwaukee Police Department during the convention 82 This was decreased to approximately 2 000 82 By late July there were anticipated to be only 1 100 officers from outside the city assisting the department 90 However in late July more than 100 police agencies announced that they would be withdrawing from their contracts to provide personnel to aid in security during the convention after the Milwaukee police chief announced that their department would restrict the use of tear gas and pepper spray by law enforcement during demonstrations and protests 91 The Wisconsin National Guard then planned to provide hundreds of members to help with security 92 There had been talk of potentially limiting boat traffic on the Milwaukee River by placing a temporary stay on all bridge openings but this security measure did not materialize 86 93 Programming edit nbsp Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington Delaware the location of Biden and Harris s acceptance speeches The official theme of the convention was Uniting America 94 The Wisconsin Center was used for the convention s broadcast and production acting as the control room and hub of the convention production 95 96 The convention s programming was a mix of pre recorded segments and live broadcasts from sites across the United States 71 The convention organizers established a custom video control room in the exhibit hall on the third floor of the Wisconsin Center 97 98 designed to handle hundreds of feeds from across the country in order to accommodate the remote speeches 68 99 Supplementary control rooms existed in other locations such as in Delaware 100 Producer Glenn Weiss oversaw the production from a temporary control studio created for him at his personal residence 101 Also acting as producer was Ricky Kirshner 101 63 102 Speakers appeared from various satellite locations including key studios in Los Angeles New York City and at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington Delaware 103 104 The broadcasts were emceed by their nightly hosts from the studio in Los Angeles 103 All of the speeches were held behind closed doors with no in person audience 105 A stage was set up in a conference room on the second floor of the Wisconsin Center 97 98 The stage at the Wisconsin Center saw limited use with a number of participants from Wisconsin using it as the venue for their participation in the convention 97 106 Convention secretary Jason Rae also directed the roll call from the Wisconsin Center stage 106 The roll call featured votes being presented from locations in each state or territory with some of the votes presented by special guests emphasizing Biden s history and platform Bob Casey Jr appeared from Biden s childhood home in Scranton Pennsylvania LGBT rights activists Judy and Dennis Shepard presented Wyoming s votes and gun control advocate Fred Guttenberg whose daughter was killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting presented Florida s votes 107 The duration of the convention program was significantly downsized from one that was originally expected to total 24 hours over the four days to one that would total only eight hours 58 The downsizing led the convention organizers to need far fewer volunteers than the 15 000 they had originally been trying to recruit 108 Music performances were filmed for inclusion in the main programming 109 In addition to the televised convention programming further content was livestreamed by the Democratic Party on digital platforms Prior to the beginning of each night s programming the hip hop music channel Behind the Rhyme on Twitch streamed the official pre show and post show for each night with the latter featuring performances by Beverly Bond Vashtie DJ Cassidy Jermaine Dupri on each night respectively 109 The political podcast Pod Save America also aired a Live from the Democratic National Couch vention special prior to the August 20 broadcast which featured the premiere of its new documentary short Dress Rehearsal which chronicled the April 2020 state Supreme Court election in Wisconsin 110 111 Following the closing night of the convention the Democratic Party livestreamed an after party on digital platforms hosted by Andy Cohen and headlined by musician Diplo The program featured segments featuring celebrities filmed from their homes Celebrities participating in the after party broadcast included Alyssa Milano Aubrey Plaza Liza Koshy Zooey Deschanel Michelle Kwan Nicole Ehrlich Cat Cora Jaime Camil Elena Delle Donne Jason Winston George Keith Powell and Neil Casey Also featured in the after party program were political figures such as Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez Senator Chris Coons and Biden campaign advisor Symone Sanders 112 113 Platform editIn April shortly after Sanders endorsed Biden the two created a Unity task force to draft a version of the party platform 114 The Democratic National Convention Committee set up a series of virtual platform meetings to garner input from the general public 115 The Platform Drafting Committee Chair was Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms The Platform Standing Committee includes a number of party leaders and elected officials appointed by the DNC 116 Drafting process edit Public hearings were live streamed on the DNCC s YouTube channel on the following topics 117 Monday June 29 from 5 8 p m ET Addressing the COVID 19 Health Crisis and Building Back Better 117 A Medicare for All provision was rejected by the committee on June 27 on a 125 36 vote 118 Wednesday July 1 from 5 8 p m ET A Vision for a More Equitable Future 117 Thursday July 2 from 5 8 p m ET Restoring the Soul of America 117 The full Platform Drafting Committee met on July 15 and 27 119 where they submitted a finished product 120 121 to be voted on via the internet from August 1 15 Platform provisions and ratification edit After months of negotiations Biden Sanders platform task force issued its 110 page report on July 9 outlining platform recommendations 122 Convention delegates officially adopted the Democratic Party s 2020 platform on August 18 123 following delegate balloting by mail 118 The platform was divided into ten sections pandemic response the economy health care criminal justice climate immigration education foreign policy voting rights and identity related rights issues 124 The platform calls for A universal public health insurance option for all Americans 124 Allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices 124 Universal free COVID 19 testing treatment and vaccines 124 To combat climate change eliminating carbon emissions pollution from power plants by 2035 and making substantial investments in U S infrastructure and renewable energy 124 Increasing housing supply including affordable housing 124 Making community colleges tuition free for all and making public colleges and universities tuition free for students from families with under 125 000 in annual income 124 An increase in the minimum wage to 15 an hour and an increase in the Child and Dependent Care tax credit 124 Comprehensive criminal justice reform 124 Repealing the Hyde Amendment 124 Decriminalizing the use of marijuana and allowing states to fully legalize marijuana 124 Statehood for the District of Columbia self determination for Puerto Rico including the right of Puerto Ricans to decide whether to become a state and restoration of Voting Rights Act provisions 124 Comprehensive immigration reform including a pathway to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants 124 Bring our forever wars to a responsible end but maintain a small U S military presence in Iraq to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS 124 End the race to war with Iran and seek restoration of the Obama era multilateral agreement with Iran 124 Support for a two state solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict coupled with an ironclad commitment to the security of Israel 124 The platform was considered by some sources to be the most progressive in Democratic Party history 123 and the most progressive for any major political party in U S history 124 However there was some dissent from the party s left wing over the omission of platform planks supporting single payer healthcare Medicare for All or the Green New Deal 123 Prior to the convention over 700 delegates largely from Bernie Sanders camp previously signed a statement vowing to vote against the platform because it did not include a provision