Barack Obama, the former U.S. President, initially descended on the political map two decades ago through his incisive speeches at Democratic conventions. His engagement in this year’s convention, roughly eight years since his swansong from the presidential office, underscored the power of the spoken word in catapulting promising contenders into the national political arena. For aspiring leaders, such a golden opportunity of addressing a national audience at these conventions is immensely invaluable. Participants at this week’s convention included veterans of the Democratic party, young politicians reckoned to be future presidential hopefuls like Pennsylvania’s Governor Josh Shapiro, Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and 2020 runner and serving Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg. Such a platform often enhances members’ esteem in the political corridors on Capitol Hill.
A star born early in the week was Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett who caught the attention of the audience. In her inaugural term, Crockett had already garnered wide digital popularity. She expressed her initial hesitation over the extra focus that such a platform could cast on her but also acknowledged it as an accomplishment. She claimed that her team couldn’t trace any other black woman freshman who had addressed the prime time audience in the recent past.
New York City’s representative, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has consistently been in the limelight since her striking victory over Joe Crowley in the 2018 primary. This week, she was the only representative of the ‘Squad’ that was given the opportunity to speak.
Lateefah Simon, an advocate for social justice and community organizer based in Oakland, California is yet to win her election. Nonetheless, she managed to secure a prime time speaker role on Wednesday night. Simon, expected to occupy the House seat that Representative Barbara Lee left vacant to run for Senate, collaborated with Vice President Kamala Harris at San Francisco’s district attorney’s office two decades back.
Simon was assigned to portray Harris, her mentor and friend, as a compassionate prosecutor who has earned the faith of crime victims. Simon’s significant exposure stirred a sense of pride among fellow members of the California delegation. ‘She was spirited and eloquent,’ observed Brett C.S. Roberts, a delegate from Inglewood. According to him, her testimony was critical as she knew Harris intimately and could confirm her integrity on a national platform.
Shomari Figures, a lawyer from Mobile, Alabama, who previously served under the Obama and Biden regimes and is campaigning for an open House seat that was reallocated post a voting rights lawsuit, got his turn in the spotlight on Thursday night. Figures utilized his allotted time on the spotlight to pay tribute to civil rights heroes from his district, such as Rosa Parks and John Lewis.
‘We are all indebted to these fearless freedom fighters, whose names might be known or unknown,” Figures suggested, “an obligation that cannot be cleared but we can ensure their hard work gets extended’ As for Tennessee state representative Justin Pearson, his fame moment was brief but earned wide attention on various social media platforms, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram. He declared the state’s vote during the roll call of delegates Tuesday night, coupled with a passionate call for tighter gun control regulation.
Representative Pearson, along with state lawmakers Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones, is widely recognized as a part of the ‘Tennessee Three’. In 2023, they caught nationwide attention when Republicans ousted both Jones and Pearson from the state House chamber following a protest for stronger firearm regulations after a school shooting. They quickly regained their lost seats. Johnson, who is competing against Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn this year, as well as Jones and Pearson were popular names in convention-related gatherings like breakfast meetings for delegates and mobilizing caucuses.
Jane Kleeb, the Nebraska Democratic Party’s chairperson, got acquainted with Pearson at a community event in Memphis, Tennessee some years ago. ‘He addressed a diverse audience, comprising landowners of both races and climate activists. I turned to a companion and predicted that Pearson would make a great president someday,’ recollected Kleeb. ‘Pearson’s eloquence is unmatched. His speech, influenced by the church, helps him connect with people across all social and racial backgrounds. There’s no doubt, Justin is a breakthrough star.’,
Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, addressed the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday. New Hampshire delegate Luz Bay was moved by Moore’s speech at the conference and his follow-up forum with delegates the next morning. ‘He has such a story to tell,’ Bay shared. ‘For a president, we need someone who shares the common experiences of the people, and not someone who is aloof or has lived a sheltered life.’ Bay was similarly moved by the frequent New Hampshire visitor, California’s Representative Ro Khanna, who has stirred speculations concerning his political ambitions.
Angela Alsobrooks, the official from Prince George’s County contesting against former governor Larry Hogan for the open Senate seat in Maryland, addressed the convention on Tuesday. Her speech not only familiarized her with the national audience, but she was also a character endorser for Harris. Alsobrooks recalled her grandmother, a housekeeper, practising typing on a paper with sketch of a keyboard as she aspired to a government job but could not afford a typewriter.
My inspiration comes from women like my grandmother who envisaged a better future and then showed the tenacity to bring it to life. One such woman is a friend, mentor, and an inspiration. That woman is Kamala Harris,’ quoted Alsobrooks. Alsobrooks revealed her discourse on strategies to combat crime at Prince George’s County while campaigning to be the district attorney, inspired by an Essence Magazine article on Harris, the then district attorney of San Francisco.
After my election win, I received a call from Harris herself congratulating me and extending help if needed,’ Alsobrooks recollected. The crowd echoed her name as she walked off the stage. The speech has garnered a lot of positive responses and it’s been an incredible experience,’ stated Alsobrooks in an interview. ‘This conference is filled with joy. There’s an air of optimism.’
Alsobrooks was among the several Senate hopefuls to be highlighted and Democrats argued that this convention unveiled the potential of the party’s up-and-coming talent. ‘I am confident about the party’s talent pool,’ commented Kelly Dietrich, who heads the National Democratic Training Committee, the party’s most substantial campaign training organization. ‘Our challenge is that we have plenty of excellent people at the federal level, and this needs to percolate down to the state level. The future seems promising.’