Harris Seeks Unity At DNC: Protests Complicate Picture
As the Democratic National Convention got underway today, multiple protests broke out around the venue, with one woman even stealing a microphone on stage to protest the United States’ support for the nation of Israel in their counteroffensive responding to the Oct. 7th attacks of Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist group.
The 2024 DNC is one of the most anticipated in American history, as Democrats have completely upended their ticket in the last two months, ditching incumbent President Joe Biden in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Biden, the oldest president in American history, faced calls to step away from his reelection bid throughout his term, but the outcries reached a fever pitch after a dismal June debate performance on CNN against former President Donald Trump.
Biden eventually caved to the pressure after top Democratic leaders came together to jointly pressure the President to step aside, citing concerns that he would hurt the Democratic ticket in down-ballot races. The party quickly coalesced around Vice President Harris, the only potential candidate with access to Biden’s campaign funds. Harris has spent the last month trying to strike a balance between her former political positions, rated as most liberal in the nation when she served in the Senate, and a centrist approach which Democrats hope will be able to pull moderate Midwestern voters away from supporting former President Trump.
For example, Harris has recently retracted previous statements supporting single-payer healthcare, banning fracking, and abolishing the border control agency, ICE. She has also expressed support for more popular policies like Donald Trump’s “no tax on tips” proposition and vague promises like preventing “price gouging” in grocery stores.
Most notably, Harris, a former prosecutor, has toned down her previous rhetoric on combatting “police brutality,” a common refrain among Democrats during the George Floyd protests of 2020 which has become increasingly unpopular with the general public in recent years.
All of these walkbacks have triggered protests on police brutality, the Palestinian conflict, and many other issues at the DNC from activists in the Democratic Party who worry that Harris is backtracking on key party morals. Harris and Walz are expected to try to energize their base this week, but it remains to be seen how successful and clear-cut their message will be if it continues to be drowned out by viral protests.