supporting Medicare for All 125 this included U S representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ro Khanna 123 126 127 124 The platform was adopted with 3 562 delegates in support and 1 069 voted no a further 87 abstained 123 Convention leadership editOn March 26 2019 Joe Solmonese former president of the Human Rights Campaign was named convention CEO 128 On June 1 2020 the campaign of presumptive nominee Joe Biden named two advisers to the convention naming Addisu Demissie as adviser for convention coordination and Lindsay Holst as senior adviser for convention and special projects 129 Programming was overseen by Ricky Kirshner who acted as a producer 63 102 101 In addition Stephanie Cutter held the formal position of program executive 94 Glenn Weiss acted as the director 101 Jessica Jennings was the director of media logistics 130 Officers edit On July 30 2020 the officers of the convention were designated 77 131 Representative Bennie Thompson served as the permanent chair of the convention 77 132 Permanent co chairs were Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett Rep Tony Cardenas of California Senator Tom Carper of Delaware Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois Mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms and New Jersey governor Phil Murphy 77 131 The convention s vice chairs were Senator Bob Casey Jr of Pennsylvania former representative Tony Coelho of California Representative Sharice Davids of Kansas Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Garlin Gilchrist Congresswoman Donna Shalala of Florida former representative Carol Shea Porter of New Hampshire Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Mandela Barnes and Lieutenant Governor of Nevada Kate Marshall 77 131 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer served as honorary chairs 77 131 The convention s sergeant at arms was Representative Gwen Moore of Wisconsin 131 133 Jason Rae acted as secretary of the convention 77 The convention s parliamentarians were House majority leader Steny Hoyer Helen McFadden Sarah E Merkle and state senator Yvanna Cancela of Nevada 77 Nominating and balloting editPre convention delegate count edit The table below reflects the presumed delegate count as per the 2020 Democratic primaries As of July 2020 update the following overall number of pledged delegates is subject to change as possible penalty bonus delegates awarded for each state scheduled election date and potential regional clustering may be altered 134 The 2020 Democratic Party rules state that unless a candidate has secured a majority of delegates using only pledged delegates the superdelegates will have no voting rights on the first ballot 38 39 40 Candidates who have suspended their campaigns without having received any pledged or superdelegate endorsements as well as those who ve suspended their campaigns and subsequently lost their endorsements to other candidates are not included in the table below The table below reflects the presumed pledged delegate count following the 2020 Democratic primaries In addition to these there will also be 771 superdelegate votes including the eight half votes belonging to Democrats Abroad superdelegates making for 4 750 combined delegate votes 134 135 Pledged delegates by candidate Candidate Pledged delegates 136 nbsp Joe Biden 2 716 nbsp Bernie Sanders 1 112 nbsp Elizabeth Warren 63 nbsp Michael Bloomberg 59 nbsp Pete Buttigieg 21 nbsp Amy Klobuchar 7 nbsp Tulsi Gabbard 2 Total pledged delegate votes 3 979 135 Presidential balloting edit nbsp Results of the delegate roll call by state territory Joe Biden Bernie Sanders In an email DNC secretary Jason Rae wrote to delegates outlining the process for that year s convention noting that the planning committee concluded that state delegations should not plan to travel to Milwaukee and official convention business will be conducted remotely 137 Instead of a traditional in person roll call delegates voted remotely using a system the planning committee crafted that enabled them to cast their ballots via email with unique identifiers for security The DNC had plans regarding certifying each delegate 138 The party said delegates would be able to fill out the forms electronically with no need for a printer or physical copy according to the letter The ballot which includes questions about platform planks and the party s nominees will be emailed to their state s committee Once a state party had all the ballots from their delegation the state delegation s chair would submit a tally sheet to the Secretary s Office that formally records the number of votes cast on each item of convention business The votes would be counted all at once on August 15 not as they come in 138 Voting began August 3 and ended August 15 when the state delegation chairs were asked to submit their final tallies to the DNC secretary That meant that the party knew the tally of votes for its nominee before the convention formally began 139 140 Presidential roll call vote edit The traditional roll call of the states was ceremonially held on the second night of the convention It was done remotely from each of the 57 delegations including all 50 states and seven additional territories jurisdictions the District of Columbia the five inhabited U S territories and Democrats Abroad 141 Organizers planned for it to last approximately 30 minutes 142 Convention secretary Jason Rae directed the roll call from the Wisconsin Center 106 The remote roll call was widely praised 143 144 145 146 Democratic presidential nomination ballot 1 Candidates nbsp Joe Biden nbsp Bernie Sanders nbsp Abstain note 2 nbsp Alabama 52 8 0 nbsp Alaska 12 7 0 nbsp American Samoa 11 0 0 nbsp Arizona 51 29 0 nbsp Arkansas 27 9 0 nbsp California 263 231 0 nbsp Colorado 42 36 1 a nbsp Connecticut 75 0 0 nbsp Delaware 32 0 0 Democrats Abroad 7 10 0 nbsp Washington D C 43 1 1 nbsp Florida 192 57 0 nbsp Georgia 117 0 1 nbsp Guam 11 2 0 nbsp Hawaii 23 9 1 nbsp Idaho 16 9 0 nbsp Illinois 122 59 1 nbsp Indiana 86 2 1 nbsp Iowa 38 11 0 nbsp Kansas 35 10 0 nbsp Kentucky 60 0 0 nbsp Louisiana 60 0 0 nbsp Maine 22 9 1 nbsp Maryland 119 1 0 nbsp Massachusetts 83 30 1 nbsp Michigan 92 53 2 nbsp Minnesota 60 31 0 nbsp Mississippi 38 2 1 nbsp Missouri 50 28 1 nbsp Montana 18 1 6 nbsp Nebraska 33 0 0 nbsp Nevada 25 24 0 nbsp New Hampshire 24 9 0 nbsp New Jersey 139 5 2 nbsp New Mexico 42 4 0 nbsp New York 277 44 3 nbsp North Carolina 83 39 0 nbsp North Dakota 8 10 0 nbsp Northern Marianas 9 2 0 nbsp Ohio 134 20 0 nbsp Oklahoma 24 13 6 nbsp Oregon 57 16 1 nbsp Pennsylvania 175 34 1 nbsp Puerto Rico 53 5 0 nbsp Rhode Island 34 1 0 nbsp South Carolina 49 15 0 nbsp South Dakota 17 3 1 nbsp Tennessee 50 23 0 nbsp Texas 161 98 1 a nbsp Utah 16 17 1 nbsp Vermont 9 15 0 nbsp Virgin Islands U S 13 0 0 nbsp Virginia 91 32 1 nbsp Washington 66 43 0 nbsp West Virginia 34 0 0 nbsp Wisconsin 67 30 0 nbsp Wyoming 11 4 3 a Unassigned 147 2 147 States and territories 53 4 0 Total delegates 3 558 1 151 40 b Announcing their states delegates nominations were List of speakers announcing delegations roll call votes sortable State Speaker Position Notability Location Notes Cite Alabama nbsp Terri Sewell United States Representative from Alabama Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma Alabama 148 149 150 Alaska Chuck Degnan Veteran commercial fisherman Alaska Native leader and Democratic Party activist 151 152 American Samoa Aliitama Sotoa Democratic Party leaders of American Samoa 151 Patti Matila Arizona Marisol Garcia Middle school social studies teacher 151 153 Arkansas Gilbert Alaquinez Chef at Clinton Foundation Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock Arkansas 151 California nbsp Barbara Lee United States Representative from California 148 150 nbsp Hilda Solis Member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from the 1st District and United States Secretary of Labor 148 Colorado Howard Chou Immigrant and party activist 151 Connecticut Peter Carozza Retired firefighter and firefighters union leader Hartford Connecticut 151 154 Delaware nbsp John Carney Governor of Delaware Joseph R Biden Jr Railroad Station in Wilmington Delaware Passed to go last 148 150 151 nbsp Tom Carper United States Senator from Delaware Democrats Abroad Julia Bryan International Chair of Democrats Abroad 155 Prague Czech Republic 151 District of Columbia nbsp Muriel Bowser Mayor of the District of Columbia Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington