Minyon Moore, chair of the Democratic National Convention Committee, discusses the 2024 Democratic National Convention during a news conference at the Hilton Chicago, Thursday.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Top state Democratic Party leaders on Thursday vowed “Blue Wall” unity ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago despite party fissures over the war in Gaza and the ongoing migrant crisis — and polls that show President Joe Biden still must gain ground to win key battleground states.
Democrats are deeply focused on Wisconsin and Michigan to help bolster Biden’s re-election chances — and officials, in town for meetings hosted by the Democratic National Convention Committee, say they plan on showing voters a deep contrast between the visions of the Democratic and Republican parties.
“What we’re going to see in the Republican convention in July in Wisconsin, and in this Democratic convention here in Chicago is a tale of two parties, a tale of two dimensions and a tale of two visions for this country — one that tries to move us back, not just to the 1950s but to the 19th century,” said Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
“On the Republican side, ripping away freedoms that people have fought and died for, and on the Democratic side, a message about growing the economy from the middle and the bottom up and defending freedoms and basic principles that make this country great.”
In Michigan, where the legislature is led by Democrats in both chambers, party leaders plan to showcase Biden’s investments in the private sector, their work in strengthening gun laws and in repealing the 1931 abortion ban.
“Democrats in the Midwest and across the nation are focused on protecting freedoms and making real progress,” said Lavora Barnes, Michigan Democratic Party chair.
Hundreds of Democratic Party officials came to Chicago this week for tours and meetings ahead of the Aug. 19-22 convention, including an executive committee on Tuesday to select members of three convention standing committees.
At a downtown news conference on Thursday, party leaders were joined by convention chair Minyon Moore, who sought to quell concerns that intra-party divisions over the war in Gaza could derail the convention — and Biden’s campaign. Biden won this year’s Democratic primary in Wisconsin but about 50,000 voters cast a ballot for an “uninstructed” delegation.
In Michigan, while Biden won the state with more than 618,000 votes, more than 100,000 voters cast ballots for “uncommitted,” securing two delegates.
The Democratic National Convention is designated a “National Special Security Event,” meaning the U.S. Secret Service is involved in planning and ensuring safety during the convention. Still, a Monday morning protest near O’Hare International Airport showed demonstrators may be plotting other areas of the city to exercise their First Amendment rights. Forty pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested after cutting off traffic to the airport.
“We are very sensitive to the environment that we’re walking in here in Chicago, and we have read the stories. We have seen the stories, and we have heard the stories. And we know that these protesters are coming,” Moore said. “We’re trying to create an environment where everyone is welcome. We do protect First Amendment rights, but we also want to reassure you that the people are excited about this convention coming. We have 50,000 people coming in because they want to re-nominate Joe Biden.”
And as members of the Kennedy family endorsed Biden on Thursday in Washington, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. qualified to appear on Michigan’s ballot as an independent, potentially peeling votes from Biden.
Roger Lau, DNC deputy executive director, said the Biden campaign is “not taking anything for granted” when it comes to Kennedy.
“I think it’s clear that there are only two candidates … Donald Trump and Joe Biden. And our goal at the DNC is to make sure that voters know about that choice, and they know the difference between the two and they know what’s at stake,” Lau said. “We’re not taking anything for granted.”
Biden has thus far avoided talking about Trump’s ongoing criminal trials while on the campaign trail — but made a small quip on Wednesday at a Pennsylvania campaign stop.
“Under my predecessor, who’s a little busy right now, Pennsylvania lost 275,000 jobs,” Biden said.
But Biden senior adviser Louisa Terrell told reporters on Thursday that Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will continue to focus on their record — not on Trump’s legal woes.
“I think they are going to get out there and continue to hit the road a lot and talk about both their record — what the vision is and the contrast is, and let the rest of it take care of itself,” Terrell said.