THERE hasn’t been this much support for a Democratic presidential candidate since Barack Obama’s 2008 romp to victory, a former Obama official said of Vice President Kamala Harris’ rise.
Excitement has been palpable at the DNC as Kamala Harris was formally chosen as the party’s nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
Brett Bruen, who served as the Global Engagement Director at the White House under Obama, said that while the energy at the convention is high, the “big question” still remains if she can keep up the momentum until November.
The “groundswell of support” behind Harris is “remarkable,” Bruen told The U.S. Sun.
That support was seen during the second night of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, where former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle, joined delegates, A-listers, and a packed crowd at the Union Center in Chicago.
Meanwhile, Harris and her running mate Tim Walz were in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, holding a rally at the Fiserv Forum – which was used for the Republican National Convention last month– to a packed-out crowd of over 15,000 people.
This would have been painful for Donald Trump, who has repeatedly claimed on Truth Social that Harris fails to draw a crowd.
Bruen said the DNC has been a “trip down memory lane” for the Obamas, who both gave rousing speeches on the second night of the event.
DNC highlights so far…
- Delegates conveyed their admiration for President Joe Biden as he delivered a forceful speech during night 1 of the DNC.
- Kamala Harris secured the Democratic nomination in a chaotic and gaffe-filled roll call during night 2 of the convention.
- Former Trump advisor and White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham spoke at the DNC.
- Grisham, who was one of five Republicans to speak at the Dem convention, said behind closed doors, Trump would refer to his supporters as “basement dwellers.”
- The Obamas electrified the Chicago crowd as they delivered keynote speeches.
- Former First Lady Michelle Obama delivered a rousing speech blasting the Republican presidential candidate as a racist and misogynist.
- Barack Obama, one of the most influential figures in the Democratic Party since leaving the Oval Office in 2017, called Trump a “whining and childish” billionaire.
Bruen said the night saw “both Barack and Michelle Obama reinvigorating some of that energy and hope that we remember from 2008.”
Michelle received a hometown welcome as she stepped out on the stage and admitted that there was “something magical in the air” before talking about motherhood and Harris’ qualifications for the presidency.
Meanwhile, Obama ended the night with his keynote speech where he praised his former running mate Joe Biden for stepping aside and made subtle digs at Trump, including making a crude gesture about crowd size.
However, Harris’ whirlwind campaign has gained a new kind of force that was not seen during the Obama era, the former global engagement director for the White House said.
“At this moment what is remarkable is that we have a new kind of momentum, one quite frankly, that may even surpass where Obama was in 2008,” said former diplomat Bruen, now president of the Global Situation Room.
“There were 15,000 people crammed into a stadium just an hour up the road from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to greet Kamala Harris that evening,” he said.
“I mean, it speaks to the groundswell of support that you’re seeing now, can it be maintained? That’s the big question.”
‘KEY CHALLENGE’
Even a handful of GOP members have now defected to the Democrats and appeared at the DNC to voice their opinions on voting for the country over the party in what is being dubbed “Republicans for Harris.”
The Harris campaign courted Republican voters who do not align themselves with Trump, urging them to vote for the Democratic ticket even if they do not agree on all policy points.
At the DNC, the Democrats revealed they would be giving a space to “everyday Republican voices” including “ex-Maga activist” and conservative commentator Rich Logis who spoke at Monday’s event.
Meanwhile, Republican member and co-host of The View Ana Navarro-Cárdenas who hosted the second DNC evening states on X how “in 2024, I’m a single-issue voter: for Trump to lose.”
Democratic National Convention roundup
Delegates from across the nation decended into Chicago's United Center to formally celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrats presidential nominee.
DNC Night 1 highlights:
- Delegates showed an outpouring of gratitude for President Joe Biden, the Democratic incumbent who decided to end his reelection campaign on July 21, 2024, and pass the torch to his vice president to lead the nation.
- An emotional Biden, who wiped away tears as a raucous crowd chanted, “Thank you, Biden, delivered an emphatic speech that diverted past the scheduled primetime hour.
- Supporters praised the president for his 50-year career in public service that began in Delaware.
- “For 50 years, like many of you, I’ve given my heart and soul to our nation, and I’ve been blessed, a million times in return, with the support of the American people,” Biden said.
- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received a standing ovation as she called Kamala Harris and Tim Walz’s campaign “the future.”
DNC Night 2 highlights:
- Kamala Harris secured the Democratic nomination in a chaotic and gaffe-filled roll call during night 2 of the convention.
- Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham spoke at the DNC and said behind closed doors, Donald Trump would refer to his supporters as “basement dwellers.”
- Grisham was one of five Republicans to speak at the convention.
- The Obamas electrified the Chicago crowd, delivering keynote speeches one after the other.
- Former First Lady Michelle Obama gave a rousing speech blasting Trump as a racist and misogynist.
- Barack Obama, one of the most influential figures in the Democratic Party since leaving the Oval Office in 2017, called his successor a “whining and childish” billionaire.
Despite support from several Republicans, the main issue facing Harris now is to ensure she gains enough points over Trump to avoid issues seen in 2020, Bruen explained.
“The key challenge is running now, maybe four or five points ahead,” he said.
“In some key states, she needs to put that 10 to 12 points ahead which will be the buffer [so] no matter what comes over the next two months she would have enough support.”
This much of an advantage would put Harris “beyond any questions [or] any attempts by Donald Trump to contest the election,” he added.
“So that’s her challenge right now.”