DC 148 150 Florida nbsp Fred Guttenberg Gun control activist Pompano Beach Florida 148 150 Georgia nbsp Nikema Williams Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia Georgia State Senator for Georgia s 39th state senate district and 2020 Democratic nominee for Georgia s 5th congressional district Atlanta Georgia 148 Guam Sarah Thomas Nededog Chair of the Democratic Party of Guam 151 Hawaii Dr Amy Agbayani Civil rights activist 151 Idaho Lauren McLean Mayor of Boise Boise Idaho 148 Illinois nbsp Carol Moseley Braun Former United States Senator from Illinois Old State Capitol State Historic Site in Springfield Illinois 148 Indiana nbsp Pete Buttigieg Former mayor of South Bend South Bend Indiana 148 150 Iowa nbsp Tom Vilsack Former United States Secretary of Agriculture and former governor of Iowa 148 Kansas Mark Pringle Farmer 151 Kentucky Colmon Elridge Education advocate 151 Louisiana nbsp Cedric Richmond United States Representative from Louisiana New Orleans Louisiana 148 LaToya Cantrell Mayor of New Orleans 148 Maine Craig Hickman Maine State Representative from Maine s 82nd state house district Winthrop Maine 148 Maryland nbsp Brandon Scott President of the Baltimore City Council Frederick Douglass Isaac Myers Maritime Park in Baltimore Maryland 148 Bianca Shah College student 148 Massachusetts Claire D Cronin Massachusetts State Representative from the Massachusetts House of Representatives 11th Plymouth district 148 Michigan nbsp Gary Peters United States senator from Michigan Detroit Michigan 148 Ray Curry UAW auto worker 148 Minnesota nbsp Amy Klobuchar United States senator from Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota 148 150 nbsp Melvin Carter Mayor of St Paul St Paul Minnesota 148 Mississippi Dr Carmen Walters President of Tougaloo College 151 Missouri Reuben Gill Bricklayer St Louis Missouri 148 151 Montana Rachel Prevost Recent college graduate 151 156 Nebraska Geraldine Waller Meatpacking employee 151 Nevada nbsp Dina Titus United States Representative from Nevada s 1st congressional district Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign in Paradise Nevada 148 New Hampshire nbsp John Lynch Former governor of New Hampshire 148 New Jersey nbsp Phil Murphy Governor of New Jersey Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park New Jersey 148 New Mexico Derrick J Lente New Mexico State Representative from New Mexico s 65th state House district Sandia Pueblo Reservation in New Mexico 148 New York Scheena Iyande Tannis Registered nurse and member of 1199 SEIU Lieutenant Governor of New York Kathy Hochul in attendance 148 151 North Carolina Cozzie Watkins Democratic activist Charlotte North Carolina 151 North Dakota Cesar Alvarez Mandan Hidatsa and Arikara Nation citizen and advocate 157 Northern Mariana Islands Nola Kileleman Hix Chair of the Northern Mariana Islands Democratic Party 151 Ohio nbsp Tim Ryan United States Representative from Ohio s 13th congressional district 148 Josh Abernathy IBEW organizer 148 Oklahoma Alicia Andrews Chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party Greenwood District in Tulsa Oklahoma 148 151 Oregon Dr Rosa Colquitt Activist We Choose Love memorial in Portland Oregon 151 Travis Nelson Registered Nurse Pennsylvania nbsp Bob Casey Jr United States senator from Pennsylvania Childhood home of Joe Biden in Scranton Pennsylvania 148 150 Puerto Rico Carmelo Rios Santiago Majority leader of the Puerto Rico Senate 151 Rhode Island Joseph McNamara Chair of the Rhode Island Democratic Party and Rhode Island State Representative from Rhode Island s 19th state house district Oakland Beach Warwick John Bordieri a chef from Bristol accompanied McNamara holding a plate of fried calamari His presence attracted much Internet chatter 148 150 158 South Carolina nbsp Jaime Harrison U S Senate nominee and former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party South Carolina State University in Orangeburg South Carolina 148 South Dakota Kellen Returns From Scout Tribal activist of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Black Hills in South Dakota 148 151 159 Tennessee Keely Sage College student Hermitage Hotel in Nashville Tennessee Hermitage Hotel was the location of the final ratification of the 19th Amendment granting female suffrage 100 years prior on August 18 1920 151 150 Texas nbsp Veronica Escobar United States Representative from Texas s 16th congressional district El Paso Texas 148 Utah Jenny Wilson Mayor of Salt Lake County Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City Utah 151 Vermont David Zuckerman Lieutenant Governor of Vermont Bernie Sanders and Jane Sanders in attendance 148 150 151 Virgin Islands U S Cecil Benjamin Chair of the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands 151 Virginia nbsp Khizr Khan Lawyer Freedom of Speech Wall Charlottesville Virginia 148 Washington My Linh Thai Washington State Representative from Washington s 41st state house district Kerry Park in Seattle Washington 148 151 West Virginia Fred Albert Educator and union organizer 151 Wyoming nbsp Dennis Shepard Activists parents of Matthew Shepard 150 151 nbsp Judy Shepard Wisconsin nbsp Mandela Barnes Lieutenant governor of Wisconsin Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin 148 151 Delaware nbsp John Carney Governor of Delaware Joseph R Biden Jr Railroad Station in Wilmington Delaware 148 nbsp Tom Carper United States senator from Delaware Vice presidential nomination edit The Rules Committee report which was passed by the convention addressed among other things the fiascos that occurred during the 1972 and 1980 conventions as regards selection of the vice presidential nominee Rule C 7 of the Rules of Procedure states 160 7 Nomination for the Democratic Candidate for Vice President The Democratic candidate s for Vice President shall be nominated by the Presidential candidate who has obtained a number of pledged delegates equal to a majority of all pledged and automatic delegates to the Convention If there is only one nominee for Vice President the Chair is authorized to declare the nominated individual the Democratic Candidate for Vice President In accordance with this provision Biden submitted Harris s name to the chairman Bennie Thompson and after Thompson s public reading of the rule she was declared nominated Schedule editEach night of the convention was planned to last two hours In addition to the convention s overall official theme of Uniting America each night had an official sub theme of its own 94 Monday August 17 edit Democratic National Convention Pool FeedsNight 1 nbsp from MSNBC via YouTube 161 nbsp from C SPAN via YouTube 162 nbsp from PBS NewsHour via YouTube 163 nbsp from Politico via YouTube 164 Democratic National Convention Democratic Party StreamsNight 1 nbsp Official convention stream via YouTube 165 nbsp Official ASL convention stream via YouTube 166 nbsp Official spanish language convention stream via YouTube 167 9 00 11 00 p m EDT 110 Emcee Eva Longoria 168 Theme We the People 94 Sub themes We the People Demanding Racial Justice 169 We the People Helping Each Other Through COVID 19 169 We the People Putting Country Over Party 169 We the People Recovering 169 We the People Rise 169 Evening schedule Opening ceremonies 77 Introduction by actress Eva Longoria 169 Call to Order by convention chair Bennie Thompson 169 Pledge of Allegiance 169 Performance of the United States national anthem The Star Spangled Banner 169 Invocation by Gabriel Salguero 169 Main convention program 169 Benediction by Jerry Young 169 Nightly close of order by convention chair Bennie Thompson 165 Select speakers in order of appearance Speakers for 1st evening Monday of 2020 convention Speaker Position notability Location Notes Cite nbsp Eva Longoria Actress and activist Los Angeles California Emcee 165 169 168 nbsp Bennie Thompson United States representative from Mississippi and permanent chairman of the convention Jackson Mississippi Call to Order and Close of Order 165 169 nbsp Gwen Moore United States representative from Wisconsin Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin 106 165 169 nbsp Muriel Bowser Mayor of the District of Columbia Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D C 165 169 nbsp Jim Clyburn United States representative from South Carolina and House majority whip Charleston South Carolina 165 169 nbsp Andrew Cuomo Governor of New York Albany New York 165 170 169 Kristin Urquiza San