The European Democratic Party was represented by its Secretary General, MEP Sandro Gozi, at the DNC in Chicago, the US Democratic Party convention that nominated Kamala Harris as its candidate for the next presidential election. This is his report.
“Night, night to Trump”. Amidst the pride of their Olympic victory and the collective enthusiasm, it was the coach of the US basketball team, Steve Kerr, who led the way at an absolutely extraordinary and energetic Democratic Convention in Chicago, where I had the privilege of representing the European Democratic Party.
The convention was a real spectacle, with very short speeches by personalities from politics (for me, Pete Buttigieg, Michelle Obama and Josh Shapiro were the best), sport, civil society, trade unions, mothers of the young victims of the massacres in American schools, parents of the hostages of the Hamas barbarians and famous singers. A real orchestra provided the rhythm between the speeches, one song per state or American territory (from Sweet Home Alabama to Born in the USA…) and DJ Metro from Chicago livened up the final evening. Many speeches came from the swing states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin…
Compared to July, when there was a general sense of gloom and anxiety among my interlocutors in New York and Washington, the presidential race is now open, victory is possible, although it remains a major and complex challenge for the Democrats. If I had to choose a title, I would say ‘New Optimism in a Still Worried America’.
A New Way Forward’, ‘We’re Not Going Back’, ‘When We Fight, We Win’ and ‘Joy’ are the key messages coming out of Chicago.
Our US Democratic allies see the economic plight of the ‘middle class’ and civil rights as the central issues in this presidential election. Kamala Harris presented herself as the ‘president of all Americans’. She insisted on her background (middle class, Indian mother…) and promised tax incentives for jobs, tax cuts for the middle class; the reaffirmation of abortion rights at the federal level; the revival of the ‘bipartisan’ immigration deal blocked by Trump in Congress. He attacked Trump for wanting to abandon America’s historic allies and insisted on the role and global leadership of Americans for democracy and peace, but also on the commitment to maintain American military superiority. He emphasised the transatlantic partnership, support for Ukraine, the release of Hamas hostages and the ceasefire in Gaza. Kamala Harris wants to work for peace and democracy on the world stage, while Trump wants isolation and looks to the autocrats (Putin, Kim Jong-un…) who are, after all, his true role models.
The speeches all emphasised the need to continue Joe Biden’s policies for jobs and health care, to protect public education and, above all, to continue the fight for democracy, freedoms and civil rights, insisting in particular on the rights of women and LGBTIQ+ people.
In the face of Trump, the Democrats have now embraced the notion of ‘freedom’, which has long been the key message of the Republicans, this time in the version of ‘freedom to choose’. For the first time in at least 30 years, the Democrats have also embraced a new form of joyful, inclusive and open patriotism: the slogan ‘USA, USA’ accompanied the entire convention.
It is a battle between two very different personalities. Kamala Harris cares about people” versus Trump: “he only cares about himself”. Optimism versus cynicism. Joy versus gloom. ‘We the people’ (Democrats) versus ‘Mr. Me’ (Trump).
All insisted on the prosecutor (Harris) who must go to the White House instead of a criminal (Trump).
On the one hand, the messages to mobilise the hearts of the militants were very progressive and socially engaged. On the other hand, there were different messages to Republican and Independent voters, with speeches by former Trump advisors who left the White House during his presidency and former Republican congressmen and governors denouncing Trump’s betrayal of conservative values. Very balanced, centrist and internationally engaged, Harris’s conclusion.
The race is open. It is also about the possibility of regaining a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. It is an election that affects us more directly than others. The far right in Europe is looking to Trump: from Orbán to Meloni, from Le Pen to Vox and Salvini. Meloni’s own hesitations and serious mistakes in the last two months in Europe are all linked to her tacit bet on Trump. Who, moreover, is not going to ignore her, on the contrary.
While American democrats want to engage even more with European democrats and reformers on the great challenges of our time: climate, democracy, new global governance, peace. I also had the opportunity to discuss these issues in Chicago with various members of the Administration and Congress.
We, the European Democrats of Renew Europe, will do all we can to support Harris’s race and are ready to work with the first woman president of the United States of America: ‘Yes She Can’.
