Tuesday-Colorado Dems Attend the DNC
Day Two! A Delegate’s Perspective
TUESDAY
Day two is Roll Call night. Roll Call is traditionally full of good-natured teasing and well-deserved bragging by States and territories. There is one stipulation — delegates must be on time.
No pressure! Time to get some breakfast and enjoy another busy day of caucuses, meetings, training, and maybe a nap or two.
The best part, and perhaps the most frustrating part of being at the DNC, is that you want to do everything and have to choose to do a few things. The good news is that the caucuses were on YouTube!
When in doubt, there’s always shopping.
The 2024 DNC, in a commendable effort, addressed the needs of ADA users thoroughly. In a proactive move, the organizing committee solicited feedback from delegates on their specific needs related to translation, ramps, sensory issues, visual issues, and service animals. This concerted effort ensured a ramp was provided to the floor, enabling wheelchair and scooter users to join other delegates in their sections. The availability of wheelchairs and scooters for rent further underscored the commitment to inclusivity.
For Colorado, there were color-coded sections for full mobility support, medium support, such as being able to get to a seat near the end, and no support. This system was designed to cater to the diverse needs of the delegates with disabilities.
While the 2024 DNC made significant strides in ADA accessibility, it also faced challenges that must be addressed. The innovations, though welcome, could have been better implemented, leading to instances where ADA users were left stranded outside McCormick and the United Center. The ‘sensory room’, while a step in the right direction, fell short of expectations. These concerns were not overlooked but actively discussed and addressed in the Disability Caucus meetings, reaffirming the commitment to continuous improvement.
The Colorado Delegates were treated to a Happy Hour courtesy of Senator Michael Bennet!
It’s time for Roll Call, but delegates and guests first needed to sit perfectly still for the traditional panoramic picture. The camera used, over 100 years old, required at least 22 seconds to complete the exposure.
Any movement would blur sections of the photograph. A hush fell over the delegates as they held their breath, watching the camera move slowly in a circle. At this moment, they were all united in their stillness and burst into cheers when the photograph was completed.
An example of the finished product.
When delegates took to their seats, they were provided with coordinated light-up bracelets. Later in the evening, they would blink either red, white, or blue, depending on the moment.
Now it was time for Roll Call. California and Minnesota would pass and go last since Harris is from California and Walz is from Minnesota.
Colorado Delegates stood up and crowded together. They were told to yell as loud as possible with Colorado flags ready to wave. California passed, and the camera turned to the Colorado Delegation.
DJ Cassidy spun the tune “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire. The band members are Colorado residents.
From Colorado DNC member James Reyes: “Very proud that they used photos my husband Julius Garrido took as the imagery for Colorado last night at roll call, he shot these at the Great Sand Dunes and Telluride.”
Colorado went wild after the roll call. It ended up being the loudest and most enthusiastic delegation.
The speeches to follow the roll call were spicy. Bernie Sanders had the crowd feeling the “Bern.” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill, called out Trump’s bone spurs excuse. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker reminded Trump of what an actual billionaire looks like while pointing at himself.
2nd Gentleman Doug Emhoff addressed the crowd, beginning with a fun photo essay about himself growing up, getting married, getting divorced, and being set up on a blind date with Kamala Harris. It was a funny, humanizing insight into the life of the future First Gentleman.
Michelle Obama asked, “Who is going to tell him (Trump) the job he’s seeking might be one of those black jobs?”
QUEEN OF SHADE.
Finally, it was time to hear from Barrack Obama. As the Colorado Delegation stood transfixed, hanging onto every word, President Obama reminded them of what America was about.
Plus, a wee bit of shade himself. Hint: Crowd size.
From Heather Cox Richardson: “Obama reminded us that we are connected as one people. If there’s a child on the south side of Chicago who can’t read, that matters to me, even if it’s not my child. If there’s a senior citizen somewhere who can’t pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it’s not my grandmother. If there’s an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It’s that fundamental belief — I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper — that makes this country work. It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. ‘E pluribus unum.’ Out of many, one.”
Obama emphasized Americans’ shared values and pushed back against “those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes.” He reached back into history to prove that “the bedrock of this nation” is “the belief that there are better days ahead.” He called that belief “[t]he audacity of hope.”
The audacity of hope.