Francisco California 165 169 Sara Gideon Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and U S Senate nominee from Maine Scarborough Maine Introduction to performance by Maggie Rogers 165 169 171 nbsp Gretchen Whitmer Governor of Michigan UAW Local 603 in Lansing Michigan 165 169 nbsp Christine Todd Whitman Former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and governor of New Jersey Republican New York New York citation needed 165 169 nbsp Meg Whitman Former CEO of Hewlett Packard and Republican nominee for Governor of California in 2010 Sacramento California citation needed 165 169 nbsp Susan Molinari Former United States representative from New York Republican Sarasota Florida citation needed 165 169 nbsp John Kasich Former governor of Ohio Republican candidate for the 2000 and 2016 Republican presidential nominations Westerville Ohio 165 169 172 nbsp Doug Jones United States senator from Alabama Birmingham Alabama 165 169 173 nbsp Catherine Cortez Masto United States senator from Nevada Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Las Vegas Nevada 165 169 170 nbsp Amy Klobuchar United States senator from Minnesota candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Saint Paul Minnesota 165 169 174 nbsp Cedric Richmond United States representative from Louisiana New Orleans Louisiana 165 169 nbsp Bernie Sanders United States senator from Vermont candidate for the 2016 and 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Burlington Vermont 58 165 169 nbsp Michelle Obama Former first lady of the United States Personal residence in Martha s Vineyard Massachusetts 165 169 175 Performances in order of appearance Leon Bridges performing Sweetness 110 165 Maggie Rogers performing Back In My Body 110 165 Billy Porter and Stephen Stills performing For What It s Worth 169 165 Selected film segments The Path Forward A Conversation with Vice President Biden on Racial Justice featuring Joe Biden Houston police chief Art Acevedo activist Jamira Burley activist Gwen Carr NAACP president Derrick Johnson and Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot 169 165 A Conversation with Healthcare Workers on the Front Lines moderated by United States women s national soccer team member Megan Rapinoe 165 169 United We Stand featuring Kamala Harris and former 2020 Democratic presidential candidates United States senator Cory Booker United States senator Kirsten Gillibrand Governor of Washington Jay Inslee United States senator Amy Klobuchar United States representative Seth Moulton former United States representative Beto O Rourke businessman Tom Steyer and businessman Andrew Yang Tuesday August 18 edit Democratic National Convention Pool FeedsNight 2 nbsp from C SPAN via YouTube 176 nbsp from MSNBC via YouTube 177 nbsp from PBS NewsHour via YouTube 178 nbsp from Politico via YouTube 179 Democratic National Convention Democratic Party StreamsNight 2 nbsp Official convention stream via YouTube 148 nbsp Official ASL convention stream via YouTube 180 nbsp Official spanish language convention stream via YouTube 181 The second night of the convention included official business such as the nominating roll call for president 9 00 11 00 p m EDT 110 Emcee Tracee Ellis Ross 168 Theme Leadership Matters 94 Evening schedule Call to order by Mayor of Milwaukee Tom Barrett 148 182 Credentials Committee Report James H Roosevelt 148 182 Lorraine Miller 148 182 Rules Committee Report Barney Frank 148 182 Maria Cardona 148 182 Platform Committee Report Julie Chavez Rodriguez 148 182 Denis McDonough 148 182 Keynote address 148 182 Main convention program part 1 148 182 Nominations and roll call 182 Main convention program part 2 182 Select speakers in order of appearance Speakers for 2nd evening Tuesday of 2020 convention Speaker Position notability Location Notes Cite nbsp Tom Barrett Mayor of Milwaukee Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin Call to order 106 148 182 The keynote address featured seventeen of the Democratic Party s rising stars from across the country The speakers were former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives Stacey Abrams Tennessee state senator Raumesh Akbari United States representative Colin Allred of Texas United States representative Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania Nevada state senator Yvanna Cancela former Ohio state representative Kathleen Clyde Florida commissioner of agriculture Nikki Fried Mayor of Long Beach California Robert Garcia Pennsylvania state representative Malcolm Kenyatta South Carolina state senator Marlon Kimpson United States representative Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania Michigan state representative Mari Manoogian Texas state representative Victoria Neave president of the Navajo Nation Jonathan Nez Georgia state representative Sam Park New Hampshire state representative Dennis Ruprecht mayor of Birmingham Alabama Randall Woodfin Keynote address 148 182 183 nbsp Tracee Ellis Ross Actress Los Angeles California Emcee 148 182 nbsp Sally Yates Former acting United States attorney general Atlanta Georgia 148 182 nbsp Chuck Schumer United States Senate minority leader Brooklyn New York 148 182 nbsp Caroline Kennedy Former ambassador to Japan and the daughter of former president John F Kennedy Joint remarks 148 182 nbsp Jack Schlossberg Grandson of John F Kennedy 148 182 nbsp Jimmy Carter Former president of the United States Joint remarks voice only no video appearance 182 nbsp Rosalynn Carter Former first lady of the United States 148 182 nbsp Bill Clinton Former president of the United States Chappaqua New York 148 176 182 nbsp Tom Perez Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin 148 176 182 nbsp Bob King Former president of the United Auto Workers Ann Arbor Michigan Nominating speech for Bernie Sanders 148 176 182 nbsp Alexandria Ocasio Cortez United States representative from New York Washington D C Seconding speech for Bernie Sanders 148 176 182 Jacquelyn Asbie Security guard New York City Nominating speech for Joe Biden 184 185 186 nbsp Chris Coons United States senator from Delaware Wilmington Delaware Seconding speech for Joe Biden 148 176 182 nbsp Lisa Blunt Rochester United States representative from Delaware Wilmington Delaware Seconding speech for Joe Biden 148 176 182 nbsp Ady Barkan Activist 148 182 nbsp John Kerry Former secretary of state and the party s 2004 presidential nominee Boston Massachusetts 148 182 187 nbsp Colin Powell Former United States secretary of state Republican Washington D C 148 188 nbsp Jill Biden Spouse of the presidential nominee and former second lady of the United States Brandywine High School in Wilmington Delaware 148 182 189 Select film segments The Biden Plan Healthcare narrated by Jeff Bridges 190 148 182 A More Perfect Union A Conversation on Healthcare featuring Joe Biden and health care activists Julie Buckholt Steve Gomez Jeff Jeans Laura Packard Angie Taylor 191 148 182 The Biden Plan National Security 148 182 An Unlikely Friendship narrated in part by Cindy McCain widow of the late Senator John McCain from Arizona 148 192 Teacher 148 182 Performances John Legend 182 Wednesday August 19 edit Democratic National Convention Pool FeedsNight 3 nbsp from C SPAN via YouTube 193 Democratic National ConventionDemocratic Party StreamsNight 3 nbsp Official convention stream via YouTube 194 nbsp Official ASL convention stream via YouTube 195 nbsp Official spanish language convention stream via YouTube 196 9 00 11 00 p m EDT 110 Emcee Kerry Washington 168 Theme A More Perfect Union 94 Sub themes A More Perfect Society 197 A More Perfect Economy 197 Evening schedule Prior to the evening program the Democratic Governors Association hosted the panel Bold Leadership Women Governors Leading which featured Oregon governor Kate Brown Kansas governor Laura Kelly New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham Maine governor Janet Mills and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer and was moderated by Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo 110 Introduction 194 Call to Order by convention chair Bennie Thompson Pledge of Allegiance 194 Main convention program 194 Vice presidential nomination 77 198 Vice presidential acceptance speech 194 Select speakers in order of appearance Speakers for 3rd evening Wednesday of 2020 convention Speaker Position notability Location Notes Cite nbsp Tony Evers Governor of Wisconsin Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin 