Democratic National Committee (DNC) organizers were left resorting to humor as a shield while explaining the late start to Joe Biden’s speech, attributed to ‘raucous applause’. The tiresome delay seemed fit to push the president’s speech into the early hours of the next day on the East Coast. The DNC attempted to shrug off the inconvenience by amusingly attributing it to an ‘electric atmosphere’ in the convention hall, a claim which was met with wry laughter by the CNN panel awaiting to dissect the inaugural night’s highlight.
A significant delay of half an hour meant the exclusion of Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Grace Meng from the program. Furthermore, James Taylor, who was slated as a musical guest, was also deprived of his slot. Mandela Barnes, Wisconsin’s former lieutenant governor, didn’t mince his words when expressing his incredulity at the drawn-out event, saying, ‘It’s hard to believe that some people got cut because that thing went on forever.’
In the hindsight of an unimpressive performance during a televised debate against Donald Trump in late June, Biden had made an emphatic promise to the Democratic donors about avoiding scheduling events beyond 8 p.m. However, this decision was conveniently forgotten in the heat of the gathering in Chicago where Biden went up on stage around 10.30 p.m. CT. The speech ended at 11.20 p.m. CT, indicating Biden’s casual apathy towards his self-imposed bedtime deadline.
In their efforts to pacify discontent, event organizers released a statement mentioning their pride in the ‘electric atmosphere’ and the ‘broad and diverse coalition’ supporting the Harris-Walz ticket. It seems they were quick to prize showcase over substance and dismiss the very real inconvenience experienced by some delegates eager to proceed with the agenda.
The DNC organizers conveniently omitted mentioning the delays resulted from protesters rallying outside the venue. Unruly scenes outside the hall led to security check slowdowns and transportation issues, delaying the arrival of delegates’ buses. Computing their responsibility for failing to deal effectively with crowd control would have been an embarrassment too large to be swept under the rug simply.
In a stark contrast to the organizers’ claim of an ‘electric atmosphere’, the program started with several empty seats peering from the audience. These vacant spots were a tell-tale sign of the missing audience and diluted the flashy claims made by the event organizers.
On the same evening, law enforcement was caught up dealing with a group of agitated demonstrators, approximately a hundred strong. The protesters were voicing their opposition against the Gaza conflict and, in a bold move, managed to breach through a protective fence.
However, in what seems a minor consolation, police managed to intercept the protestors before they could infiltrate the inner perimeter of the venue. The fact remains, though, that they’ve had troubles controlling the mounting discontent outside – an ominous sign for the event held within.
Whilst the DNC attempted to swathe up their disorganization under the pretense of ‘raucous applause’, the security lapses and the exclusion of key members of the program pointed to a deeper discord. Combine that with the formidable opposition rallying outside, and the entire event seemed to emit a sense of unsteadiness.
And yet, within the folly of the event scheduling and management, Biden took centrestage, pushing far past his self-proclaimed bedtime of 8 p.m. Inundating the crowd with his speech well into the night, one has to wonder about his disregard for the earlier commitment made to Democratic donors.
Perhaps the real highlight of the event was the challenge faced by law enforcement and their ordeal with protest control rather than any ‘electric atmosphere’ inside. The scene of the missed opportunity to address potential vital matters and the forced exclusion of program participants, in essence, stole the show.
Adding to the irony, the DNC attempted to showcase a ‘broad and diverse coalition’, while evidently failing to maintain control inside the event and definitely outside. It’s a contrast that lies bare for anyone willing to see beyond the glitz and glamour of the convention hall.
The misaligned scheduling is another slap in the face for Biden’s credibility. Having broken a pledge to donors about speaking post 8 p.m., there seems to be more negligence than attributes worthy of a leader in such disorderly conduct.
Analysing the entire incident, the ‘electric atmosphere’ tagline falls flat against the factual events of the night. The DNC opts for a sugar-coating of reality, rather than addressing their drawbacks outright. The question remains if such handling of events does more good or harm for their reputation.