Key Takeaways From Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The Democratic National Convention commenced in Chicago on Monday, where President Joe Biden effectively passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s nominee.
Joe’s Speech: Biden took the stage around 10:30 PM local time, receiving a lengthy ovation and delivering a 50-minute speech. Biden put his full support behind the Harris-Walz ticket, criticized former President Trump, and touted some of his administration’s accomplishments. He also touched on his decision to abandon his campaign, saying, “I love the job. I love my country more.”
Hillary Speaks: 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton spoke of the historic circumstances in which Harris vies for the presidency as a woman, saying she is poised to break the “glass ceiling.”
Surprise Kamala: Harris, who will give her acceptance speech on Thursday, made a brief surprise appearance. The Hill (Center bias) concluded, “A primary purpose of her appearance was surely to provide compelling images for Monday’s late-night local news broadcasts and Tuesday’s front pages.”
Gaza Protests: Outside the convention, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets to express their discontent with the United States’ approach to the war in Gaza.
How The Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum highlighted several of the same key occurrences, but different framing was most evident in the reporting of Gaza protests. The Hill emphasized that the protests weren’t as big as some feared they could be, while The Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) wrote that they caused “havoc.” CNN (Lean Left bias) noted that the convention’s speakers largely avoided mentioning Gaza.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Takeaways from the first night of the Democratic National Convention![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-left.png)
Democrats opened their convention in Chicago on Monday by sending off Joe Biden. And then the president closed the night – which ran significantly behind schedule – with a hand-off to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Biden said choosing Harris as his running mate in 2020 was “the best decision I made my whole career.”
“She’ll be a president our children can look up to. She’d be a president respected by world leaders, because she already is. She’d be a president we can all be proud of. And she’d be a historic president...
From the Center
Five takeaways from Day One of the Democratic National Convention![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-center.png)
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A Democratic National Convention like no other got underway here on Monday.
President Biden, who two months ago expected this event to be his ceremonial coronation as his party’s nominee, is instead passing the torch to Vice President Harris.
Democrats, who fell into a deep gloom after Biden’s disastrous June debate with former President Trump, are energized by the Harris candidacy. The vice president has edged ahead of Trump in most national surveys, leading the polling average maintained by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ by three points.
But the sharp transition...
From the Right
Top five takeaways from the kickoff of the Democratic National Convention![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-right.png)
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On the first night of the Democratic National Convention, party members gathered to reflect on the theme “for the people” as President Joe Biden gave a semi-swan song paving the way for a party made in the reflection of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Several labor leaders addressed the convention in the lead-up to Biden’s speech, including Elizabeth H. Shuler, president of the influential American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, and Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers. Fain would later rip off his blazer to unveil a red [Donald] “Trump...
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