106 194 197 nbsp Kamala Harris Democratic nominee for vice president of the United States United States senator from California Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington Delaware Welcoming remarks 194 104 nbsp Kerry Washington Actress Los Angeles California Emcee 168 194 197 nbsp Gabrielle Giffords Former United States representative from Arizona and a prominent gun control advocate 194 197 nbsp Michelle Lujan Grisham Governor of New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico 194 197 nbsp Hillary Clinton Former first lady of the United States former United States senator from New York former United States secretary of state and the party s 2016 presidential nominee Chappaqua New York 194 197 nbsp Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the United States House of Representatives San Francisco California 194 197 nbsp Mariska Hargitay Actress and philanthropist New York City New York 194 197 nbsp Hilda Solis Member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and former United States secretary of labor Los Angeles California 194 197 nbsp Elizabeth Warren United States senator from Massachusetts candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Springfield Massachusetts 194 197 nbsp Barack Obama Former president of the United States Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia Pennsylvania 194 197 199 nbsp Maya Harris Younger sister of thevice presidential nominee Nominating speech for Kamala Harris 194 197 nbsp Meena Harris Niece of thevice presidential nominee nbsp Ella Emhoff Stepdaughter of thevice presidential nominee nbsp Kamala Harris Democratic nominee forvice president of the United States United States senator from California Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington Delaware Vice presidential nomination acceptance speech 197 104 Select film segments America Rising March for Our Lives featuring X Gonzalez 197 The Biden Plan Climate Change 194 197 A Conversation with Young Climate Activists 194 197 A Letter to Trump on Immigration 194 197 America Rising Immigrants Rebuilding America 194 197 America Rising From Women s Suffrage to the Women s March 194 197 When You See Something Wrong 194 197 America Recovering featuring United States senator from Ohio Sherrod Brown Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti and United States congresswoman from Iowa Cindy Axne Performances Billie Eilish performing My Future 194 197 Prince Royce performing Stand by Me 194 197 Jennifer Hudson performing A Change Is Gonna Come 194 197 Thursday August 20 edit Democratic National Convention Pool FeedsNight 4 nbsp from C SPAN via YouTube 200 Democratic National Convention Democratic Party StreamsNight 4 nbsp Official convention stream via YouTube 201 nbsp Official ASL convention stream via YouTube 202 nbsp Official spanish language convention stream via YouTube 203 9 00 11 00 p m EDT 110 Emcee Julia Louis Dreyfus 168 Theme America s Promise 94 Evening schedule Call to Order by convention chair Bennie Thompson Remarks by Andrew Yang 201 204 Introduction by Julia Louis Dreyfus 201 204 Pledge of Allegiance 201 204 National anthem The Star Spangled Banner performed by The Chicks 201 204 Invocation by Sister Simone Campbell 201 Main convention program 201 204 Presidential acceptance speech 201 204 Fireworks display 201 Benediction 201 Adjournment by convention chair Bennie Thompson Select speakers in order of appearance Speakers for 4th evening Thursday of 2020 convention Speaker Position notability Location Notes Cite nbsp Tom Perez Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin 148 nbsp Gavin Newsom Governor of California Santa Cruz County California 205 201 206 nbsp Andrew Yang Entrepreneur Founder of Venture for America candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination New York City New York 201 204 nbsp Julia Louis Dreyfus Actress Los Angeles California Emcee 201 168 204 nbsp Chris Coons United States senator from Delaware Wilmington Delaware 148 204 nbsp Keisha Lance Bottoms Mayor of Atlanta Atlanta Georgia 148 204 nbsp Jon Meacham Author Nashville Tennessee 148 204 nbsp Deb Haaland United States representative from New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico 148 204 nbsp Sarah Cooper Author and comedian 148 nbsp Alex Padilla California secretary of state Joint remarks 148 204 Jocelyn Benson Michigan secretary of state nbsp Cory Booker United States senator from New Jersey candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination New York City New York 148 204 nbsp Vivek Murthy Former Surgeon General of the United States Miami Florida 148 204 nbsp Tammy Baldwin United States senator from Wisconsin Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin 106 148 204 nbsp Tammy Duckworth United States senator from Illinois Washington D C 148 204 nbsp Pete Buttigieg Former mayor of South Bend Indiana candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination South Bend Indiana 148 204 nbsp Michael Bloomberg Former mayor of New York City candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Colorado 148 204 207 Brayden Harrington 148 nbsp Ashley Biden Daughter of the presidential nominee 148 204 nbsp Hunter Biden Son of the presidential nominee nbsp Joe Biden Nominee for president of the United States former vice president of the United States Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington Delaware Presidential nomination acceptance speech 104 204 Select film segments A Tribute to John Lewis directed by Dawn Porter featuring former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives Stacey Abrams deceased former United States representative Elijah Cummings United States Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi Reverend Raphael Warnock former ambassador Andrew Young 201 204 You Built America A Conversation on the Economy with Vice President Biden 201 204 The Biden Plan Military Families featuring Jill Biden 201 204 A Tribute to Beau Biden 204 This Time Next Year featuring activist Ady Barkan Nevada senator Yvanna Cancela Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota Peggy Flanagan United States representative Marcia Fudge Mayor of Long Beach California Robert Garcia activist Fred Guttenberg United States senator Kamala Harris United States Senate candidate Jaime Harrison Harris County Texas judge Lina Hidalgo activist Dolores Huerta convicted murderer Donna Hylton United States senator Doug Jones lawyer Khizr Khan actor Daniel Dae Kim United States senator Amy Klobuchar author John Meacham former United States representative Susan Molinari former United States secretary of state Colin Powell United States representative Beto O Rourke Virginia state delegate Danica Roem lawyer James H Roosevelt General Francis D Vavala United States senator Elizabeth Warren businessman Andrew Yang 201 204 United We Stand featuring former 2020 Democratic presidential candidates United States senator Cory Booker former mayor of South Bend Pete Buttigieg United States senator Amy Klobuchar former United States representative Beto O Rourke United States senator Bernie Sanders United States senator Elizabeth Warren and businessman Andrew Yang 201 204 The Biden Grandchildren 201 204 Keeping the Faith w The Currys featuring Stephen Curry and his family 201 Biden Introduction 204 Select performances The Chicks performing The Star Spangled Banner 201 204 John Legend and Common performing Glory 204 Speakers and other events edit In the past hundreds of people had addressed each convention giving many local or statewide candidates a valuable photo op a notable difference from this convention Some of the speeches at this convention were pre recorded 208 The convention included performances by Leon Bridges the Chicks Common Billie Eilish Jennifer Hudson John Legend Billy Porter Maggie Rogers Prince Royce Stephen Stills and others 209 A number of speakers at the convention included individuals who are everyday Americans rather than officeholders or celebrities 142 210 A number of these speakers were dissatisfied Republicans including individuals who had voted for Trump in 2016 but plan on voting for Biden in 2020 142 211 Daytime events edit Caucus meetings and other events were streamed on various platforms earlier on the days of the convention 110 Virtual policy roundtables were hosted in partnership with Business Forward 212 Many partner organization events were planned to be held including a Protect Our Care health care panel with Nancy Pelosi Xavier Becerra Kathleen Sebelius and three of the five health care activists featured in a conversation with Joe Biden on Night 2 of the convention 213 Before the convention opened an Interfaith Welcome Service was held virtually on August 16 a partner event to the DNC 214 Notable speeches editJill Biden edit nbsp How do you make a broken family whole The same way you make a nation whole With love and understanding and with small acts of kindness With bravery With unwavering faith Jill Biden at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 215 Jill Biden the spouse of presidential nominee Joe Biden and the former second lady of the United States delivered her speech on the second night of the convention from the classroom at Brandywine High School in Wilmington Delaware where she had been an English teacher from 1991 through 1993 Biden s speech was focused on both family and education She discussed how the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic had impacted education as well as families and the economy She touted her husband as a candidate capable of tackling the pandemic Biden also recounted the personal tragedies that her husband had endured including the deaths of his first wife Neilia and first born daughter Naomi in a 1972 automobile accident and the 2015 death of his son Beau from brain cancer 216 Joe Biden edit nbsp Here and now I give you my word If you entrust me with the presidency I will draw on the best of us not the worst I will be an ally of the light not the darkness It s time for us for we the people to come together And make no mistake United we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America Joe Biden at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 217 This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it August 2020 Joe Biden the 2020 Democratic nominee for president delivered a speech on the fourth night of the convention from Wilmington Delaware A common motif emphasized throughout was the conflict between light and darkness casting himself as an element of light and Donald Trump as an element of darkness 218 While drawing a contrast between himself and Trump Biden s speech did not include any utterances of his main opponent s name 219 Biden began his speech by quoting Ella Baker 217 Biden pledged to be a president for all Americans regardless of whether or not they voted for him 217 Biden referenced the murder of George Floyd in his speech 217 Michael Bloomberg edit nbsp The two people running for president couldn t be more different One believes in facts One does not One listens to experts The other thinks he knows everything One looks forward and sees strength in America s diversity The other looks backwards and sees immigrants as enemies and white supremacists as allies Here s another difference One has proven he knows how to handle a crisis by helping to lead the economic turnaround after the 2008 recession while the other has not only failed to lead he has made the current crisis much worse Michael Bloomberg at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 220 Former mayor of New York City and candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination Michael Bloomberg delivered his speech on the final night of the convention from Colorado 207 Bloomberg laid contrast between incumbent Republican president Donald Trump and Biden 220 Bloomberg declared I m not asking you to vote against Donald Trump because he s a bad guy I m urging you to vote against him because he s done a bad job 220 Bloomberg likened the prospect reelecting Trump to rehiring or working for someone who ran your business into the ground and who always does what s best for him or her even when it hurts the company and whose reckless decisions put you in danger 220 Pete Buttigieg edit nbsp I trust Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to guide this nation toward that better future because I have seen their commitment and their empathy up close And I trust the capacity of America to grow more inclusive because I have lived it Pete Buttigieg at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 221 Former mayor of South Bend Indiana and candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination Pete Buttigieg delivered his speech on the final night of the convention from LangLab in South Bend Indiana where he and his husband Chasten had held their wedding reception years earlier 222 Buttigieg himself openly homosexual highlighted the progress that the United States had made on LGBT rights during his lifetime pointing to his marriage enabled by the 2015 Obergefell v Hodges Supreme Court decision and the viability of his candidacy as an openly gay candidate for the presidency as two examples of such progress 221 222 He also mentioned how earlier in his life when he served in the military the Don t ask don t tell policy which had since been repealed in 2011 under the Obama administration had barred him from being open about his sexuality while in service 221 Bill Clinton edit nbsp 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 Our choice is Joe Biden Bill Clinton at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 223 Former president of the United States Bill Clinton delivered his speech on the second night of the convention from Chappaqua New York 148 Clinton began his speech by declaring that he believed United States presidential elections to be the world s most important job interview 223 Clinton lambasted President Donald Trump s response to the COVID 19 pandemic 223 Clinton praised Biden s work in the Obama administration on efforts to repair the United States economy from the Great Recession 223 He praised Biden s plans to rebuild the United States economy from the downturn it experienced amid the COVID 19 pandemic 223 He argued that Biden should be elected and that Trump should be denied a second term declaring You know what Donald Trump will do with four more years blame bully and belittle And you know what Joe Biden will do build back better 223 Hillary Clinton edit This section relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources 2020 Democratic National Convention news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2020 nbsp For four years people have said to me I didn t realize how dangerous Trump was I wish I could go back and do it over I should have voted This can t be another woulda coulda shoulda election If you re voting by mail request your ballot now and send it back as soon as you can If you vote in person do it early Bring a friend and wear a mask Become a poll worker Remember Joe and Kamala can win 3 million more votes and still lose Take it from me We need numbers so overwhelming Trump can t sneak or steal his way to victory Hillary Clinton at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 224 Former United States secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton delivered her speech on the third night of the convention from Chappaqua New York 194 Clinton praised Biden and Harris as leaders equal to this moment 224 She praised Biden s thoughtfulness and empathy 224 She praised Harris as a daughter of an extraordinary mother as well as relentless in the pursuit of justice and uncommonly kind 224 Clinton herself a former First Lady of the United States expressed joy towards Jill Biden s intentions to continue her work as an educator if she becomes First Lady 224 Clinton urged voters not to repeat the result of the 2016 election in which Trump had defeated her in the United States Electoral College thus winning the presidency 224 Clinton criticized Trump s presidency saying Remember in 2016 when Trump asked What do you have to lose Well now we know Our health our jobs even our lives Our leadership in the world and yes our post office 224 Clinton stated that she believes that it is morally wrong that the richest Americans saw their wealth increase during the pandemic while tens of millions of other Americans lost 224 Clinton declared reiterating an African proverb she had helped popularize in the United States that it still takes a village Her speech invoked DREAMers and reiterated support for Black Lives Matter while invoking the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery and the killing of Breonna Taylor 224 Clinton invoked the struggle for voting rights in the United States She mentioned that the previous day had marked the centennial of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which granted nationwide women s suffrage 224 She also invoked John Lewis participation in the Selma to Montgomery marches fighting against racial injustice including the disenfranchisement of black voters 224 Andrew Cuomo edit nbsp Americans eyes have been opened and we have seen in this crisis the truth that government matters and leadership matters Andrew Cuomo at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 225 Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo delivered his speech on the opening night of the convention from Albany New York 170 While referencing a number of issues that plagued the nation Cuomo s speech primarily focused on criticizing President Donald Trump s response to the COVID 19 pandemic 225 226 Cuomo also declared that Only a strong body can fight off the virus and America s divisions weakened it 225 Brayden Harrington edit Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to someone who cares someone who will make our country and the world feel better We re counting on you to elect Joe Biden Brayden Harrington at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 227 Brayden Harrington spoke on the convention s closing night 148 227 Harrington a 13 year old New Hampshire boy who stutters spoke about how on the campaign trail during the primaries Joe Biden had related to him about his struggles overcoming a stutter of his own and had shared advice for how to persevere through such an impediment 148 227 Harrington s speech attracted significant attention being seen as one of the highlights of the convention s final night 227 Kamala Harris edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it August 2020 nbsp Joe and I believe that we can build that beloved community one that is strong and decent just and kind One in which we all can see ourselves I pledge to you that we will act boldly and deal with our challenges honestly We will speak truths And we will act with the same faith in you that we ask you to place in us Kamala Harris at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 228 In her vice presidential nomination acceptance speech on the third night of the convention Kamala Harris declared that she and Biden will if elected tackle issues facing the United States including racial injustices 228 Harris provided an autobiographical summary of her life and career 228 John Kasich edit nbsp Joe Biden is a man for our times times that call for all of us to take off our partisan hats and put our nation first John Kasich at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 229 Republican former governor of Ohio and 2000 and 2016 Republican presidential candidate John Kasich delivered remarks on the opening night of the convention in a pre recorded video filmed at a road junction near his personal residence in Westerville Ohio 230 Kasich began his speech by declaring that America is at a crossroads 229 While calling himself a lifelong Republican he declared that this came second to his sense of responsibility to the United States which had compelled him to appear at the convention 229 Building on the opening metaphor of America being at a crossroads as well as the visual metaphor of the speech s physical location at the divergence of two paths in his closing Kasich declared that When America chooses the right path and pulls together like we ve done so many times before we can dream big dreams and we can see the top of the mountain as a United States of America with a soul that is a beacon of freedom to the entire world 229 John Kerry edit nbsp Donald Trump pretends Russia didn t attack our elections And now he does nothing about Russia putting a bounty on our troops So he won t defend our country he doesn t know how to defend our troops The only person he s interested in defending is himself John Kerry at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 187 215 On the opening night of the convention former United States secretary of state and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry delivered a speech in Boston Massachusetts which heavily criticized Donald Trump s approach foreign policy characterizing it as a nonstop blooper reel 187 231 Kerry criticized Trump for denying the existence of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and for what Kerry charged was Trump s failure to protect United States troops from the alleged Russian bounty program 232 Barack Obama edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it August 2020 nbsp Any chance of success depends entirely on the outcome of this election This administration has shown it will tear our democracy down if that s what it takes to win So we have to get busy building it up by pouring all our effort into these 76 days and by voting like never before for Joe and Kamala and candidates up and down the ticket so that we leave no doubt about what this country we love stands for today and for all our days to come Barack Obama at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 233 Former United States president Barack Obama delivered his speech on the third night of the convention from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia Pennsylvania 199 During his speech Obama broke with the customary practice of not criticizing his presidential successor by name 234 In his remarks Obama declared Donald Trump hasn t grown into the job because he can t And the consequences of that failure are severe 170 000 Americans dead Millions of jobs gone while those at the top take in more than ever Our worst impulses unleashed our proud reputation around the world badly diminished and our democratic institutions threatened like never before 233 Michelle Obama edit nbsp Whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness what we get instead is chaos division and a total and utter lack of empathy Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can 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 Michelle Obama at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 235 Former first lady of the United States Michelle Obama filmed her speech on the opening night of the convention from her personal residence in Martha s Vineyard Massachusetts 175 Obama reaffirmed her conviction in the motto she expressed during her 2016 convention speech when they go low we go high 235 236 Obama declared her belief that being president doesn t change who you are it reveals who you are 235 Obama touted what she felt were some the successes of her husband s presidency and Joe Biden s vice presidency including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act respect for the United States from the international community and steps made internationally to address climate change 235 She contrasted these with what she felt were some of the failures of the Trump presidency She characterized the United States under Trump s leadership as underperforming not simply on matters of policy but on matters of character 235 One failure she charged Trump with was the United States death toll and domestic economic damage of the COVID 19 pandemic for which she faulted Trump s downplaying of the severity of the virus 235 Another aspect of the Trump presidency she criticized was its reneging on international agreements and its betrayal of alliances that had been championed by past presidents including Republicans Ronald Reagan and Dwight D Eisenhower 235 She also criticized what she regarded to be Trump s emboldening of torch bearing white supremacists seen at the Unite the Right rally 235 Obama further criticized Trump s derision of the political catchphrase and movement Black Lives Matter 235 After declaring Trump an unfit president Obama remarked it is what it is echoing words that Trump had recently used about the COVID 19 death toll 236 Obama directly invoked the murder of George Floyd and killing of Breonna Taylor by law enforcement earlier in 2020 which had become central flash points of ongoing protests and unrest that are considered part of the Black Lives Matter movement 235 Obama touted the virtues of Biden s character declaring him a profoundly decent man that knows what it takes to rescue an economy beat back a pandemic and lead our country 235 236 She recounted the personal tragedies that he had endured including the deaths of his first wife Neilia and first born daughter Naomi in a 1972 automobile accident and the 2015 death of his son Beau from brain cancer declaring that Biden s life is a testament to getting back up and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up to help us heal and guide us forward 235 Obama warned of potential voter suppression in the 2020 election and urged citizens to collectively cast their votes for Biden in numbers that cannot be ignored 236 In the penultimate sentences of her speech she quoted John Lewis as saying When you see something that is not right you must say something You must do something 235 Nancy Pelosi edit nbsp We will elect President Biden whose heart is full of love for America and rid the country of Trump s heartless disregard for America s goodness Our mission and our pledge is to fight for a future equal to the ideals of our founders our hopes for our children and the sacrifices of our veterans our brave men and women in uniform and their families Nancy Pelosi at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 237 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi delivered her speech on the third night of the convention from San Francisco California 194 Pelosi began her speech by expressing her pride in the diversity of the Democratic majority she was leading in the United States House of Representatives 237 In her remarks Pelosi painted President Donald Trump and Republican United States Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell as dual obstacles to progress 238 Pelosi praised Biden as battle tested forward looking honest and authentic and Harris as committed to our Constitution brilliant in defending it 237 Colin Powell edit nbsp Our country needs a commander in chief who takes care of our troops in the same way he would his own family Joe Biden will be a president we will all be proud to salute With Joe Biden in the White House you will never doubt that he will stand with our friends and stand up to our adversaries On day one he will restore America s leadership and our moral authority Colin Powell at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 239 Republican former United States secretary of state Colin Powell delivered his speech on the second night of the convention from Washington D C 188 Powell opened his speech by briefly recounting the stories of how each of his parents immigrated to the United States from Jamaica 239 Powell extolled Biden as having morally strong defining values 239 Powell praised the sort of leadership he argued that Biden would bring to the United States as president 239 He argued Biden would restore America s leadership in the world and restore the alliances we need to address the dangers that threaten our nation from climate change to nuclear proliferation 239 Powell described the United States as a country divided and argued that President Trump was doing everything in his power to keep up that way arguing that Biden would be a unifier as president 239 Bernie Sanders edit nbsp We have a president who is not only incapable of addressing these crises but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism This election is the most important in the modern history of this country In response to the unprecedented crises we face we need an unprecedented response a movement like never before of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency and against greed oligarchy and bigotry And we need Joe Biden as our next president Bernie Sanders at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 240 United States senator from Vermont and candidate for the 2016 and 2020 Democratic nominations Bernie Sanders spoke from Burlington Vermont on the opening night of the convention 58 241 In his speech Sanders urged his supporters to lend their support to Biden in order to oust Donald Trump 240 241 He conceded that while he and Biden disagree on the specifics their plans to expand healthcare coverage and lower prescription drug costs Biden still has a plan that greatly accomplish this 240 241 He also touted other issues for which Biden has plans 240 Chuck Schumer edit nbsp America Donald Trump has quit on you We need a president with dignity integrity and the experience to lead us out of this crisis a man with a steady hand and a big heart who will never ever quit on America that man is my friend Joe Biden He will be a great president Chuck Schumer at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 242 United States Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered his speech on the second night of the convention from the New York City New York borough of Brooklyn with the Statue of Liberty in the background 148 242 Schumer invoked the memory of immigrants such as his grandparents who were greeted by the Statue of Liberty upon their arrival in the United States 242 Schumer argued that America will benefit from both electing the ticket of Biden and Harris as well as from flipping control of the United States Senate from Republican to Democratic 242 Kristin Urquiza edit My dad was a healthy 65 year old His only pre existing condition was trusting Donald Trump and for that he paid with his life The coronavirus has made it clear that there are two Americas the America that Donald Trump lives in and the America that my father died in Enough is enough Donald Trump may not have caused the coronavirus but his dishonesty and his irresponsible actions made it so much worse Kristin Urquiza at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 243 On the opening night of the convention Kristin Urquiza who had lost her father Mark Urquiza to COVID 19 gave a speech in which she said that her father who believed Donald Trump and other Republicans that Urquiza blamed for downplaying the severity of the COVID 19 pandemic had disregarded his safety and went to a karaoke bar with friends where he possibly contracted the disease he succumbed to 243 244 245 Urquiza criticized Trump for dishonesty and irresponsible actions which she faulted with worsening the pandemic 243 244 Urquiza also said that one of the last things her father who she said voted for Trump in 2016 had told her before dying was that he felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump and that she therefore planned to cast her 2020 vote for Joe Biden in honor of her father 243 245 Urquiza s speech was regarded by pundits to be one of the highlights of the convention s opening night 246 Elizabeth Warren edit nbsp We build infrastructure like roads bridges and communications systems so that people can work It s time to recognize that childcare is part of the basic infrastructure of this nation it s infrastructure for families Joe and Kamala will make high quality child care affordable for every family make preschool universal and raise the wages for every child care worker Elizabeth Warren at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 247 United States senator from Massachusetts and candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination Elizabeth Warren delivered her speech on the third night of the convention from a classroom located in a Springfield Massachusetts early learning center that was temporarily closed due to the COVID 19 pandemic 248 Warren s speech centered on the importance of passing legislation to provide universal child care 249 Gretchen Whitmer edit nbsp It s crucial that we rally together to fight this virus and build our economy back better With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House we will Gretchen Whitmer at the 2020 Democratic National Convention 250 Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer delivered her speech on the opening night of the convention from UAW Local 603 in Lansing Michigan 165 Whitmer began by praising Barack Obama and Joe Biden s actions to rescue the auto industry amid its 2008 10 crisis 250 Whitmer then transitioned into discussing both the Michigan and national responses to the COVID 19 pandemic 250 She argued that Biden and Harris would provide the leadership needed to address the pandemic 250 Keynote address various speakers edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it August 2020 Aiming to have a new kind of convention keynote the Democratic Party chose to have seventeen rising stars co present the convention s keynote address 183 The speakers were former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives and 2018 Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams who had a solo spotlight capping the section Tennessee state senator Raumesh Akbari United States r, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library, article, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games. |